The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-12-03

Basto and Pnnto. Mrs. Harris. writ
ing to her son, the first Lord Malmes-
bury, says: "Madame de Walderen
would tain have tempted me to her loo
table, but | needed little fortitude to
withstand it. as one stake lost wOuld
ruin whole assembly. preferred
sober game of quadrille with Miss
Chudleigh.' The Annual Reoistern
for l1G6 informs us that "a lady at the
West End lost at 4 sitting one night
last week 1000 guineas at loo" As
early as the reign of Henry VII, a
prohibitory statute forbade any per
sons, save those of noble rank. to play
at cards except during Christmas, and
for generations this custom was strict
ly adhered to, so that many who oh
jected to touch card at any other
time relaxed their prejudices and play
ed few games at this festive season.
AS late as the year 1888, the euro.
pean Magazine" for December says:
"This being the season when and when
only card playing is permitted in sober
families for the recreation of men, wo-
men and children,' ETC., 'it may not be
out of place to give few observations
on games which at no distant time
were the most popular Among these
games brag is spoken of as peculiarly
adapted to the fair and softer sex, and
therefore so much in vogue amongst
the ladies Of distinction that hereby
they acquired decent assurance and
competency of countenance so abso-
lutely necessary in life; and remedy
that shamefaccdness, which is defect
of nature. by the assistance of her
handmaid art"
The passion for gaming which was
prevalent i'll the days Of Queen Anne
went on steadily increasing during the
reigns of the three Georges. The
"Gentleman' Magazine for 1853 tells
Us that Ellis Majesty played at st.
James, Palace on Twelfth Night for
the benefit of the groom porter. For
tune favored the royal family: the
Duke of Cumberland won $4,000"
The spirit of gambling was by this time
no longer confined to the court; it had
broken loose over the whole land; the
taste was universal and alike indulged
in by both men and women. < 3
Almack's Club-not to be contounded
with Almack's Assembly Rooms-was
in Pail Mall. Horace Walpole gives
description of the play and the COM
pany. "They play only for $50 rou-
leaux, and generally 100000 on the
table, Those to whom play meant
business appear to have set to work in
a very serious manner. They began"
he says, ''bv pulling off their embroid-
cred clothes and putting on frieze great
coats, or they turned their coats inside
out for luck. They put on pieces of
leather-such as are worn by footmen
when they clean knives-to save their
lace ruffies; and to guard their eyes
from light and to prevent tumbling
their hair, they wore high crowned |
straw hats with broad brims adorned |
with flowers and ribbons, besides masks
to conceal their emotions" Charles |
James Fox and his elder brother Steph-
ell were conspicuous members of this
assembly. Their father,
Lord Holland, had paid over 100000 |
for them. Some of Fox best friends
were crippled in means during their
whole lives on account of the annuitics
granted hy them rs securities for him
to the money lenders. Walpole Won
lcred what Fox would do when he had |
played away the estates of all his
friends. Mrs. Harris, writing in l772,
says: "Charics Fox sat down to cards |
last Tuesday after dinner, played all
night and next morning, and in that |
time lost fl2,0G0, by FIVE that after
noon he lost fl2.000 and Gil 600 |
more The mania for gambling was
in the Fox family. Lord
eldest son of Stephen Fox,
Lord Leicester, when not twenty-one, |
lost Il | 900 at Almack 5 but recovered |
it the same evening by one great hand |
at hazard. He sworc Il great oath |
$ Now if ! Lad been playing deep, |
miuht have won milIiousr'
And now, said the banker, when !
they had entered the private office and
closed the door. 'what can | do for
your
The sinister looking stranger drew
from his pocket a glass vessel securely |
corkcd, containing yelowish liquid.
IL want money" he said, land |
must have it. Ii | were to drop this
olass on the floor and break it. both Of
us would be blown into thousand
pieces
The banker. scrihhled an address
upon a card.
Take that thing up to my house,
he said, "and turn it over to our new
servant girl. and then name your