The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-23
WOMEN WHO GAMBLE.
They Try Their Luck in Stocks,
Poker, Roulette and the Races.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
| All women are gamblers at heart. It
does not matter whether the mania tends
toward bargain counters or roulette Ia
bles, the spirit remains the same and the
desire to gets much for little is the in
centive that carries a woman into that
fiuctuating, unhappy state of TENSION
that is the heritage of gamblers.
AT the races you see old women, young
women, high-bred women, novices and
deep-dyed tempters of the tickle goddess
of fortune, all mingling together in an
easy, fraternal spirit that levels all bar
riers between the belle of the 'four-hun-
dred'' and one whose precarious existence
is maintained through the tips of Jockeys
and stable boys.
Watch them on the grand stand, elbow
to elbow, exchanging views upon the re-
spective merits of their favorites, hastily
summOning messenger boys and disposing
of their money in a reckless greed for
gain. The hardened, time scared counte-
nance shows no change when the horse
on which all her money is placed shows
disposition to come in a beautiful last,
but the younger gam bier pales and f1ushes
alternately and finally in a burst of hys-
terical eXultation or depression breaks
down and weeps like baby.
Were you ever at Monte Carlol There
the woman gambler is out in force. II is
not considered beneath the dignity of
princess to risk a handful of louis on
color or number, and the beginning in this
royal incOnSequent fashion mary a woman
soon discovers that she is not playing for
pastime-she is stalking sums that to lose
will mean a serious shrinking in her in
come, and frequently the principal is
made to disgorge to the last cent to sat-
isfy this mad passion that in the feminine
breast RACES far more hercely than in
masculine compositions.
1t is no unusual sight to witness hus-
band doing his best to induce the wife to
stop when her loss or gain is sufficient to
warrant a cessation of play. Seldom, if
ever, is he successful She plunges madly,
intoxicated by the rosy glow of success or
maddened by a sense of ever increasing
loss.
AT the gaming tables of Europe the
same women S faces are seen season in
and season out. Whence their income is
derived is a question. Certainly no con-
tinued struggle with the willy wheel or
battle against the cards would result in
a definite means of livelihood, yet there
they are: When they win their hard
faces show a shade of softness. When
they lose the men in the assembly are set
upon by these women harpies, and with
even only enough money to guarantee the
railroad trip to their homes, they will be
overruled by the dominant desire to "try
their luck" and away goes the last cent,
sometimes to join the countless ones gone
before, sometimes returning in a glorious
interest, which but stimulates them to
try again when next the eXchequer is full.
In this country there are hundreds of
women occupying social positions that
should influence them against such an I'M
couth and unwomanly pastime, who are
yet willing to go off on the sly to take
flyer in stocks, to buy a lottery ticket or
to indulge in quiet game in establish
ments that the world thinks are dress
makers abodes. In every large city this
desire to gamble is encouraged by I'M
scrupulous men and women, who find
that their own pockets are lined with
gold the while their visitors purses are
day by day being gradually depleted.
Though poker" lis generally conceded
to be a mans game, the drawing groom
cars and private card parties in mansion
and hovel tell'another tale Women trav-
cling long distances beguile the tedious
moments by a friendly game, the friendli-
ness, however, ceasing when the question
OF make believe" so far as the chips are
concerned is preached by some unhappy
novice who thinks it is perfectly dreadful
to play for real money. 1t is not an exag-
geration to state that at least half the
houses in the land are equipped with
some sort of gambling layout and the
women of these households are quite as
familiar with the technicalities of games
of chance as the sterner sex. Men need
not go the club if they wish to find part
ner willing to put up money in opposition
to their own. The wives and daughters
are ready and willing TO play, but though
they make most charming winners, they
are sorry losers. This is why, perhaps,
the men prefer playing with a man, for
1t is rather hard TO be obliged to lose in
order to be popular with the other side,
who bursts into tears when luck goes
against her.