Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-07-26

a'1ckeO Men tnuergO II RIGID Course
of Instruction Until They Are Mold
ed Into the Right Form to Preside
Over the Gaming Tables
The stereotyped words ring out In
but slightly varying tones from the
throats of those immaculate black
coated functionaries. Indeed the most
sensational coup of the season would,
we believe. be poweriess to move any
| of these suaye officials into 5etraying
even momentary gleam OF interest in
the mere mortals he thus adjures to
plank down their ready"
The casual frequenter of the sale de
| jeu pays but little heed to these things
/ indeed takes them as matter of
course nevertheless the croupier Is
| made not born" though he may
have Unborn qualifications. He is a
creature OF selection, and given can
iidate of seeming promise, there fol
1 low months of training and tral--aye,
little temptations which shall test his
/ ihonesty-before the three chiefs who
| watch him and consider all his ponts
decide upon his actual election, and he
! is carefully nodded into the right
| FORM that of the quiet, courteous yet
ever alert gentleman, whose well kept
! hand spins the marble ball and throws
the coins so dextrously across the
4 green cloth.
1t may be interesting to those who
do not already know to hear that no
more than thirty-six men can go up at
time for election Thirty-six-the
number which exactly corresponds
with The numerals on the boarG-and
of these, again, only the very fittest
are chosen for final training and ap-
pointments.
The making of the croupier" takes
place during the dead season--that is.
from about August till the end of De-
s cenlber. by which time it is calculated
a smart man may be considered fit to
i try his PAGES in public. The training is
J indeed no play, but consists Of regular
attendance at the classes of the ',ecoie
des croupiers" for six hours a day, the
exact time being from 8 to II in the
forenoon and from to 5 In the after
noon Before admittance to the
school, however. a medical eNamina-
tion has to be undergone as well as ex-
aminations in viva yoce arithmetic and
tests put with regard to correct and
fluent French and refinement of ac-
cent. Yet would all these avail a man
nothing should his antecedents and
character not bear the strictest and
| ,1.,.t,;r, Sn,,,1t hi
time of probation coins Of the value of
those they will have to handle at the
tables are not used notes being repre-
sented by squares of paper of much
the same size and texture and the
louis dor being 'understudied" by one
frame pieces, while the smallest stake
permissible, the clumsy five frame
piece. remains the same.
AS we have, however. already OBJ
q served. tests of honesty are at times
resorted to in order to make sure of
the mans qualities in this respect. Yet
in order not to strain this point too
highly the management pays the pro
bationer a sum Of 150 francs a month
salary during his period of training
The daily lessons" consist naturally
enough principally in the requirement
ora nice manipulation Of the ball and
the rake. in quick head reckoning
and in dextrously pitching the coins
across so that they seem to fall in al
orderly golden row, each separate and
distinct.
distinction is made between candi
dates for the trente-et-quarante tables
and those devoted to the more easily
grasped game of roulette The mer
serving the former are, as may have
struck any observant visitor. of dis
! tinctly better class, a higher menta
cahber. Their salaries, too, are proper
!. tionately higher, ranging from 400 tt
6GO francs a month while the chef
draws 725 and the Inspectors and sub
directors from $50 TO 1000 a month
with a bonus also at the end of tht
season and the comforting prospect o
a pension when old age or sickness
comes along to lay them on the shelf
That these men are also well worth