Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-19
W @ MEN GAMBLERS
NELL aWYNNE ONE OF THE
MOST NOTED OF HER SEX.
Where Their Success Lie.-Absence Of
Many Of the Attributes Possessed
by Their Brethren.
From the Liverpool Mercury

From the Liverpool Mercury.
From time to tire. throughout the world
gam bling among women has flourished and
declined. Just at this time it flourishes.
But II the mania is growing strong IN the
women OF today it Is simply the revival of
an Old passion. for in every age women
have been addicted to that form Of vice
winch caused the loss of money. happiness,
substance, health and. in many instances,
honor. The pages Of history tell. over and
over again, the story of great women gam
blers. France has furnished the greater
number of thesa, but England has not been
far behind while America has put forth
many whose fame has become interna-
tional.
There seems to be something in the blood
o: French women that makes them gam
biers of a high order. Nine. de Montespan
won SO much at basset. her favorite game.
that Louis ~ was delighted. and borrowed
some of her winnings. But she lost a great
deal at times and her play grew so furi-
| Gus that in 1852 Louis abolished the game.
1t is recorded of madame that she one
night, while the king looked on at the play.
risked sum equal to 10000 on single
card, and that the king grumbled when no
one could be found to cover the bet. But
madame also lost, one New Year night,
100000 crowns at hoca. and on another
night almost f2O0.O0O at the same game
Nine. du Barry.
Nine. du Barry was the most famous
woman gambler of the time of Louis XIV.
but with her 1t was only a pastime. But
that other favorite, Nine. de Pompadour,
went in with the sole object of winning II
she could. 1t is recorded that her winnings
were enormous and that in single night
she eased the pockets of the king of 5000
louis dor.
Queen Marie Anto nette. according to his
! tory, was a gambler who liked to be sur
rounded by gamblers. Faro the popu-
lar game. but the stakes got to be so great
That many nobleman had his entire es-
tates wiped out in single night. Scandal
rose high and the game was forbidden.
nevertheless. in a short time it was being
Carried on again not only in the apart
mentS of the queen. but at the house of the
Princess de Lamballe. At first the queen
and those who desired to play with her
went to the apartments of Madame de
Geemene. whose house is credited with hav-
Ing been the scene of the highest continued
play of any in France. But matters got SO
bad before the end came that noblemen
would no longer play with the queen. and
she admitted to her table many common
gamblers. Then the scandal broke in full
force, for some We're caught cheating. and
on. was even arrested for picking pocket.
Possibly the most famous woman gam
bier of English history was Nell Gwynne,
the actress. who was so great a favorte
with Charles III. In that regin the manners
were much the same as they at the
French court. Nell Gwynne lost G5 900 to
her rival the Duchess of Cleveland. and
In one year lost upward OF ESQ, COO which
the king paid. There had never been known
so much gambling among women as was
carried on in that reign. After the Duchess
of Mazarin, niece of the cardinal had lost
t1-Ooo.OOO she died in absolute want.
Lonna Paquita.
The acknowledged queen of American
women gamblers was Lonna Poquita, who
was born in Texas fifty years ago. but
early went into Mexico to rule over out
laws and cowboys. The little Lonna was
| scarcely twelve years Of age when she fell
| In with an old time gambler, named Quail
etor, who taught her every trick known to
the gamblers art. She made her first ap-
pearance in Paso del Norte. She was only
her.
But they soon found that they were no
match for her. and that even her teacher,
Quaietor, was a tenderfoot compared with
the child. With the passing years Lonna
Paquita grew to be a beautiful woman
Her hair was as black as night she had
eyes that COMPOUNDED those of the Gam
blers who played with her and voice
as sweet and silvery as a bell. She was as
handsome woman as one could wish to
see, but with heart of ice and nerves OF
iron. Her small white hands could manipu-
late the cards with a skill that defied the
.
There We're many people who thought It
was merely luck that followed her, but
the luck kept up too long, and the gam
blers who knew a few tricks themselves
understood that it was art Still, no
one was ever known to catch her cheating.
Before she was twenty Lonna Paauita
was in New Mexico leading a gang of the
| worst character of the southwest
Her death occurred in 1875, and was
tragic. Some lawless acts had been COM
mitted by body of "greasers," ana
search was made for them. Lonna Pauuita
was found to be their leader, and was
caught. She only laughed when she was
taken. and proposed that a game of cards
be played to see whether she should go
free or Kill herself. This was agreed to. and
one of the party. a gambler known the
country around, was selected The woman
lost. Those who looked on had scarcely
time to understand this when Lonna Pa
quita drew a knife from her belt and
plunged it into her heart.
The women of today, although thew
DOUBTLESS gamble heavily as in other
times. incline more to speculation in
stocks. The new woman will go on gam
bl!uE. but appearances show that she cares
a great deal more for the money there is in
1t than she does fer the notoriety of being
a gambler.