The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-05
A GAMBLERS STORY.
Tae Luck of New York Lawyer at
the Monte Carlo Tables.
u~o,, fba Man VoYL


the Monte Carlo Tables,
From the Ne,o York Sun.
A well-known lawyer in town, who is a
German by birth. tells the following story
of one of the many embarrassing positions
his passion for gambling has placed him
in:
Some years before his coming to this
country he made a flying trip to his home
in Berlin to the gambling bells of Monte
Carlo The season there was at its hight,
and the place was filled with wealthy,
reckless men and women trying to
rouse their deadened feelings by in
dulging in high play. Although the
lawyer had no friends to inveigle him into
the game, the fever was on him, and he bur
ried to the gaming tables to try his luck.
For hours he kept his place at the table,
sometimes winning, sometimes losing,
sliding up and down the scale Of fortune
until the almost inevitable end came-not a
sou was left to him His 20, 900 francs were
gone, and he wandered aimlessly out into
the beautiful gardens surrounding the
Casino, as so many had done before him,
hungry and worn out with the terrible
strain, wondering what next to do. Finally
night came, and the now penniless man,
who, the day before could have had the
best the place afforded, sneaked off into a
clump of bushes to determine his future
course. He was thoroughly disguised and
tired, but he could not sleep. He cursed
his passion for gaming, and swore he would
never make another stake. Visions Of sui
| eide came up before him, and he wondered
how he had better die. In the midst of his
mournful reverie a policeman. prowling
| around for just such cases as his, grutfiy
| ordered him to move on. He felt very
much like a park loafer.
The night at last came to an end, and the
| unfortunate fellow, chilled TO the bone by
! the night air, crawled dejec eddy toward
| the hotel, where he had dined the day before
to get some paper to write farewell note
| home, for be had determined to take his
| life. On his way through the park he met
man walking briskly along, whom he rec
| Ognized as the vice president of the Monte
Carlo syndicate. The young German was
desperate enough to beg, and he asked the
official for money to get him safely home to
| Berlin.
mot a Franc" answered the vice presi-
dent. IF 1 were to give to every one who
makes the same request of me the bank
| would never declare dividend"
He still continued his arguments, how
over, telling who he was and giving the
| names Of such prominent men in Berlin as
references that the vice president consented
| to telegraph one of the men referred to aud
see if there was any truth IN the young
mans statements. The answer came back
"Give him all the money he wants if he
| consents to leave Monte Carlon
The vice president then gave him 500
francs on that condition, and to SEQ that it
was fulfilled he saw the now happy fellow
on board a train that would leave in half
| an hour and left him there amid profuse
apologies and thanks on the young mans
part But no sooner was he out of sight
than the gambler, with the money burning
| in his pocket forgetting his VOWS never to
play again, ignoring the condition on which
he obtained the money. sprang from the
train and ran hastilylto the Casino. He knew
he had little time and less chance to retrieve
his losses, for he must catch the out.
going train, but he was powerless to resist
the temptation. Dividing his money into
five parts he began to play. He could not
lose. Wherever he put his money black or
red. he seemed to win as il he controlled the
marble that spun round and round and
meant life or death to him. He glanced at
the clock. But few moments were left
He must double all to be a winner He
would stake his life on one turn Of that
brightly painted bowl. Gathering the gold
before him he placed it on the red TO the
very last sou. The croupier turned the
| bowl--the little ball whirred aud whirred
slower ald slower as the revolutions of the
bowl diminished in velocity and then hesi-
tating for a second fell with q rattle into
one Of the pockets.
Had Atlas ever dropped the world no
greater weight would have been lifted from
him than was lifted from that mans hears
as be saw the way the turn had come.
With trembling hands he gathered in bis
winnings and hurried back in time to board
his train before the guards had locked the
DOORS Once settled in his seat he counted
ovec his money. In that last thirty min
utes be had dragged back from the clutches
Of the bank all he had lost and was now
1000 francs ahead.
Some wears have psssed since that event-
full occasion 10 his life. but he has never
gone hack to review the scenes Of his won
derful luck. Yet the gambling fever is on
him still, and he is never happier than when
risking his last cent on a Gutenberg selling
platter.