Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-14

an area of only eight square miles Like
the more familiar story of the candy
clerks forbidden To nibble. the inhabi-
tants are themselves forbidden the
fearful joys of the Green tables. The
principality presents an ODD CONTRAST
To one part o Tie world it means a
territory which is the property of any
one posse sS.ng q franc and the temeri-
ty to bet il. To another part it is the
domain Of scholarly prince. learned
in the natural sciences. and the home
of d HAPPY contented people. Very diff
ferent was the condition of Monaco
some sixty years ago. At that time
the people We're in rebelious frame
of mind, tor being without any means
of communication with the outer
world except defective road, they
had no industries, were terribly poor,
and found that to keep royal family
at their own expense was becoming a
costly luxury. The Grimaldis had
reigied for nearly Il thousand years
and had no desire to lay down the
crown. Charles III was on the throne
Since his people groaned beneath the
burden of taxation. he decided that 1t
would be wise to relieve them and that
II Nbtllu JIG wen ~ S'Ail IL revenue NY
the simple device of making the for
eigner pay.
ON October IA, 1856, the roulette wheel
was sent spinning round for the first
time, but It's patrons at first were few
No railway brought it visitors, and the
steamship service was extremely had.
The croupiers sat idle at the tables, or
went up or the ramparts TO gaze
through telescope which commanded
Il view cf the road along which the for
eign gambler might come. going back
TO their places if a solitary carriage
WAS apicd upon the way. In 1859 rev
oiution VAS suppressed, but the COM
.nunes Of Mention aud Roquebrune had
to he handed over to France, and the
casino did not become q financial sue
cess until it was taken over by NJ.
Francois Blanc, whose Homburg repu-
tation insured Il great demand Tor the
shares. Such has been the change
worked in the fortunes of the princi-
pality that to-day the people are clam
oring 10 pay tie taxes of which they
have been long relieved, for, say they,
an untaxed people can exercise no
proper control over public affairs.
Last year the bank" netted q profit
Of SS 100, 900, and in one day il bias been
known to win $1S0,O00. OF course, says
the London Standard, the bang has
its off" days, when enormous sums
ale lost. Breaking the hank" as il
Was known at Baden Baden and Wies-
baden. is impossible at Monte Carlo,
| for directly a table shows signs of dis
tress it will receive an additional sup
ply Of money 900 for roulette OF
| double that sum for trente ct quarante.
The Standard interview with Monte
Carlo man relates how in the apparent
| ly worldly crowd al the tables some are
| To be seen holding pious images. One
old lady had 5-franc piece which she
| had managed to conceal among some
resar!es sent to the pope. and the coin
had received an unwarranted blessing
OF course, she priced il too highly &c
Use it for play, but she believed II
| brought luck to all the money which
| il touched. and in kindness of heart
| lent it to friend. The friend. how
ever, lost heavily. and at last ventureo
and lost the piece itself. and with it
| needless to say. an old Friendships. Fa-
Vorite numbers are also frequently
| heard of, and sometimes justified. a
| fortunate Pole took away $120,00o as
| the result of backing % in all possible
Ways.