The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1891-06-18
Al NOME CARLO.
Exciting Scenes in the Gay Hall of the
GraAt G ambIng Palace.

upon the ReV1era. Even an early car
nival has been made to fill the fashion
able winter resorts. But while Nice and
Cannes, St. Raphael and Mentone have
been complaining Monte Carlo has been
always crowded, and this, despite the
wintry weather, which powdered the
fruit-laden orange and lemon trees with
snow; despite the general deterioration
of visitors
For Monte Carlo yearly grows more
and more distinctly canaille. It's chief
attraction, the pernicious Casino, is an
irresistible line around which the riff
raft of this whole world continually
gathers. Every one, it is to be feared,
loses caste at Monte Carlo. Even highly
respectable people land although roughs
are mainly in the ascendant, there are
some decent folk at Monaco) get touch
of the tar brush, for pitch will always
stick if you get too near.
A few strong-minded persons have the
courage to resist the temptations to
play; they are satisfied to enjoy the
sunshine, the magnificent scenery -
Monte Carlo, city of palaces, en-
bosomed in perennial flowers, backed
by purple hills and fringed by an azure
sea, is one of the most beautiful spots
on earth - the splendid orchestra,
which is one of the finest in Europe, and
provided gratuitously by the admins
tration of the gaming tables, a very
prosperous and free-handed body,
thanks to its enormous and ill-gotten
gains.
DIT - 4 I0oAo
mon euphemism for the gay halls of the
tickle goddess Chance, demands an
heroic self-denial mostly practiced by
those who have nothing left to lose. As
a general rule all visitors to Monte
Carlo take the gambling fever, more or
less badly; it is a disease endemic and
epidemic like measles, whooping cough
or humps. Look round these detestable
tables and note how the company in
cludes a dozen different types. 1t is a
cosmopolitan gathering, various in age
sex, country, rank and outward appear
ance. Let me describe one or two:
That fat, white-faced, Strengthening
man is an opera singer, in nationality a
Roumanian. He is oddly dressed-in a
light, tight suit of dittoes, the coat of
which has black velvet collar; his
shirt is of Italian make, cut so low at
the throat that it exposes half his
brawny chest; he wears dozen rings
a floating watch chain twice round his
neck, and a gorgeous gold bracelet set
with big diamond encircles his pudgy
wrist Jewels are popular with the fire.
quenters of the gaming tables; they
represent what Mr.. Wemmick called
portable property" and can be passed
on to the convenient pop shop" when
funds run low.
He is an English ''ring' man, prince
of spOrtsmen, whose business is Nice
races, and Monte Carlo his relaxation
short, squarely-built little chap, with
what a witty Frenchman described as
an exaggeration abdominale. See how
! in his open shirt front glisten three
4 studs, yellow diamonds, each as big as
a Tangerine orange.
He is ''all there in his own language,
although dependent upon Emery" his
confidential clerk, in all his operations
for his education has been neglected,
and although good at mental arithmetic
he cannot write his name. But he
knows the touch and value of money,
and makes Emery promptly pass on
the ''oof' which he is winning (of course
lat first in large sums.
Next him stands bright-faced En-
glish girl, bride, with her husband at
her elbow. He is captain in the Brit
ish cavalry, a gentleman every inch,
straightforward, honest-eyed, but both
he and his young wife are fascinated by
the arch demon and under the spell of
play hardly recognizable by their dear
est friends.
What right have women here? That
old thing (she must be seventy odd
toothless, blear-eyed, with trembling
fingers that can hardly pick up or put
down her gold; that pretty young
widow, in all the openness OF weeds be-
tokening her recent loss, has she come
here to stifie her sorrow or in bold bra
vado, as if glorying in relief from an
irksome yoke? These girls, innocent,
laughing girls who call parting with
five franc pieces ''Such awful fun are
they not out of place in this terrestrial
hell? Innocence soon wears off indeed.
While / stand observing the crowd
two boys approach me, Americans, and
with charming, ingenious address, beg
me to explain to them the rules of the
games, trente ct quarante and roulette.
do SOFAS matter of courtesy, vet re-
gretfully, and within an hour or two !
find them in the fore front, fighting for
6eats, planking down their money en-
p-ein, a cheval six deniers and the rest.
1t is but step from the beginning to
the halfway stage of high and reckless
play, the same or less to that of the in
evitable catastrophe that assuredly over.
takes all who persist in the unequal
game. Yesterday great throng had
gathered round path where gros jeu
is in progress. A young French mar
quis, the lucky husband, 1 heard, of an
American heiress, was winning eour
after coup, maximums, 50, 400, that is
to say. every time. There was run on
all eolors, red had won eleven times,
then black for eight, and this fortunate
youth carried off some $45, 900 as the
prize of one hours play. 1t was a bad