The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-05
ROYAL GAMBLERS.

Cards have been the amusement Of
kings and queens for centuries, superced-
ing latterly the royal game of chess.
which filled up the leisure moments OF
William the Conqueror, Queen Elizabeth
and Charles l.
The latter was so absorbed in this IA
vorite pastime when the news reached
him that Scotland had determined to sell
him to the English parliament that,
though Wen aware what the intelligence
BODIED, he calmly played the game to the
end Queen Victoria preferred chess to
cards, though during her old age she
found diversion by playing the now pop
ular patience" A keen chess player,
the great Napoleon would not submit to
be beaten, and if he found his skill in
effective would throw board and chess
men angrily to the ground.
Ping-pOng, which found royal favor
couple of years ago, is not less dignl-
fed game than blind mans buff, which
would send Napoleon into roars of laugh
ter; or pitch and toss. which. according
to carefully preserved court accounts,
dragged Edward II into debt and disre-
pute Queen Victoria delighted in her
youth in battledore and shuttlecock. and
would tire out her ladies in attendance
by her energy and skill. Napoleon cared
little for cards and was no gambler. He
would play sometimes with his mother.
and one game is recorded with her on the
Island of Elba, in 1874. when the some
what avaricious dame refused TO pay the
money she had lost, and Napoleon called
out loudly: Pay your debts, madame;
pay your debts"
The French court was at one time
hotbed of gambling. Louis XIV. would
play for heavy stakes night after night,
and many courtiers were ruined at his
table. His successor, who lacked his pred
ecessor's genialty and good nature, was
an even greater devotee of the card table.
The story is told that when this king was
playing one evening a gentleman present
was seized with apoplexy- Monsieur de
Chauvelin is ill., one Of the courtiers Ven
tured to tell Louis. m said the king
quite unmoved He is dead: take him
away. Spades are trumps. gentlemen"
Henry VII would gamble away prop
erty and money recklessly, taking his de-
feats with bluT good humor. on one oc-
casion he staked the famous Csmpanile
sary. a Sir Miles Partridge. who insisted
on his pound Of flesh and removed the
bell Queen Mary sometimes resorted to
cards and was seldom more lucky than
her father. losing occasionally even her
lace caps or colts. which were worth a
good sum. Charles II loved passet and
other round games. and would play till
daylight. while singers entertained the
company from a gallery. Even the cold
WSiIsm OF Orange was a gambler. and
liked nothing better than TO spend the day
racing and the night playing cards.
George III detested cards. and disap-
proved Of playing for money. an aversion
and opinion in no wise shared by his son
and successor. who is said TO have lost
more than eSo0nn1 before he attained his
majority. OF royal ladies luckless Marie
Antoinette, among her other weaknesses.
had an inveterate passion for gambling.
She carried her devotion to cards 10 such
extremes that she would remain some
times three days and nights playing with
her ladies and the courtiers. Her reia-
tives, disturbed by reports OF these ex-
travsgsnces. frequently wrote TO remon-
strSte, particularly her brother. Joseph
I OF Austria. who wss much shocked by
what he had seen ST Versailles.
The daughters OF James II. Mary and
Anne. were noted gamblers. and George
rs daughters were fond 81 cards. Mod
ern royal ladies seem 10 have a preference
for open ar smusements. and also End
in photography. painting and music more
interest and happiness than did their
predecessors IN the excitsments of the
card table Queen Alexandra occasion