Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-06

higher, perhaps, than in any. otnori ocond
tai OF Europe. In the DAYS OF the 81 az
Empire it was at it's highest: but Ie;ther
the members Of that generation have now
passed away or been ruined, or Az oi AZ
too old TO play. The Cercle lmpetni'., ND
the corner of the Place de 10 Concoru ;tad
the Champs Elysees, has now been un ,ba
to the Mirlitons.n and is known - ELL
Epatants," and here gambling s,;oIly
carried on to large extent, eip"rcarat
since the fusion Of the two clubs. bacc &C.,
and poker are still in vogue. Play oe sf.ar
in the afternoon, and goes on again I'm,
dinner, until the small hours OF the nio'"
ing. ,,.i;s-
Among gambling tragedies Prince Meit =,
snno's death stands out as q warnins AZ
those who make too free with ia pane iii I'll
Pique." Hero was q man popular IL o.
classes Of society, well born. and posssJs -,
ing q considerable fortune; but the ~
cane whom "Quinzen and baccarat ie ~
him high and dry. and be was unaoie ~
pay his debts of honor. Then his MANI ho
was posted in tho lookine-glass OF tne
Salon of the Rue Royale.. Whfqn
the Prince caught sight Of u ~, no
smashed the looNng-glass to atoms W. w
one blow from his cane, and then theIo
was scandal. Prince Melissano,. VINO "
cupied a room ut the club, sent few ua NV,
later for his coitow. and, having peuH
carefully shaved and-in American par
lance" fxed.n be dressed himself in eve
ming clothes, and then put bullet throuSu
his heart. Thus was another lie-and tlo
life Of a dcseryedly popular nan-saol'-
feed 10 the demands Of Dame Fortune.
ALowER SCALE.
To descend TO q lower scale of club IN
Paris than those already mentioned We
NAV refer to certain magnificent estaDi y, u. ~
ments far easier Of acce than the hue
Royale and the JOCKEY Club, where g@ for
bliuo-especially bar.erat-is played loI
very high stakes. O these theprincIpai one5
are the "Presse." tho Washington" eng
the American the last generally cailT,u
the Colonel" from the sufficiently Wet
known fact that all Americans are COLONIES.
The Prose-" is frequented by the oel1ul
class OF jOurnalists-men who make ELso
sums Of money by their pens ana "uo
spend the greater part OF these Suns -
! gambling. Then there are rich 81 Ahoiu-
crs. financial dabblcrs, is tout bcdevaIu
that unknown quantity who certainly
exists but which it - so difficult 10 deHne.
All these men arc prepared TO risA y
thousand louis in tho BANK. anu ~
fbe "Waehington" and the tolo-
nel~ the play Is even higher. mere
American3-and. indeed, all strangers-,ire
admitted with less tOrmailty tnah IA o.,Io.
clubs. and II was at the " Colonel thaI
Nr. Bcuzou, inspOrting parlance, "sklIhea
the Lamb " to the eXtont Of some l2'OUo
poun during his stay in Paris two years I'
aro. These clubs are openly spoken Oh as
trirots or "hells" by those who frequent
~ I'D. Their very existence depends upon
the members gambling, and indeed they
IRE founded for no other purpose.
.Raccarat is one OF those games when IN
| the long run mean certain ruin. inc
| banker paws per cent. for { be advantage
that ne has i'm dealing namely, that Whth
| his adversaries ask for cards, the cards nc
| rives them areturned up. and he can there
/ fore gather very clearly what points they
/ have and can make very shrewd can li'l-
| f,on as 10 whether or not he ought totake a
! card himself This 8 per cent. goes to me
| benefit Of he club, which thus MAKES
enormous profits during the evening
whether tho members win or not. j a
given number If PLAYERS were 90 SIT down
| and plnv baccarat, each with stated SUN
| az money. Of woald only be question OF
! time for tn, united amount 70 have passed
| into the caen tie or pool, and for no. one
to be any or save the propretors OF TIC
| club.