The Press., 1898-11-17
THE COOL GAMBLER.
HOW HE BETS, WINS AND LOSES AT
 MONTE CARLO.

A Scene by Night In the Great GiIded
 Den at MOnaco-Tempting Pickle For
 tune as 8 Cold BIooded Business Trans
 actiOn-A Lucky English Couple.
 Not to see the gambling rooms at Monte Carlo by night would be to miss the grand show of the place. There are not people enough in the town to make up the crowds that press through the big corridor and the atrium in the even- ing. They come in trains from all the neighboring places-from Cannes, Nice, San Reno, Mentone sometimes from as far as Genoa. People ride down from Paris, 20 hours in the rapide just for little shy Gt the tables. All outside is as bright as day, though chilly.
 When 1 set out for the casino, came upon young English couple standing near the big fountain, discussing some thing with great earnestness. They were good looking, we'll dressed, with something of an air of bridal couple. What became of them at the moment l did not notice, and inside l stood for 8 few minutes watching the roulette ta- bles. Ten minutes later I went into the trente ct quarante room and met them just inside the big arched doorway. They were on their way out. Her rosy cheeks were rosier than before, and her face was wreathed in smiles He was fairly radiant and looked "very fit, ,'' as the Londoners say. In one hand he held great bundle of French notes, all stretched out at full length, just as they came from the tables. It took no great shrewdness to see that for ten minutes they had been leading active, industri- ous lives and had reaped the reward of industry and virtue and were getting out of the place before they were tempt ed to try again and lose.
 One elderly gentleman was at the moment doing the leading business in that room and attracting the most at tention by risking ten 1000 franc notes ($2, 00O) at every dealing of the cards. He was particularly interesting to me, because he was beyond doubt an Ameri- can. He was fine looking man, with gray hair, iron gray beard, we'll trim med, 8 shrewd eye that watched every move the dealer made, and of course in the regulation black evening clothes His face showed him to be man who had made his money, not inherited it. l think that lumber was the foundation of his fortune in the northwest some where, but long enough ago to give him time to have the sawdust brushed out of his clothes, for he was very smooth and we'll groomed. Not a word was said around the table, so there was no chance to hear what language he spoke. He was one of those men who would not look at all out of place leading a prayer meeting, but who might be de- pended upon for a ready revolver if he caught the dealer at any foul play.
 The notes came out of one of his vest pockets, but not carelessly. There was none of the usual effort to look as if risking $2 GOO every three minutes was an everyday affair with him. He did everything with caution, always delib- erating over what square he should lay his money upon, and sometimes chang ing it to some other square after he had laid it down But whether he won or | lost he showed no emotion whatever. Ho won oftener than he lost while watched him, putting the winnings al ways into the same vest pocket. At one time the banker made mistake in du- | plicating a pile of his notes that had won, but this did not bring a word from him. His eyes were open, and instead of picking up the pile he merely pushed it back toward the banker, which was sufficient hint for recount When the mistake was corrected and the miss ing note supplied he added the pile to the big lump ill his pocket
 Like almost every player around the trente ct quarante tables, he was there | strictly for business. It was not few dollars laid on for the novelty of the thing, but deliberate speculation in the hope of winning. My experience of l gambling houses is fortunately rather limited, but I have. seen the big places of Saratoga and Long Branch and one | or two in New York and some very large ones ill Cuba and Mexico. Never | have l seen such a businesslike air in any gambling room as there is here. l You may not be wicked enough to know that generally great deal of smoking and drinking and some eating go with l fashionable gambling, but that is the case The sideboard is almost as neces sary as the tables, and George and Sam bo and Henry are kept busy carrying champagne and cocktails to the thirsty | players. This is pure business with "the house, even where these things are not charged for, for does not man become the more reckless the more al cohol he absorbs?
 But there is none of that here. There is no smoking ill the rooms, and no drinks are served at the tables. As far as have seen, there is no place in the casino building where drinks can be had, though possibly there may be some cozy corners that have not discovered It is as much business house as a wholesale dry goods store, and the profits are larger for the firm. This gives it very cold blooded atmosphere, for there is not particle of interest in either of the games outside of the finan- cial risks involved They are stupid games of doctored chance that navvy can play as well as an arithmetician. m New York Times.
 The first baby gets it's photograph taken every three months. The other