Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1912-08-13

town, though this in itself Is
divided into old Monaco, lying round
sweeping shores of the bay Of that
name, and Monte Carlo proper, the
pleasure resort on the high eastern
promontory of the bay. The whole
place is dominated by the great white
establishment o. the Societe des Bains
de Mer, as M. Blanc chooses to call
his gaming house.
The principally is, theoretically, an
entirely Independent state, with its
own ruler, the distinguished explorer
and scientist, the prince Of Monaco.
1t has a tiny army of about 1875 men,
and couple of auxiliary vessels, and
its government buildings and govern
ment Offices, clustering around the
palace on TIE promontory opposite to
the Casino 1t also has national opera
house, national museums and a ma
tional picture gallery.
The inhabitants are In the happy
position of having neither taxes nor
rates to pay. The whole principally
is supported by the subsidy received
from the great white building which
stands at the edge of the promontory
fronting the principal public gardens
"a huge whited sepulcher of ruined
gamblers souls and lost hopes.
But let us pay visit to the Casino
itself. On the steps there is con-
slant coming and going Of almost all
the famous personages of Europe.
Grand rulers and musical comedy act
resses rub shoulders under the portico.
Painters and princes, authors and au-
tocrats, statesmen, merchants, adven-
turers and great ladies mix in one
and Italian peasants who come here to
risk their little all, the savings of a
lifetime, in a wild, vain endeavor to
find a short cut to wealth.
Only Foreigners Gamble.
Before we.are admitted to the gam
ing rooms we have little ceremony
to go through. On the left of the por-
tico as you enter Is small office, and
here we must apply for an entrance
card. Nominally, we go through the
ceremony of being elected member
of the Cercle des strangers, or For
eigners' club, a vast amorphous or
ganization which alone has the right
of using the gambling rooms. The OBJ
ject of this is to give effect to the
Monagasque law, which forbids any
subject of the principally from enter
ing the establishment, law which
shows that the rulers of the little coun-
try, while quite prepared to live on
the follies Of foreigners, take good care
that their own people shall not be
entrapped by the temptation in their
midst. All we have to do, as a matter
of fact, Is give our full name and ad-
dress, and state our age, because no
person under years Of discretion Is
admitted. We are handed a card
which admits US to the rooms.
The first time we walk across the
great entrance hall to the glass doors
of the gambling rooms we are scanned
by whole posse Of international de-
tectives, as we'll as by attendants Of
the Casino itself, trained especially,
and selected for their ability to re-
member faces. This Is the first and
only time we shall have to show our
card. A uniformed official, who looks
at 1t, scans US closely, and within a
minute or two every one of those de-
tectives and attendants knows our
note be sent into the rooms for us 1t
will be, brought straight to us without
moments hesitation.
AS we approach the swing doors we
are scanned by two attendants, whose
special duty 1t Is to see that persons
using the Casino are decorously Dress
ed; and If we be Britons We shall
probably be pulled up short for hav-
ing our trousers. turned up. To most
people this appears a ludicrous regu-
lation; but 1t has a very good explana-
ton, as It's object is to prevent the
possibility of swindler accidentally"
brushing money off the tables on the
chance of two or three pounds falling
into the hem OF his trousers, trick
which was frequently resorted to in
the ariy days Of the Casino.
When, finally we are through the
doors we find ourselves in a series of
sorgeously decorated and brilliantly lit
saloons Coming In from the brilliant
sunlight, the effect of the artificial
light Is bizarre in the extreme. The
place is crowded with richly dressed,
well-to-do people, gathered In close
throngs around enormous green baize
tables. Raised above them on high
chairs at each side of the tables are
the chefs-de-partie, or controllers of
the play at the table.
here Is a strange subdued atmo-