The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-11-01


the high bare 1ete de Chien and the
Mont de la Justice. with the picturesque
little town OF Monaco perched upon ITS
bold prominent rock to the right, the
green slopes of Cap Martin jutting out
into the sea Oh the left, and away far IL
the distance. yet clearly defined, the prr-
pie Alps of Italy, whilesbeyond the white.
balustraded terrace is a broad omen ex-
panse of clear blue sea. The centre OF
elegance and corruption, of beauty and
deformity, of wealth and vice, of refine
ment and sin. it is in itself unique.
On every hand, within and without the
little place, the view is superb. In the
line square before the Casino the gardens
are brilliant with flowers and shady with
palms; the cafes overflow with visitors,
waltz music sounds by night and day,
and from noon4t till the early hours there
is life and movement everywhere. The
game fascinates, and the climate acts
upon the organism of all who go there.
The exquisitely beautiful surroundings of
the Casino exert a deleterious influence.
They are alluringIy pleasant. Life seems
SO gay, happy, and free amid that whirl
of vOluptuousness where vice is disguised
in a form tout TAFT charmante, its banal
influence SO imperceptible that the man
who ventures into the Principally deter
mined not to risk single louis upon the
tapis vert. in almost every case finds him.
oC11 oSCI W AOAIACO KY
Incidence which creeps upon all like an
Internal intoxicat1on, drawn irresist1oly
to the tables, and too often to his ruin.
Ihe daily life in Monaco presents a
SURPRISING picture of morals; q truly
extraordinary conception of the marvel
lous and the diabolical, of the sublime and
the terrible. of fair dreams and hideous
realities.
TO Erie BROKER, whose sole vice was
that of gambling, the monotonous invita-
tion of the croupiers, and the jingle OF
louis as it was tossed oarelessly over to the
winners. were as the sound of the hounds
to the old hunter, or the bugle to the
retired soldier. All the old longing for
excitsment and the slope for run of
luck came again upon him. and although
he had vowed he would never again play
he soon felt his pulse quicken and his
good resolutions fading away. As, &C.
companied by Zertho and Lame, he
moved on from table to table, Watching
the play and criticising it with the air
of one with wide experience, the desire
for risking few louis came irresis6ibly
upon him. He remembered that before
leaving Nice he had placed ten one. hun
dred francs in his pocket. It was sum
small enough, In all conscience, to risk.
He recollected the time when. with Ter
tho standing behind him taking charge
of his winnings, he had won a hundred
times that amount between midday and
midnight.
OF all that gay crowd Liane looked the
prettiest and smartest. AS she cast a
rapid glance around the various tables,
many of the men and women she recog-
missed as professional fellow gam blers, each
with their little piles of silver, gold and
notes. One or two, well-dressed and
more prosperous, had she knew at one
time been down to their very last franc.
The two men also singled out old &C.
quaintanoes, men who passed their days
in these crowded rooms nodded to them
and remarked upon the sudden prosperity
of some and the unusual seediness of
others
They were standing together closely
watching the roulette. at one OF the
oenUre tables. People were crOwding four
deep around it, but mostly the stakes
were fve-franc pieces, the minimum
allowed.
"By Jove /" Zertho exclaimed at last,
turning to this Captain. "See what a
run the red is having!"
Fourteen times in succession, m 'sieur,
observed man at their elbow, consulting
his card.
sit WORT again. Watch,'' BROKER
answered briefly, closely interested in
the game.
Next moment the ball was sent spinn-
ing around outside the revolving disc of
black and red; the croup1er With sphinx
like countenance uttered his monotonous
org "Rfen ne va plush" and after breath
less silence the rattle told that the ivory
had fallen. Brokers prophecy proved
correct. The black had gained.
"Going to risk anythinge" inquired
Zertho, with a smile.
"No," interrupted Lame earnestly.
"Dad will not. He has already. promised
me.'' ztSif
The Captain, his hand trembling in his
pocket, turned to his daughter with
smile. @
"Sureiy you won't deprive him of win
ming few louisf" Zertho exclaimed. ''Be
generous. just this once. dearest,
Smiling, she turned to her father with
a glance of inquiry.
II have promised. '..he observed quietly
IT do not break my pledge to you, unless
with your permission.
Already the people, eager to tempt
Fortune. were placing their money on
the yellow lines upon the table and
while they spoke Zertho tossed couple of
louis upon the simple chance of the black.
The game was made, black won, and he
received back his stake with two louis in
addition.
Ito be continued.)