The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-11
A MASCOT AT MONTE CARLO,
THE YANKEE STOKER WHO SED
TIE PACE AT ROULETTE.
On Shore Liberty, His Queer Gsrb and
His Luck Drew Russian Grand
Duke, an English NObleman and n
Hungarian Countess In His Wake.

ing about that Governors Island prisoner
who made his escape in the riding breeches
the evening coat, the dress shirt and the
red four-in-hand necktie belonging to one
of the officers, thought of Monte Carlo,
said a naval officer. "This may sound
foolish, and 80 I'll tell the bit Of a story
that explains IL:
aOne autumn morning In the late 'sos
when was attached to the flagship of the
Mediterranean station, the ship pulled into
the harbor of Villefranche All hands of
the starboard watch were given liberty.
The paymaster and l went ashore to-
gether. Neither of us had ever visited
Monte Carlo, and we had long been promis.
ing ourselves view of the principalitv q,
Monaco and bit of play at the tables
just for the experience of the thing. and
because In those days naval officer who
hadn't at least taken peek at the Mopte
Carlo game was rather patronized by his
| messmates.
we arrived at Monte Carlo in the after.
noon, and after strolling about the place
we started for the Casino. As we wers
entering we saw fireman from orr sbin
an odd looking, redheaded Bowerv how
named Rooney. trying to convince tho
pompous attendant at the door that be
was entitled to enter the place in his hh,e-
jacket uniform.
"The attendant couldn't see II. He
couldn't speak English, but he shr,qped
his shoulders disdainfully as he interpos.d
his large frame between the fireman and
the passageway into the Casino.
Rooney was addressing the doarkeeper
eloquently In his tough New York dialect.
but 1t was no use. The man at the doc,
wouldn't bulge from his position Then
Rooney, grinning a1niably all the time,
began to cuss out the attendant
He looked as II he might be addressing
compliments to the sumptuously uniformed
attendant, but II the doorman had had
any idea of the horrible things the fireman
was saying to him there'd probably have
been riot and an international incident to
follow.
AT this stage Of it the paymaster aud
made our presence known to the fireman
q 4'What's the trouble, Rooney asked
him.
"The fireman saluted in form, and then
looked sheepish.
"'Nothin', SIR he replied, ceptin' that
the dago won't let me git by him in me
uniform. And I'm feeling a lot lucky
this afternoon.
"'Well that's their rule, Rooney l
told him. But I'll tell you what you do.
il you're so anxious to get inland as my
suggestion isn't exactly regulations, you
want to keep it to yourself when you get
back to the ship. Do you mind? You run
down to Nice, shed your bluejacket toys
for a while, and rent yourself a suit OF
multi. Then come back and they'll admit
you all right
-The odd looking Rooney looked CRATE
full for the advice, wheeled about, and was
of at jog \
@The paymaster and I entered the Casino
and watched the play for an hour or sol
and then we ventured few modest louia
at one of the rouge-et-noir tables. Wewers'
still immersed in the game, not much winner
or loser, when we heard loud laugh over al
one OF the roulette tables, and We looked
up to see what the fun was.
aThe laugh was over our fireman, Rooney,
who had just entered and was beginning
play at the roulette table. Rooney was
figure of fun, il ever l saw one.
He had rented an evening suit that was
about four sizes shy of being big enough
for him. The overwhelmingly tight trousers
of the suit were about six inches too short,
and their shortness afforded fine view Of
Government straight brogans and
white socks.
His shirt was an elaborate pink checked
affair, and his necktie was huge red bow.
knot. The sleeves of his coat only reached
down to a point bit below his elbows.
which accentuated the immensely of his
huge, ham-like hands. His shock of fiery
ln;, So lpt,- irl, nd hn al
dust still clinging TO the under lids of his
blue eyes made 1t appear as if he had pen.
,iled them that way, clown-wise, and had
forgotten to wash of his makeup.
Rooney grinned from ear to ear when he
Jaw US looking at him, but the laughter
lidn't bother him in the least, and he be-
gan to scatter his louis around on the rou-
cite numbers.
He was lucky from the jump, and inside
If a quarter of an hour he had a fine stack
If gold heaped in front OF him. His e1-
ention of many of the players and strollers
n the room, and the men and women players
It the table patronized by Rooney left of
isking their gold for the fun of watching
he queer moves Of the unabashed fro
nan.
HE won so steadily that presently a
russian Grand Duke, who had been idly
cushing little stacks of gold on the num-
ers, Logan to follow the fireman's play
losely, risking on each turn of the marble
nany times the amounts risked 10y the
reman, and finally making il may iInums
very time on the numbers selected by me
ed headed furnace-feeder. Rooncy'- luck
tayed right with him, and the Russian
lrand Duke took down vast sums, while
.ooney kept on with his five-louis plays.
Then dissipated looking young Eng
shman, a chip of the nobility who has
Ince mended his ways and distinguished
imself in English politics, took hand
the flreman's play. He, too, followed
xactly the numbers picked out by Rooney
Or his fve-louis ventures, and, like the
ussian, he played the limit with each
hirl OF the marble.
Right on top OF this Hungarian Countess,
oted as plunger at that time, took up
he fireman's game, or lack of game,
nd then there were three utterly reckless
init players-people who We're notorious
lroughout Europe for their daring gam
deliberately following the lead OF
nited States man-o'-war fireman in h'rk-
Y Monte Carlo roulette game.
Rooney steadfastly resisted the temp
Ition to raise his bets, but continued right
ong with his fve-louis PLAYS on the num-
BIS, the three plungers following him on
,ery play. Thus they stuck to it for hours,
lille scores of persons, many Of them nota:.
lee, stood ouriously about the table and
eered over one another's shoulders 10
atch the play.
AT clock that evening. when Rooney
I'd no less than 200 gold louis heaped mp