Arizona republican., 1895-03-19
A WIFE AS A MASCOT.
The Arts of Woman Against the
Skill Of Gambler.
How Mexican Catt1eman Re covered
His Money in a Losing Game of
Monte and Cleaned Out
the Dealer.

Mexico, where l was in the employ Of
an American dealer as a collector of
bird SKINS" said Thorn Lougee. tax
idermist, to the New York Sun man,
''that saw the charms of lovely wom-
an eXerted in rivalry to a gamblers
skill, and they won, as they always
should. I was staying at the time in a
little city called Tuxatapan, and l
strolled into the principal gambling
place one evening to watch the players
at monte. There was single large
low room, with bar at one end and
tables ranged about the wall for gam
bling. The place was lighted by can
dies, and was half-filled with Mexican
charros, with here and there an Ameri-
can mining man or some native visitor
from the capital city in London-made
clothes.
Playing was slack, except at one ia
BILE, where a Mexican cattleman from
up-country, in full charro costume of
sonbrero with silver braid, jacket,
wide pantaloons with row of big sill
yer disks running down the outer sides
and bright ivory-handled revolvers at
his belt, was dropping his money at
monte. Tne dealer sat at the center OF
the kidney-shaped table, with high
heaps of silver dollars at his elbow,
while the players sat round the outer
circumference. The cattlelnan was
sharp and watchful, so that the dealer
had no opportunity to do tricks, but the
regular odds of the game caused the
stranger to lose slowly, until, with an
exclamation, he announced himself
broke and rose from his seat
8. But have three hundred dollars
at the hotel he said; if you care to
wait, will go for it, and perhaps leave
that with you
Sat the senor's pleasure responded
the dealer. showing his white teeth in
an affable smile beneath his black mus
taehe.
1.-THE cattleman went out and the
game went languidly on until in ten
minutes he returned carrying in his
hand bag of Mexican dollars. He
was accompanied by his wife, pretty
little dark-eyed Spanish creature, in
lowered silk ball dress and mantilla.
At sight of her the dealer instantly
sprang up to offer her a seat, but she
coquettishly declined the attention and,
sauntering carelessly along, jumped
upon an unoccupied end of the table
with one leg curled under her and the
other, displaying a daintily booted foot,
swinging toward the floor.
''Her husband seated himself oppo-
site the dealer and the game proceeded
AS the stacks of silver doll:rs passed to
and fro, this time with no particular
advantage in luck to either side, the
woman. apparently becoming more and
more interested, leaned forward with
the palm of her hand on the table
eagerly watching the game. Her man
ner was frank and engaging, but from
where | stood | could see that her eyes
were dividing the attention of the
dealer, who perceptibly was losing in
terest in the game and displaying
less of the dexterity that in the begin
ming had characterized his handling of
the cards.
'At last the ranchman was winning,
and the canvas bag in which he had
brought his three hundred dollars stake
was full to overlooking and triple rows
of dollar stacks lay at his right hand.
All other play was suspended as the
spectators crowded about the table to
watch with breathless excitement the
game, which now was running as high
as one hundred dollars on the turn of
card The conversation in the room
was decorous, and none present failed
in due manifestation of respect to the
presence of the pretty little dark wom-
an perched on the table, who was well
known in Tuxatapan as the wife of the
gaming cabailero with the ivory han
died reviewers. From nay position near