New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-28

game here I'll come up again later and
Join your members
by all means, monsieur" was the
Nordisl response. you're little early;
but just give me your card, aud when
YOU come back III have some one 20
propose and second you and therell
be no objection to your taking hand"
VOICED CHANCE EFFECTIVELY.
My friend went back to his wife, had
: cup Of tea. shook hSnds with the
ministers wife and then excused him
self on the plea Of going TO his coat
for his handkerchief. When he re-
turned 20 the room at the top Of the
stairs there were about thirty men
and women around the green table
playing "ehemin de fer" The visitor
was at once made member and took
his place among the gamblers. he
took his forty sovereigns when he
started playing, and before long they
we're al gone except four. Then his
luck turned and he got back all he
had lost and a good deal more.
Suddenly the door behind him opened
and he heard the social meeting join
ing in the DoXology. So he hurriedly
nut on his coat, said goodnight to his
new acousintsnces and Joined the as
sembly below. He saw his wife look
ing At him questioninsly, but she Kept
her inquiries for a more suitable oc-
casion. As the audience left a cOllec-
tion was taken for congregational pur-
poses. and the gamblers contribution,
which was larger than all the others
put together, caused much grathca-
tion.
This little incident shows how easy
:. aNawinorfc hing
2 club in Paris. Every Frenchman-
and nearly every French woman-is a.
gambler at heart, and cards are the
Fsvorite medium employed in tempting
fortune. IL sometimes happens dur
ing an sfter-dinner game in the man
sions around the Arc de Triomphe or
in the Fauborg St. German that lot
OF money changes hands. But 1t Is IN
the clubs that gambling is most fire.
oueut.
Paris "cercles" may be divided into
-hree classes. First, there are the arls-
,ocrstic and exclusive clubs, such as
The Jockey, the Agriculteur known as
the Pommes dc Terre), the Union, the
Ifnion Artistioue. the Travellers, the
Cspucines and the Automobile Club.
Their membership is made up OF
prominent Parisians. members OF the
French aristocracy and we'll known
Englishmen and Americans. These, OF
course. are not gambling clubs at all,
but high play is possible at several OF
them. and thousands of pounds may
change hands in an hours time. On
memorable evening during last Grand
Prix week q Young sportsman and mn
sncier. whose name is as we'll known IN
London as it is in Paris, dropped tlo'-
600 in a few minutes. The chefs Of
these luxuriously appointed clubs are
among the best in the world. ray
begins when d6jeuner is over, ana
usually continues until well on IN the
morning. Cash is not insisted on DUR
ing the game, as counters VIII always
he SUPPLIED by the clubs cashier IN pro-
nortiop TO a members financial stand
ing.
FIFTEEN HOUR STRINGS.
Another category of clubs, and a
,er, numerous one, relies for support
ON stock brokers, professional men,
racing men and prosperous men Of
business. Visiting one OF these "cereles
fermes" the other day, | marvelled at
The number of men who were Tree 10
snsnd their time gambling in the early
afternoon. There might have been
seventy members present, and score
of them were taking hand at poker,
bridge or ecarte The remainder were
pIaving baecarst. IL was just aiter
o'clock. and only. one table was gong;
But toward 4 or O'Clock seeohu
+ahle was started. and sometimes three
are KENT busy. Play goes on merrlly
filI o'clock. when dinner IS served
The meal. which is gratis to the mem
hers. would do credit TO any OF the
bsst restaurants of the capital, ana
one consequence of this hospitality. IS
,hst members who might dine OUTSIDE
he club and spend their evenings else
where 90 back TO the tables aiteE inc
cbsmpalne and coffee and recommenee
the tempting game. ,c-N o,d
The usual stake is LOUIS Slos.)' anu
The club rarely closes before . or
o'clock in the morning. Oecasl0nalIy
NAV goes on till 10 O'Clock, ana ! haVy
known gamblers Of the type, ehrage
remain at the tables TIL midday AT
sporting club where eearte is the Gam
most In honor $500 is sometimes staKed
single hand which takes a couple
Of minutes to play. During Twelve
hours session the stakes often tptsl
clio 600, and as the "eagnotte" takes ~
ner cont Of the stakes. that represents
81 600 for the house. The Municipality
cf Paris imposes tax of nearly 90 per
cent on the annual subscriptions of the
members.
Low CLASS GAMING DENs.
The "tripots," or unauthorized gam
ing houses. are in class by them
selves. and they give a good deal OF
trouble 70 the police. The eroupiers'
waters and other employees OF these
embellishments have little reputation
10 lose. and most Of those who run
Them are well known TO the police Inc
members are composed Of both sexes
and the only indispensable quallncass
ton for admission is the possession %
money with which to gamble. Ae,
tresses and music hall artists are me !,
with i'm large numbers on the "trlpoiis'
and many of the women are paid
Commission on the pigeons" they
bring in to be plucked.
All through the night the game goes
m. and daylight begins TO hlter
through the curtains before one THINKS
~ rising from the table. The men are
baggard and heavy-eyed, and the Tess
ia about the women the better. some
of ,bem have lost every "sou" and
have parted with the greater portion
~ tbkir iewelry to the accommodating
Individual Who is, always willing Tor