The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-12-07
THE COOL GAMBLER.
HOW HE SETS, WINS AND LOSES AT
MONTE CARLO.


Den at Monaco-Tempting Fick1e For
tune as Cold Blooded 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 a
little "shy'' at the tables. All outside
is as bright as day, though chilly.
When I set out for the casino, came
upon young English couple standing
near the big fountain, discussing some
thing with great earnestness. They
we're good looking, well dressed, with
something CT an air of a bridal couple.
What became Of them at the moment
did not notice, and inside stood for a
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 roster than before, and her
face was wreathed in smiles. He was
fairly radiant and looked Every fit, as
the Londoners say. In one hand he held
a 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-
Gus 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
(s2, o00) 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, shrewd eye that watched every
move the dealer made, and of course in
the regulation black evening clothes.
His face showed him to be.a man who
had made his money, not inherited 1t.
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 well groomed. Not 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 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 it
risking $4,000 every three minutes was
an everyday affair with him. He did
everything with caution, always delib-
Grating 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.
He won oftener than he lost while I
watched him, putting the winnings al
ways into the same vest pocket. At one
time the banker made a mistake in du-
plicating pile of his notes that had
won, but this did not bring word from
him. His eyes were open, and instead
of picking up the pile he merely pushed
it back toward the banker, which was
a sufficient hint for a recount. When
the mistake was corrected and the miss
ing note supplied, he added the pile to
the big lump in his pocket.
Like almost every player around the
trente ct quarante tables, he was there
strictly for business 1t was not few
dollars laid on for the novelty Of the
thing, hut deliberate speculation in
the hope of winning. Ny experience OF
gambling houses is fortunately rather
limited, but 1 have seen the big places
of Saratoga and Long Branch and one
or two in New York and some very
large ones in Cuba and Mexico. Never
have seen such businesslike air in
any gambling room as there is here.
You may not be wicked enough to know
that generally great deal of smoking
and drinking and some eating go with
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
'sthe 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 nc smoking in 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