The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-08-18
THE TURN OF A CARD.


from the lips of the greatest gambler of
his day. After varying vagaries of for
tune Deutsch found himself in Paris pos
sessed of great wealth. This led to ugly
and envious remarks in all the clubs Of the
French capital until the American de-
termined to put an end for once and for
ever to all criticisms of his conduct and
his courage.
This is how he told the story to one who
now repeats it:
81 caused IL to be announced in every
important baccarat room In Paris that IL
any one man or any combination of men
would wager any sum from 100, 900 to
900, 900 francs on one single hand-not
deal mind youth baccarat, | would
stake IA like amount and would give four
days time for the consideration of the
challenge and for opportunity to procure
the necessary sum of money. / further
declared that | would he in the Washing.
ton club at 4:30 O'Clock on the following
Thursday prepared To meet the man or
men who cared to accept the wager. Upon
that eventful day l secured 600, 900 francs
in cash from my Paris banker and placed
il i'm ore of my pockets. l made an en-
gagement to take dinner with a party of
friends that evening, determined that no
matter what the outcome of the game
would not have my pleasures interfercd
with or my serenity of mind disturbed.
1T was exactly 1880 o'clock when l en-
tered the Washington club smoking a CT
gar The baccarat room was crowded with
the most celebrated gamesters of Europe.
The male portion of the high world Of
Paris surgcd through the aateroolas. Rep
resentatives from every club in Paris were
present 1t was IA distinguished throng,
thrilling with suppressed excitement.
Many hostile looks were cast upon me as
entered the apartment, and many hands
were extended in friendly greeting. Some
one was in the bank, but the deal soon fin
ished, and he retired. The croupier, who
knew what was pending, exclaimed in a
voice whose tremulousness betrayed his
excitement
"'Messieurs, the bank Is for sale
"The announcement had scarcely been
made when cried out, open bankp and
| no opposition being made seated myself
| in the bankers chair. Drawing my money
from pocket l said:
Gentlemen, i am prepared to meet
| wagers to the extent of 800, 900 francs, and
| If it II desired l will add 100000 francs to
| that sum-.
Paris pushed forward and took seats at the
table or standing positions around it,
among them being Prince Mallesano,
Prince Beran, Prince Kargeorgewitch,
Baron Goldschmidt, Count d Epigney, AL
bert Wolff of Figaro, Allen Thorndike
Rice, then editor of The North American
Review; Lorillard Spencer, a large number
| of players from other clubs and "A great
| many Englishmen whose names / do not
/ recall All of these gentlemen made wagers
| varying largely in amount, and when they
| were done the croupier found that they
| amounted i'm the aggregate to trifle over
| 500, 900 francs quietly said that there
was still 100, 900 francs at the disposal of
the players, and inquired If any one wished
| to increase his bet.
| "To this there was no response
"The croupier counted~the sum deposit
| cd by me as banker, and cards were call
cd for Three sealed packs were produced,
| opened, the wrappers destroyed and the
cards having been shuffled by the croupier
| they were handed to me. / cut them in
| two and hand them first to the punter on
/ my right and then to the one on my left,
but neither seemed to have sufficient pres
ence or strength of hand to touch them. 1
thereupon placed the combined packs
alongside of me on the table and called for
a garcon to cut them, which was done.
| Without O tremor / dealt a card to the
| right one to the left, one to myself, and
having repeated that operation once de-
posted the cut portion of the deck from
which was dealing on top of the cards
| which lay before me Before touching my
own hand covcrtly studied the faces of
the men on either side of me as they ex-
amined the cards which had been given
them.
anxiety, perplexity, doubt, indecision
were plainly stamped upon the countcnance
of the punter of the first tablcau Drops
of sweat beaded his brow. He ran his left
hand through his hair.
"'He has five, thought 1.
"The man to my left in the second tab
leau presented face which betrayed
nothing. i could not gain the slightest
insight to the workings of his mind.
picked up my cards and found that l had
the point five offered to give cards, and
the first tableau ended his doubts by call
Ing for a pasteboard / threw 1t on the
table face upward.
at was a nine.
despair settled on the mans face. An
indrawing sigh from the players who gath.
cred around the first tableau broke the
hitherto breathless silence Of the room.
That nine threatened disaster The fact OF
the punter drawing one card showed plain
ly that he either had five points or less, ms
the rule Of the game would forbid him
calling for card while holding six points
or more IL he held five, the drawing OF
nine would leave him but four, that being
the result of the subtraction of ten from
the addition of nine to five. IL he had
four, three, two or one, the drawing of
nine would leave him respectively three,
two, one or nothing. Only one condition
Of cards can exist in which the drawing Of
nj ne Is not o1.y fortunate, but invincible
and that Is when the player In his Original
hand has nothing or 'baccarat, n hand
icing thus denominated when II consists
of two face cards, or two tens or a face
card and a ten. each and all of which ar,
equivalent 20 nothing. But the face Of the
player on my right showed plainly that ns
such luck had fallen to his lot.
"The player on my left, or I'm the sccont
tablcau, also elected To take card.
throw IL down face upward.
at was the acc.
Here danger thrcatcned. II the puntel
held Ave, his hand had become strongel
than mine, and II he held four II was a
least equal TO Il. To draw or not to draw
was the question which agitatcd mo fol