Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-09-06
Aix-Lcs-Bains Gamblers.

Aix-Lcs-Bains Gamblers.
There may now be seen in the inner
room of the Sale des Jeux, of the Villa
des Fleurs, at about - p. m, all that j:
gay, sparkling, well dressed, "dans lie
movement" ''in the know or any
other up to date slang express sion, in
this gayest of places. The scene, as q
study of life, is most amusing. Men
and women of all nations are here to
amuse themselves. Ladies of the world
and half world vie with each other in
the audacity of their costumes, and
aged women who seem to possess no
feeling but passion for gambling,
hover from table to table, watching the
game and picking up louis now aud
then. They are sometimes near drop
ping from fatigue, but they cannot tear
themselves away. and between the
games sip bouillon or drink cognac to
refresh exhausted nature.
The room is very full The players
are French and English, and they have
all, with one exception, got carnations
in their buttonholeS.
Signor Foil strides about and some
times risks louis or two debout. The
lady in pale green, with very fair hair,
is at her usual post, watching the game
keenly. The young English Earl, having
played nearly all the afternoon, is rest
ing on the divan, speaking remarkably
GOOD French to q pretty girl with q
lovely figure and eyes. The bank is
for sale, for twenty-five louis, and the
Earl takes it. His companion stands
behind him, as she is interested in the
winning, which, however, this time
only reach sixty francs. Puttinga gen.
erous contributioninto the garcon's box
the youth gives his place TO a portly
French gentleman, whose wife and two
daughters station themselves near to
watch papa's gains, and, as the pile in
creases, doubtless visions of new frocks
and bonnets become possibilities.
On one side of the room Marguerite,
of Monte Carlo or rather the little
woman who sang that ditty in "Moroc-
co Bound,' is entertaining three or four
gentleman of the English aristocracy
with her lively conversation. She is
very prettily dressed, as she always is,
in black lace dress over pink silk,
with lovely little capote on the top OF
her pretty little fiaxen head.
Mrs. Bernard Beere, plainly attired in
brown, comes into the room for mo-
ment. Two damsels, dressed exactly
alike, in Vatican silks, with the usual
"chapeau lampe," as they call them
here, cause everybody to look round.
One of them is served with a drink
in long glass with straws
She perches herself on one chair,
her feet, higher than her lap, on
another, and with the glass poised on
her knees sips the fluid through the
straw. What a picture for Dudley
Hardy, Isn't this an earthly para
dise?' whispered a pretty American
friend. mo wickedness about"
"Messieurs, faites vos .jeux" is heard
above the other voices. And then a
female in great agitation, pleads that
she has put down louis and cannot
find it. The imperturbable croupier
pays not the slightest attention. "Rien
ne va plus" is all he says; and with the
exception of 'iLes cartes passent."
firmly believe it is all he can say. The
lady subsidies.
Lord L, tall gentlemen with
long gray beard, accompanied by "My
Lady" thinks be will venture one louis.
He places it outside the line, but the
lynx eyed croupler at once detects that
his lordship has made slight mistake
aud scoops up alright new English
halfpenny. and respectfully restores it
to its owner.
His Majesty King George strolls in,
stick in hand and brown felt Tyrolean
hat. He shakes hands with one or two
friends, bows to others, just glances at
the table and walks out again. Mr.. f.
A. Stokes, of Hoffman House fame, tall
and gray, walks aoout. He can't have
come to AK TO buy the furniture for tie
new hotel, but he may have stopped at
Paris for that purpose on his way. He
wears well.
The tall, well dressed American lady,
with gray hair neatly arranged and
pince.nez, comes in rather late. She
has been enjoying "Valkyrie" at the
Cercle, which has beer more attractive
even than baccarat She is fast friends
with the English set staying at the Ho.
tel d'Aix, and is living denial of the
assertion that elderly American women
are no longer attractive. American
women take to Continental life like fish
to water, and if their "old men" cant
be got away from Wall street or Fifth
avenue it does not much matter for lit
tie while, as long as the letters of credit
are for unlimited sums. They are de-
cidedly the best dressed, the most chic
and most social women one meets
They adapt the habits, thoughts anc
language of new country, witbou
challenging comparison with others
The only thing they are conservative
in is their trunks. These they vii
have sail very fine and large" despit'
extra charge for luggage, consideration
for porters or small rooms.-Eur0peal