The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-25
A SINGERS LUCK.
How Chevalier Scoville Won Eighty Thou
sand Dollars in One Sitting.


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.
Scoville 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
1900, 900 francs winner. Talking about
this at the Burnett one evening after
dinner, with a glass OF claret before him
and the loose comforts of beautiful
travelling suit about him, he said:
"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
their fortunes and win and lose them
again within few days. You breathe
gambling and desire nothing but to
stake. Soon after l arrived at Nice l
became infected. Success there and at
Monte Carlo flushed me. 1 grew daring.
cared nothing for money.
Zone afternoon l sat slipping coffee in
the great bay window of the Mediterra-
mean Club at Nice. Prince Arem Bey.
Egypt. came in, and speaking of my
singing in 'Lohengrin,' proposed game
Of baCcarat. He was then living at
Paris with 100000 900 francs year and
mountain of debts. He was heavy
player and thought nothing of the ordi-
nary 5000 franc limit at Nice.
"'What shall the game be?' said he.
And then he proposed $4,000 francs as a
limit. That is only one bet,' said 1,
with the memory of my Monte Carlo
luck to spur me on. He asked 100,0
francs credit of the cashier and obtained
it. We sat down to play. An old friend
of mine from Vienna held mys 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.
|, and at the same time / obtained Of
the cashier credit for 900 francs for
the night.
"'The cards were turned. MY friend
held the necessary nine and won.
placed the pencil on the stack of chips
for the second bet.
''What does the pencil now representa-
inquired the Prince.
LET us say $4,000 francs" said 1.
''This made my bet 100000 francs.
The Prince again played, and again
won. l was now $50, 900 francs, or $50,
600 ahead of the game. There was
exactly that amount in the chips which
had won with my pencil. ! again put
it upon the stack.
"'What is the pencil worth now?''
demanded my opponent.
"'One hundred thousand frances I
answered, with the calmness and as
sumed Indifference which my luck
brought me. The Prince rose. He
couldn't stand it. went over and took
his place. That is, I was betting my
100000 francs on the Princes hand. l
turned over the cards which he had
abandoned. L was again winner. Ii he
had had the nerve he would have won
it all instead of allowing me to win.
This gave me 100000 francs, $50, 900 in
three plays. The pencil had been my
mascot.
During those sixteen days I 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 I walked
away with 100000 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 moment Then he said
But who cares to hear of those who
lose in the game?'-CincinnatiC CONNER
eial Gazette.