New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-14
JOHN PAUL on BACCARAT.
WITH SOME "REMINISCENCES OF NAP" AT
TROIS TORRENTS.
Gravelly Island, June 10.


We If Gravellv Island have been much inter-
ested in the late great baccarat case Not that
anv of us Gravely Islanders are personally ac-
ouainted with any party to it I'VE do not even
know the Prince but because of feeling THAI
yye have much in common with them. For one
thing: We like TO gamble it doesn't matter
what on: Ike it The catch OF herring, Whether vi
not we find q clam at the end of the hole were
digging. the turn of the tide or the turn oi
card. all is alike, so long as uncertainty Is III
voIved and we can find in the attendant excite
mont some relief from the arduous duties WIN
which our lot in life is cumbcred-the receiving
of foreign visitors, for instance the making OIL
speeches in reply TO generous gifts to the UraVcly
Island Free Library, the regular drawing Of our
salaries as custodans of the seal, great and SMALL
that frequent our shores. Yea, when the weekly
" christian Unicorn" Of which a copy is taken ct
the aforesaid Gravelly Island Library week after
week proclaims in its financial columns that the
Oregon Deterioration Company is on the way TO
improvements that Wisconsin Outgoes are on
tbr verge of becoming veritable Incomes, deacons
Of tbe North CONGREGATIONAL Church, as well as
elders Of the Free viii Baptist Denomination
across the way have been known TO invest
NOT as the financial editor remarks. with
any view 10 speculation, but simply as way
If nuttnr loose money where it cannot be readily
cot At 10 be squandered, and in the certainty
that these securities cannot possibly In the future
Ike worth less than they now are IN the present
In one NATTER however, We of Gravelly Island
are not at all in sympathy with the Prince OF wales
and his set. We make no pretence of hiking
nrettv women, and aside from occasional and
nurelv accidental displays of stale and unsavory
fish in the stalls, we have no scandals in town
THE postmistress. the schOOlmstress, the librarian
of the Gravey Island Free Library, are not chosen
for their beauty. but for their moral worth, nor
nre we guided in the selection of friends by the
Good looks of their wives. And we could wish
that the Prince had fewer typewriters
But as | was saying, or about. to say when In
tcrrupted. rather queer illustration of the adic-
tion of an aristocracy particularly of ladies
20 not in the sere and yellow at least past
the frivolities of youth, TO high play'-vide
Thackeray and other sharp-penned satirists of the
time-came TO me some years ago. 1t was at
1,roie Torrents a wee village in Switzerland, lying
under the shadow of the Dent du Midi, where we
intended 10 stay over" one night, but were shut
in by growing rain for the Dettef part Oh
fortnight The company in the little hotel though
not large was very select. being WIN inc eNceP
tion Of myself made up wholly OF women. Among
.tor, y,cre two sisters daughters of an Earl, Duke
= .o,o,ling of that kind and known as )" Right
uonoroble ladies' travelling with their COM
nanion maids. lap dog or two and any NUMBER
of umbrellas These ladies were greatly gwen
IN " Nanoeon hot 10 the Emperor Oh that hanie'
but 10 a game All the evening through 'hcy
sat and played. 1t was for beans And each
bean represented a GENUINE
Had Tho ladies been Of Boston it never could
have been that the sacred bean shouid 'nus w
no'don,ned 70 stand for but the tenth part of
cent ,.,s,.
- Nanolcon" seemed nice game as the ladies
.,o,.ad :, And as the beans came from the
Kitchen and were returned TO IL at the end OF the
emo il occurred 10 me that perhaps we here had
-, o,,rIora,ion of the noticeable gamy flavor Of
the following days soup
From some points or view 1t might have been
better had | carried my beans around With me,
from hotel 20 hotel, t. be used as counters. But
INV moral character might IN that event have
besn injured TO q greater degree than the quality
Of tine soup would have been improved.
However. as already remarked, Napoleon
soaoed IN me a nice game as tho ladies played II,
and after sitting around an evening or two ard
Leaking on finally accepted an invitation 70 join
IT, | knew nothing of Napoleon, out,
~ before remarked % seemed a nice game as the
ladies played it, and they taught 1t to me ana
made me bankertbat Is 10 say insisted taa bat.
ing How many issued ana not Know Dut Wieh
il came 10 redeeming In Lie evening II seemed 20
ne that ali the bean stacks in 1rois Torrents must
have heen threshed out for my special benefit;
Gon A. he Thought /, that j am reaplng beans L
IN IN NOT sowedS And IL was plain that at q cen
,,ns aUece. they came to more than they could
be be- bought for by, the busheI Nevertheless,
having thus embarked in the bean trade. i &C
,T an invitation TO Napoleon for the next even
;np and the honorable as well as responsible posi-
ron of banker, as well But determined 10 take
tia prudent precaution OF measuring my oeahs'