The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1895-12-25
GAMBLING IN MEXICO.
Characters Met with 10 iisO Gaming Rooms
of the Capital City.

of the Capital City.
Enter Mexican gambling saloon
when things are little slack, and
Won will see the habitues of The
monte table discussing tho topics Of
the day while they roll their ciga-
rettes and loli back in their chairs as
if they had met for no other pur-
pose. Seated On chair little re-
moved from the table is a manwho
has probably inhabited the gambling
saloon for days past. He is now
overcome with sleep, and as he sits
with his legs crossed and his head
rocking from side to side one Won
ders how be can keep his seat or
how It is that his greasy tail hat
does not topple Of
Then you VIII see an unshayen,
unkempt fellow nursing his knee
and moodily gazing as the roulette
table for hours, while the little ball
spins round and the croupier rakss
in the coin. and hands out the win
nipgs with meelIinelike deftness and
accuracy. No one ever suspects tho
croupier. Nine out of ten of those
who bet and win have 10 idea of
what is coming to them. But they
take what the eronpier gives them
as matter OF course. lie has no in
ducement to cheat. for the bank is
not his, and anyway the bank must
win in the long run, como what may.
4 Chinaman may sauntsr III to
give some animation 10 the table.
He asks for no chips, but wagers
hard, cold silver. Where the Next
can lays 81 he will lay IS, and often
er than not he wins. With the alb
sence of undignified hurry and ca
gerness peculiar to the oriental he
does not take in his winnings at
once, but produces cigarette, rolls
and lights it ard then lays holds OF
his dollars You will be- sure to SEQ
at any table mild lunatic with pa
per and pencil before him noting
each point and slowly laying foun-
dations of new and infallible sys-
tenn" As if there were any way of
obviating law OF naturel
Now and then young gambler
viii enter, bringing with him into
the heavy laden atmosphere q gust
of fresh air from the street. &c
will bet and have a run of luck that
VIII draw to him the attention OF all
the lack Ulster eyes that surround
the table. One or more viii gradu-
ally side Up to him and with paroh-
ed, trembling lips ask him where he
is going to place his money and ask
leave TO follow his lead.
Where hut round the gam bling
table do you see so many and such
striking examples Of statuesque i'm |
mobility? You count not by min.
utes. but by hours, the time that
gray haired votary Of chance has sat
with his eyes fixed ON vacancy. And
how much longer will he stay In
that posture? Perhaps until the
lamps are turned of in the gray
morning or until lie summons up
energy enough TO stagger of to the
pawnshop TO raise pittance. And
that man who has sat so long with
his head buried in his hands-whai
is he thinking of? Perhaps of til,
home as it was once and as il might
have been still
a sprinkling of Anglo-saxons is
generally there to give heightened
piquancy to the scene. Il sporty"
railroad conductor just IN from his
run perhaps goes there to try his
luck, and you may see fhe tattered.
demoralized specimen OF his RAGS
who in sheer pity has been given a
trial and turned off by all tbs Amer.
lean enterprises in Mexico How
does he get living now?-Mexican
Herald.