The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-06
WOMEN AT GAMBLING TABLES.
They Are More Numerous Than Men at tho
Continental Resorts.


Continental Resorts.
A brief glance at the crowds assem-
bled round the seductive green tables
of continen tal resorts assures one OF the
fact that, whatever may be their other
distinctive characteristics, women are,
here, numerically, in excess of men.
Yet, strange and paradoXical as it may
appear, considering that this is an age
of locomotive facilities and the eman-
cipation of women, whereby they can
be seen sen voyage" unaccompanied
by male escort without entailing the
social ostracism it would once have
eventuated in, the female gambler is
not one of an increasing community.
Whether the ever-growing outlets for
the energies at home and the means Of
acquiring wealth, independent of hus-
bands support, are more within their
grasp, and are helping to fill void.
and to divert the current of their pow
ers into healthier channels by bestow-
ing the pleasurable excitation of money
making without the desperate odds of
the gaming Ia BILE. which was once their
great resource, time alone can prove.
But at the present moment, even allow
ing for these creeping chan ges, women
still predominant. Where their young
er sisters are seeking and finding
platforms at home, on which they can
stand on an equality with their broth
er workers, the older ones, women who
have outlived the warm emotions Of
youth. the feverish ties of womanhood,
and the ambitions which have crun-
bled into dust, still sit or hover round
these garish centers of attraction,
where they, too, are on even ground
with the other sex, having the same
end and aim, securing the same law.
For every sweep of the croupier's
''rateau" deals the same unerring meas
ure, the same alterations OF momen tary
triumph or more lingering heart burn
ing. Women play with greater con-
centration and more solid patience
than men When losing they become
obstinate, when winning they do not
profitable results.
In most of the serious affairs of life
they possess endurance to higher de-
gree than men, and this quality serves
them to a good purpose even here. As,
in the outer world they can bear per-
sonal discussions and antagonistic de-
bates more calmly than men, by the
same token they can here look more dis
passionately on the chances of regain
ing their losses, or regard the painful
alternative with greater composure,
although they may not have so much
command eXteriorly, or hide their in
ward perturbation so perfectly as
men, who can play on, smiling, to
the last cast of the die. while
they finger the pocket pistol which in
a few moments will end all. Men play
for higher stakes, and the raging fever
which pride makes them hide causes
them to play quickly. The agony of
suspense is not so long drawn out as
with women, who, hour after hour, cir
culate round the tables, oblivious Of
time, while health, looks, meals, phys
ical and mental fatigue, all are held in
subsection by the one overwhelming
vortex of interest
Its wOmans whole existence," is
true in this as in other human idola-
tries. 1t is a soul-absorbing pursuit
and becomes tyrant from which they
cannot escape, and yet its end is not so
often disastrous to life with them as
with their brother players. Rare in
deed it Is to hear of an occurrence such
as thrilled even the well-seasOned cal
lousness of Monte Carlo the other day
when young American lady, having
lost an immense fortune, deliberately
took her own life To some extent
gambling is grated in every heart, but
it is opportunity, SstRn's stanch ally,
that first calls it into life, and this feel
ing once permitted, like Aaron's rod, it
swallows up all others, obliterates all
sense Of anxiety and distress of mind,
and elevates the heart into state OF
expectancy and transient delight
Want and necessity have nothing to
do with it. Women who are placed
above the shadow of peouniary care, to
whom large amounts are easily avail
able, prefer TO obtain them through the
path of excitement rather than with
the cold and spiritless ease of gifts, and
this is the keynote of its fascination-a
tension of nerves is created, attainable
in no other way. Once under its iuflu-
ence the vice is omnipotent. The heart
may suffer dull pain, the brain may
grow torpid by sheer exhaustion of ex-
element, still 1t gains force, even over
the strongest natures, strong for good
or evil, stubborn or seIf-coaident. until
Tho IaSt - h.>,>a -
the last resource exhausted, and they
must accept defeat with what grace
they NAV.
Then only do they begin to realize
that the coins cast away meant money,
not mere shining counters, and the
notes which are gone forever had not
been meant for waste paper The
g.amor is past, the false lights have
lost their delusive brilliancv, daylight
enters their understanding, and their
foolishuess IS made clear
They can say with DRYDEN:
Trust ou' And think tomorrow will repayY
Tomorrow $ talssr than the former davl
Then comes the test of woman's
character She has passed through the
fire and her wings are scorched. She
sees herself in all her feeb,eness, but
while life lasts two roads are still open
to her.
She may step or her mortal vice and
rise to uobler things, or sink to that 50.
cial perdition from which there is no
recalL-PittsburgA Dispatch.
Wanted variety.
He-She Is par excellence, a woman of
fashion.
She ispitefullyl-Yes; she doesn't
even wear the same complexion twice.
boston Globe.