The Sauk Centre herald., 1898-01-06
"A WOMAN THE STAKE.
she WAS PLAYED AGAINST S5o, 900 ri
A GAME OF ECAR7E.


Story of an Old, Grewsome Looking
House In San Francisco.
In 1867 there stood an old fashioned
shanty east of the locality now occupied
by the Presentation convent, in front Of
the graveyard, and the people in the
neighborhood used to tell strange stories
about this grewsome looking dwelling.
For several years it's occupancy was ap-
parently confined to decrepit old man,
who used to crawl in and out about once
a day, his arms filled with packages
from the market.
He was known in the neighborhood as
the old dago, though in reality he was
a native of Alsace. For several years he
lived hermit's life, and the neighbors
got so accustomed to his comings and
goings that even the small boys forgot
to molest him. But one morning all the
gossips found food for conversation by
the appearance of a remarkably lovely
young woman who went out to and re.
turned from the butchers stall and the
grocer's. She spoke English imperfectIy
and with a very pronounced French
accent. This little cabin was destined
to be the scene of very dramatic Incl
dent in the history of California gam.
bling.
1t was natural that girl as pretty as
Irene should not be long without ad-
mirers, so it came to pass that the win
dows of the old house were lighted up
. every evening, and the Frenchman de-
veloped the natural hospitality of his
race and gave little dinners and suppers
to his exiled countrymen. But among
those, as was only natural, there were
some who existed not by honest indus
try, but by the gaming table. Among
them was young man of striking ap-
pearance who had served in France as
sous officer in a hussar regiment, had
gone the pace, ruined himself, and final
1y drifted out to San Francisco, where
he became the hanger on of the gambling
table.
Louis LIE Marronais was strikingly
handsome specimen of the Partisan of
his class. 1t did not take him very long
to gain the confidence of the old French
man, and to him he confided the story
of his life. 1t was not very eventful
one. He was member Of an old French
family and could use if he pleased
title which dated back to Charles the
Bold. He had been ruined by the ex-
travagance of his younger brother and
was then living on the income of lit
tie property in Brittany, which he had
saved from the wreck. Irene was his
only child. and he idolized her. For her
sake alone he wanted to be rich. He
reinstate her in the position to which
her rank entitled her.
The ex-hussar won the old man into
the belief that his only chance of getting
rich was through gambling. So night
after night old Lescant was found at
the Ell Dorado or some other gaming
hell losing his money under the direc-
tion of the arch mentor. One night Irene
followed him there to bring him back,
and her first visit was fateful one.
Tom Monroe, Kentuckian, one Of the
widest and most reckless characters of
that period, saw her, admired her and
swore that she should become his prop
.erty.
=. It is not necessary to recite the Incl
dents that led up to the scene, which
were related to me by an eyewitness. It
is sufficient to say that LIE Marronais
had convinced the old Frenchman that
Monroe would stake $50, 1000 against
the hand of Irene. If he won, she was
to become his wife, but If he lost the
money was to become the Frenchman's g
property and Irene was free to bestow
her affections wherever she pleased.
Irene was informed Of this proposition,
and she looked resigned and rather
amused at the transaction.
The eventful night arrived. Monroe,
the old man, Louis, Irene and friend
and countryman Of the host were the
only inmates of the little room. The
game was ecarte, and the cards, which
Louis had marked, lay upon the table.
The old man got the deal. Monroe 9 GER
titled check for $50, 600 was placed in
the custody Of the hussar. The old man
marked the king in the first deal, and
when the pack changed hands he had
the best of the game. The play went on,
and in the last hand Monroe scored every
point.
'Irene is mine!' shouted the Ken
tuckian, reaching for his check.
At this moment the lights were dashed
out, and Monroe fell to the floor from
the stroke Of some heavy instrument.
The only disinterested spectator of the
scene fed from the room. The next
morning there was no sign OF life in the
old house, and in the evening when the
milkman knocked he heard a groaning
from the inside He forced his way into
the house and discovered the wretched
Kentuckian bound hand and foot. Mon
roe. avowing murder, rushed the next
morning to the banking house. The
check had been cashed by an individual
who answered the description of the
hussar. The other actors in this star
Ting scene were never heard of. Nothing
in the house was disturbed, not even
the girls wearing apparel. and the Incl
dent became portion of this strange
history Of old time gambling in San
Francisco. San Francisco News Letter.
I One More Idioe.
Tobacconist- you'll keep quiet
"a All r. "a k<N