Businessmen who have gambled all day in their legitimate enterprise find nothing to excite them unduly here. In the intervals of music, a thoughtful calm pervades the vast assembly; people move around noiselessly from table to table, as if Fortune were nervous as well as fickle; a cane falling upon the floor causes every one to look up, a loud laugh or exclamation excites a stare of virtuous indignation. The most respectable citizens, though they might not play, are be seen here of an evening. Old friends, who perhaps parted at the church door in the States, meet here without fear and without reproach. Even among the players are represented all classes and conditions of men. One night at a faro table a player suddenly slipped from his seat to the floor, a dead man. Three doctors, also players, after a brief examination pronounced it disease of the heart. The coroner, sitting at the right of the dealer,, instantly impaneled the rest of the players, who laying down their cards, briefly gave a verdict in accordance with the facts,nand went on with their game! I do not mean to say that, under this surface calm, there was not often the intensest feeling. There was a Western man, who having made a few thousand in the mines, came to San Francsico to take the Eastern steamer home. The night before he was to sail , he entered the Arcade saloon, and seating himself at a table in sheer listlessness, staked a twenty-dollar gold piece on the game.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Jun 2014 04:50:11 +0000