Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-04-19
a SINGERS LUCK.
How ChevaIier ScovilIe Won Eighty Theu-
sand Dollars in One Sitting.

How Chevalier ScoVille Won Eighty Thew
sand Dollars in One Sitting.
Chevalier Scoville, of the Boston
Ideals, is one of the few men who have
broken the bank at Monte Carlo. 1t was
during sixteen days spent between Nice
and Monte Carlo, in the winter of 1878.
ScoviIle had gone to Nice to sing in
"Lohengrin." Perhaps no living man
can claim to have had better fortune at
cards than he had during those sixteen
days At the end of that time he was
1,50O, 900 francs winner. Talking about
this at the Burnett one evening after
dinner with glass Of claret before him
and the loose comforts of a beautiful
travelling suit about him, ne said:
1.-THE atmosphere of these places
breathes the gaming spirit A 1000
franc note becomes nothing. A fever is
upon every body. Great winnings are
of hourly occurrence, and nothing but
the gaming table is discussed. Men stake
their fortunes and win and lose them
again within a few days. You breathe
gambling and desire nothing but to
stake. Soon after | arrived at Nice |
became infected. Success there and at
Monte Carlo flushed me. | grew daring.
| cared nothing for money.
lone afternoon | sat slipping coffee in
the great bay window of the Mediterra
mean Club at Nice Prince Arem Bey,
a cousin of the present Khedive of
Egypt, came in, and speaking of my
singing in 'LOhengrin, proposed game
of baccarat He was then living at
Paris with 10000. 0OO francs year and
mountain of debts. He was a heavy
player and thought nothing of the ordi-
nary 8 200 franc limit at Nice.
"'What shall the game be?' said he.
And then he proposed $4,000 francs as
limit. That is only one bet, said l,
with the memory of my Monte Carlo
luck to spur me on. He asked 100, 900
francs credit of the cashier and obtained
it. We sat down to play. An old friend
Of mine from Vienna held my cards for
me. l instructed him to throw the lit
tie pencil, attached to the betting card,
into the center of the table where the
bets are placed.
"'What does this mean?' said the
Prince.
"'That represents 5000 francs, said
I, and at the same time l obtained of
the cashier credit for $50, 900 francs for
the night
1.-The cards were turned. My friend
held the necessary nine and won. l
placed the pencil on the stack of chips
for the second bet.
'What does the pencil now representa-
inquired the Prince.
LET us say 50, 600 francs" said ].
This made my bet 100000 francs
The Prince again played, and again l
won. / was now 100000 francs, or $780,,
900 ahead of the game. There was
exactly that amount in the chips which
I had won with my pencil. again put
it upon the stack.
what is the pencil worth now?"
demanded my opponent.
lone hundred thousand francs l
answered, with the calmness and as
sumed Indifference which my luck
brought me. The Prince rose. He
couldn't stand it. l went over and took
his place. That is, l was betting my
100000 francs on the Princes hand. l
B
abandoned. | was again winner If he
had had the nerve he would have won
it all instead of allowing me to win.
This gave me 100000 francs, $50, 600 in
three plays. The pencil had been my
mascot.
During those sixteen days l broke
one of the tables of rouge ct noir' at
Monte Carlo. | backed the red to win
nine times in succession, and at the last
turn the bank closed, while walked
away with 800, 900 francs. o, yes, those
sixteen days were wonderful. The Rus
slams who were winning there thought
was supernatural being"
And did you ever lose?'
The chevalier sighed and looked
nournful for a moment. Then he said:
But who cares to hear of those who
lose in the game?"-Cincinnat CONNER
eial Gazette