Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-11-05
THE COOL GAMBLER.
HOW he BETS, WINS AND LOSES AT
MONTE CARLO.

A Scene by Night In the Great Gilded
Den at housekeeping Tickle For
| tune as a Cold FLOODED 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 atriurn in the even
ing. They come in trains from all the
neighbcring places-from Cannes, Nice,
| San Reno, Mentone, sometimes from as
far as Genoa. People ride down from
Paris. 90 hours in the rapide, just for 4
little ''shy'' at the tables. All outside
is as bright as day, though chilly.
When l set out for the casino, l came
upon young English couple standing
near the big fountain, discussing some
| thing with great earnestness- They
were good looking, well dressed, with
something CT an air of bridal couple.
What became of them at the moment l
did not notice, and inside l stood for a
few minutes watching the roulette ia
bles. Ten minutes later l went into the
trepte ct Guarante room and met them
just inside the o. arched doorway.
They were on their way oct. Her rosy
cheeks were roster than before, and her
face was wreathed in smiles. He was
fairly radiant and looked Every fl, =" as
the Lordoners say. In one hand he held
great bundle of French notes, all
stretched cut at full length, just as they
came from the tables. 1t 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 We're getting
cut of the place before they were tempt
cd 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 /, 900 franc notes
(S2, 0O0) ct 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 well 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 man who
had made his money, rot inherited it.
l think that lumber was the foundation
of his fortune III the northwest some
where, bat long enough ago to give him
time to have the sawdust brushed oct
of his clothes, for he was very smooth
and well GrConed. Not a word was
said around tie table. so there was 10
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, hut who might be de
pended upon for ready revolver if lie
caught the dealer at any foul play.
The notes camc ont of one of his vest
pockets. but not carelessly. There was
none of tho usual effort TO look as If
riskinS 50. 600 every three minutes was
an everyday affair with him. lie did
everything with caution, always delib-
Grating over what square he should lay
his money upcn, ard sometimes chang
ing it to some other square after he had
laid it down. But whether he won or
lost he showed 10 emotion whatever.
Ho won oftcuer 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 bad
won, but this did not bring Il word from
him. His eyes We're open, and instead
of picking up the pile he merely pushed
it back toward the banker, which was
u sufficient hint for 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 quGrauto tables, he was there !
strictly for business. 1t was not a few
dollars laid on for the novelty of the
thing, but deliberate speculation in
the hope of winning. Ny experience of |
gambling houses is fortunately rather |
limited, but L have seen the big places !
CT Saratoga and Long Branch and one |
or two in New York and some very |
large ones in Cuba and Mexico. Never |
have / seen such a 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 |
gambling, but that is the |
case The sideboard is almost as neces-
sary as the tables, and George and Sam |
DO and Henry are kept busy carrying |
and cocktails to the thirsty |
players This is pure business with |
''the house, even whore 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 IN the rooms and no
drinks are served at the tables. As far
rs 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.
1t is as much a business house as a
dry goods store, and the
profits are larger for the firm. This
gives it very cold FLOODED atmosphere,
tor there is not particle of interest in
either of the games outside of rhe finan-
,ial risks involved. They are stupid
yau1es of floctOred chapca that a navy /