The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-04-17
He'll Within a He'll.

At a woman's bidding a hell, within a
hell has been reared at Monte, Carlo
says the New York world Ostensi-
bly, the Prince of Monaco has made al
increased demand upon the adminisrra-
ton of the gaming rooms. They must
pay him more money Practically, in
the opinion of every person in Monte
Carlo, it is the avarice of the Princess
which urged him to this step.
| The reflex of the demand is seen in
| the famous casino itself. In the old
days the rooms were always orderly
decorous. There was a solemn hush
However great the throng about each
table, there was plenty of room be-
tween the groups of visitors to walk
about, to note the beauty of the lofty
rooms. the pretty decorations.
| Now four additional tables have been
put into the main rooms; that is one
measure taken by Baron Blanc ito bring
more revenue from the gamblers, but
it is not the worst.
Up stairs, and facing the grounds, is
magnificent suit of lofty apartments,
familiar to all who have visited the
place as the reading room Here in
the old days sight at once pretty and
pathetic was often SEEN Children are
not admitted to the casino proper, but
there was often a little group of them
in the reading-room porting over big
books of photographs while a parent
fought the tiger below.
| Sometimes the poor little creatures,
tired out by long waiting, went to
sleep in the big soft plush chairs long
before the haggard. pallid mammas
toiled up from the great room below
and took them away.
| But in general the reading-room was
deserted This fact seemed to have
convinced the administration that no
reading-room is really necessary. And
in it they have accordingly made the
! hell within a hell so that the Princess
may have her money.
There are here only two tables. Men
only are admitted. Between the tables
is a bar. In the great room below there
is no smoking, no drinking, and the
presence of women has its subtle in
| fluence.
In the new gambling room, for men
only, the air is blue with smoke and
reeking with the fumes of alcohol. Oniy
select characters are admitted-men or
some standing in their own countries
The weary gamblers who play cautious
ly can stay below and battle with the
throng for a place at the tables.
Here the play is high. The minimum
stakes are Just five times as high as IN
the main hall. No silver is seen. The
twenty-franc gold piece, 81. is the
smallest risk at the roulette table At
the trente ct quarente the minimum
stake is $40.
There is little noise or confusion.
Gambling and drink are the gods of the
place. If a man wins he congratuiates
himself with iced champagne; II ne
loses he consoles himself with absinthe.
Notes for 800 and 5000 mingle freely
with the gold pieces upon the table.
Seen through the clfnging smoke the
scene is a little inferno-the pallld
faces. the shaking fingers, the wildly
rolling ewes. the set, white lips; and
the calm, impassive face of the croupier
as he calls: ..Messieurs, faites vo' jeux;
r;STi ne va plus
Some say that the casino manage
ment is inviting disaster. The French
Republic can suppress Monte Carlo IN
a day at any time. The independence
of the Prince is a fiction. The daughter
of Baron Blanc has married Bona
parte-Prince Roland, younger brother
of the Pretender-and there is grow
ing feeling that the money OF Monte
Carlo NAV be used to bolster up I'M
perialism.
But meanwhile the new gamblins-
room grinds out its daily grist of sui
eide and despair.