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About The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 19, 1908)
r n ; k -?g &l 1 ITJVIIfCy 1n3UI MONTE CARLO g PERSONAL EXPERIENCES of ONSIEUR ANTOINE ptin CFATDAl. DIRECTOR of the; SURYEIEEArVCE DEPARTMENT-CHRONICLEDHytlie CHEVALIER .'? 4a t&i (CopyrlRht. IOCS, ly W. G. Chapman.) AS I GOT LEVEL WITH THE CASCADE OF GOLD I was silling one bright afternoon on lie terrace outside the Cafe de Paris, .Monte Carlo, idling over a cigarette ami a inazagran. It is my favorite resort at about four o'clock, for while skimming the Figaro I can, if I choose, watch each iereon who ascends or descends the Casino steps, while very often the o;s:05o!itan chatter at the tables in :av vicinity is of unusual interest to ine. On such occasions 1 present, out wardly, the appearance of a well-to-do Parisian, and, although the pro fessional gamblers and the staff are well aware who and what 1 am, the hundreds or thousands of strangers moving through the principality have no idea ol my true position. As I sat in a lazy attitude, my thought far from my surroundings, some words uttered in a man's voice cuuubt my ear, and brought me back to a consciousness of where I was. The words were unexpected, and xjmkon In a curious, squeaking voice, the owner of which 1 knew, without turning to look at him. He was an old man named Pasquale. an inveter ate player, who had been known in the rooms for many years. He lived ia Nice, and regularly, twice or thrice a. week, the whole year round, he came ovor and played throughout the afternoon, always with great care and precision. One of his eccentrictities was that, when In the rooms, he car ried in his hand a huge, bag-like purse, worked In colored beads of the style of a century ago; and legend had it that he believed this bag brought him ;ood fortune, he having used it on one celebrated occasion when, nearly 20 years before, he had made an .unusu ally large coup. I have seen him lose ten. and even fifteen thousand francs in an hour with perfect sangfroid, and I have, on the other hand, watched him win simi lar amounts, and then walk back down mU00U000 Found in Ancient Egypt. Dr. Flinders Petrie, the Egyptologist, has been describing his latest discov eries in ancient Memphis. On the ground beneath the foundation of the western court of Ptah, built by Ra meses II, a great number of lime stone tablets and pieces were found. Some of these exhibit a very remark able feature. Figures of ears for the hearing of prayer are Inscribed upon them, with great skill and fidel ity: sometimes there is only a single ear and no other carving; in other RFI(i 1?F,MINTISCENCES OT EXCITING Copyright In Groat Britain and the HER, 1 RAISED MY HAT AND CLAIMED ACQUAINTANCE. the steps to the station without even affording himself the luxury of a demitasse or a back. He hated what we always term '"the small change crowd." namely, the people who. after collecting a few odd live-franc pieces, come to Monte Carlo expecting to gain a fortune, and he never failed to vent his sarcasm upon them. The words he had uttered were, how ere. puzzling. I kept my ears open in the hope of something further, but the old fellow maintained a discreet silence. His companion laughed, and when I gave a furtive glance in their direc tion I saw that the man sitting oppo site him was an ugly hunchback. "Would a very large capital bo re quired?" the hunchback inquired, in a tone of affected carelessness. "I don't think so. Fifty thousand francs, the sum you mention, would be quite sufficient." the old man re sponded. "But, of course, there's a risk a terrible risk. A single blun der would be disastrous." Later that day, owing to instruc tions I gave the doorkeeper, I dis covered that the hunchback's name was Paul Remenyi, of Vienna, and that he was staying at the Grand ho tel. My suspicions being aroused, I accidentally lounged into the hair dresser's in the Rue de la Scala, next morning, and while waiting discov ered the hunchback there. He spoke enthusiastically of the beauties of the principality, the attractions of the play, the excellence of the music, and, as far as I could judge, was a highly educated and refined man. No, he had not lost yesterday. He had won two zeros at roulette, staking a louls each time. On the night of the Battle of Con fetti at Nice, having another matter in hand. I found it necessary to go to the redoute or balmasque, on the Jetee promenade, that pier-like struc ture which is the most prominent fea ture of the esplanade. I chose a pier- mm ",, -"-ir ninnnxLrmjH cases there is a pair of ears; others, again, have four, five, six, ten, 13, 22, 44. 50, 110 and 3S6 ears. The meaning of these is stated by the inscriptions "Ptah listens to the prayer made, Amenmes," "Ptah. south of this wall, listens to the petition made by" so and so. Immense Iceberg. An Antarctic iceberg has been seen that was 20 miles wide, 40 miles in length and 400 feet in height WILLIAM LE QUEUX. United States, by Wm. Tue Queux. rot's dress of the carnival colors, mauve and vert d'ea,u and entered the theater about 11 o'clock, just as danc ing was in full swing. Only those who have spent a carnival at Nice and at tended the balls know the wildness of the dancing and the mad frolic there. Masked, like all the others, I made my way with difficulty through the throng in search of the man upon whom I had for several days been keeping observation, a young Russian who was wanted by the Moscow po lice, but of whoso identity I was not sufficiently-certain. But, though I searched through room after room, I could not find him, and concluded that he had been prevented from coming. For fully half an hour I wan dered about, dancing now and then with unknown partners, until sudden ly, in the fine Moorish room used or dinarily as a reading room, I saw a dwarfed figure in a dress represent ing the English Punch. He was seat ed in a corner with a lady dressed as a clown in black satin, studded with silver moons, whom, from the lower part of her face and the plump white ness of her dimpled hands, I judged to be young and attractive. He spoke, and in an instant I rec ognized the voice of the hunchback Remenyi. Just then a lady, passing me, laughed merrily in my face, and, eager for any excuse to remain in tha room, I invited her to dance with me. "M'sieur is very kind," answered a well-modulated voico in French, which, however, was not quite perfect in its accent "But for tha moment I prefer to remain here. It is too hot and crowded in the theater." I noticed she was looking across ar the lady in the clown's dress. "A pretty dress that, is it not?" I remarked. "Yes." she replied. "And, if I mis take not, its wearer is even prettier. "You know her?" I Inquired eagerly. "Yes, if she's the lady I mean. Her name is Madame de Gourieff, and she comes from Petersburg." i Where Auburn Found in Great Numbers in North eastern Part of Scotland. Red hair is found in distinct excess north of the Grampians, and especially in the northeast of Scotland. A sci entist who has made the question of pigmentation a special study, and has just been helped to conclude a color survey of the school children over 50.000 of Scotland, announced this as on of his results. I r ... . .. . . . . And you, mauame. are uussian al so eh?" I inquired. "What makes you think that?" she asked, with a low laugh. "Only a Russian can pronounce the word 'Petersburg as you have just pronounced it," I answered. At that instant I noticed that, at her throat, beneath her domino of mauve satin, she wore a brooch with a tiny watch enameled in blue and set with diamonds. It was a beautiful little ornament, and I marked its appearance well. Some days later, however, I met the hunchback in the roulette room. He was accompanied by a young, dark eyed, pale-faced lady, whom 1 judged to be about the same stature as his companion at the ball; but I could not tell with any degree of accuracy, because I had only seen her seated. She was not more than 25, and her face was pretty, with a grave, intense expression, which added to its attrac tiveness. Her dress of dark grey stuff was not exactly of that elegance usu ally seen at Monte Cairo, yet it fitted well, and suited her admirably. As I stood watching, the pretty young woman took off one of her gleves the more easily to handle her louis, thereby revealing to me a white hand with dimpled knuckles, the same I had noticed at the ball. By this one fact alone I was convinced that she was Madame de Gouireff, and a few moments later my interest in her was increased by a dumb motion which she made to a tall, florid-faced, fair-haired man, who was sitting at the opposite side of the table. It was as if she desired him to remain pa tient. In return, he smiled cynically, as if tired of waiting, and, resting both his elbows upon the green cloth, con sulted the register-card before him Suddenly he rose, and, as he passed her closely without stopping to speak, she whispered to him: "You're a fool. Be patient. You know what a single blunder would mean!" "I'm sick of the whole thing," he replied, half turning towards her. All except Pasquale left the Casino soon afterwards; but, as the old game ster knew me so well, I hesitated to speak to him yet, fearing lest by so doing it might prevent the truth bo coming known. That there was some mysterious system about to be worked against the bank I felt assured, but of what nature I could only discover by vigilant observation. Several days went by and I saw them not. One morning I noticed Remenyi lounging in one of the wick er chairs in the entrance of the Grand hotel, smoking and reading a paper, but he did not enter the rooms. The fair-haired man apparently lived in Nice, and in order to find out what I could, I went over there one morning. Suddenly, an object caught my eye as it passed, flashing for an instant in the sunlight. I turned and glanced a second time at it to make certain. Yes, it was the little jeweled watch which the fair masker had worn at the ball on the Jetee. It now hung openly on the smart, white serge coat of its owner, a well-dressed, young, and rather handsome woman, who was walking alone in the direction of the Quai Masscna. She had passed ere I had time to glance at her, therefore I could only catch sight of her pro file. But in an instant I made a resolve, and turning, followed her. That she knew more of the mysterious Nina de Gourieff than she had told me was evident, and I intended to make a. strenuous endeavor to dis cover all I could. As I got level with her I raised my hat and claimed acquaintance. At first she was inclined to repudiate having met me. but when I explained by what means I had discovered her identity she laughed heartily, and we began to chat as we walked along together. With infinite care I led up the conver sation to the woman de Gourieff, but rin an instant her mouth closed, and she glanced at me with a quick look of suspicion. In the course of our careless gossip she, however, let drop the fact that she intended going over to Monte Carlo that afternoon; therefore, resolving to meet her again there, as if by accident, I wished her an revoir, opposite the Hotel des An glais, and we parted. About three o'clock that same after noon I was in the bureau of the ad ministration when my fair acquain tance entered, and, to obtain her card of admission, presented her passport, bound up in one of those neat little dit-edged books which the better-class Russians carry. Unobserved, I glanced at it as it lay in her hand, and saw upon the gray paper, headed with the Russian arms, a vise, which caused me a start of surprise. Her name, it stated, was Vera Severine, and when, a quarter of an hour later, I encoun tered her in the rooms and addressed Iier by the name she looked at me luickly, with mingled annoyance and surprise. "Madame has no necessity to dis guise her identity from me," I ex claimed meaningly, in a low voice. "I am chief of the surveillance here. My name is Martin Antoine Martin." She laughed rather nervously, and admitted that she had heard of me. "I noticed the vise on madame's passport," I exclaimed. "It bears the ;pecial stamp of the ministry, which shows madame to be an agent of se cret police. In such circumstances here is assuredly no need for se crets between us. If I can aid you, .ommand me. As you know, I am in .veekly communication with your cen ral bureau in St. Petersburg. I pre sume that the person who interests ou is this Madame de GouriefT eh?" "You have guessed aright." she ad nltted, as we strolled down the rooms .ogether. "She is a revolutionist president of the Zurich council of Twenty." Locks Abound In most European countries, he said, there is a distinct predominance of one type over the others. In north Germany and Sweden it is the blonde type; in Italy the brunette. No such predominance is found in Scotland. Dark hair and fair are present in equal proportions. The dominant col or among Scottish children Is brown, and it has to be shown how far brown is really a blend of fair and dark. The proportion of red hair through- "The president!" I exclaimed. "Thea she's a Nihilist. And your orders?" "To watch her closely. Aided by my husband, I have been keeping ob servation upon her for these last three months. She has no money, and has come to Monte Carlo to replenish her funds." "And this Austrian, Remenyi, what of him?" "She has only lately made his ac quaintance. Prom what I have ob served, there is some compact be tween them. She is to meet him here this afternoon." Scarcely had this handsome woman, whoso passport gave her immunity from arrest throughout the czar's em pire, uttered these words when we saw the pair approaching, and moved away to escape observation. They walked on to the right-hand trente-et-quarante table, where Pas quale was already seated, and stood for some time intently watching the game. Madame Severine left me to wander about alone, having agreed that we would both keep the pair un der observation. I saw her later on seated at the old Italian's side, playing quite as eagerly as any other gam bler. But her manner was perfect. A seat at last becoming vacant next to Cruzel, the tailleur, the ugly little Austrian in an instant "marked" it by flinging down a louls. Then, leisurely seating himself, with his companion standing behind his chair, he commence! playing with precision and care. Suddenly, just as two blustering men one of whom was the fair-haired player, who had previously expressed impatience demanded gold in ex change for notes, Madame de Gourieff drew from her pocket a paper con taining about a thousand francs in gold, and, in her haste to stake a louis upon the table, the paper broke, and the gold fell to the floor in a per fect cascade, the louis rolliug away beneath the feet of the players, under the chairs and under the table. This created hopeless confusion, for nearly everybody rose in order that the at tendants might collect the fallen money, while madame, red and con fused, uttered a thousand pardons. The hunchback uttered a word of apology to Cruzel that his fair com panion should have caused any such interruption in the game; but soon afterwards all settled again, and there sounded the well-known invitation "Messieurs, faites vos jeux." Nina de Gourieff, with a gambler's fear lest her gold, once fallen, should bring her ill-luck, took some notes from her pocket and placed 12, the maximum, on the noire, while, strange ly enough, the deformed man acted in a similar manner. "Rien ne va plus!" cried the tail leur, and he dealt the cards swiftly in two ranges. "Deux, six, rouge perd et couleur gagne!" Cruzel exclaimed loudly a mo ment later, raking in the stakes upon tho red. Both the man and the woman had won the maximum, and were paid with the swiftness and precision which characterizes the fulfillment of the ob ligations of the bank. Again came the invitation to play, and both staked upon the black, while Pasquale, noticing his friend's good fortune, also threw 12,000 francs upon the couleur. "Quatre, cinq, rouge perd et couleur gagne!" was Cruzel's announcement a few seconds later, the excitement at the table becoming intense when it was noticed that all three had won the maximum. Cruzel was playing swiftly, when Madame Severine approached mo hastily, saying "There is some mystery here. Have those cards counted!" Again the game was made, and a third time the trio won; then, as the chef bent over to Cruzel, Madame de Gourieff rose quickly, gathered up her winnings, and left. The cards were at once counted, and it was discovered that there were 30 cards in addition to those supplied to the table that morning! According to Madame Severine's statement it appeared that the con spiracy had been very carefull. worked out, and that Nina de GourieJ and her two confederates, having cre ated a confusion, Remenyi had at that instant slipped unnoticed into Cruzel's hand a pack of prepared cards. Then, when all became again tranquil, the players had placed down the max imum, confident of success. The hunchback was arrested down In the Condamine half an hour later, and both were, in due course, tried before the Tribunal at Monaco, sentences of two years' imprisonment being passed upon them. Against Pasquale nothing conclusive could be proved; while Nina de Gourieff. ingenious always, succeeded in getting clear away with her winnings, together with the two loud-voiced men who had demanded change for a thousand francs at the instant she bad allowed her gold to tumble from her hand. Six months afterwards, however, I received a letter from Madame Sever ine, dated from SL Petersburg, stating that the woman who had so cleverly planned the fraud had been arrested in a suburb of Moscow, and had been banished to Nerchinsk, in Siberia, as a dangerous Nihilist. Prior to this incident the cards used at trente-et-quarante could be pur chased at the stationer's in the Gal lerie Charles III., but ever since the greatest care has been exercised in order to render similar fraud impos sible. Many have been the attempts made from time to time upon the bank, but certainly none was more daring than that signalled by Nina de Gourieff 'a cascade of gold. out the country is a little over 5 per cent high compared with the con tinent One cannot overlook the ref erence of Tacitus to the red haired Caledonians. Some curious facts brought to light suggest that red hair is not entirely or strictly a racial trait It may have some peculiar physiological if not pathological con nection. "Put your money in a piano,' ad vertises a music house. That's all right, if you can get negotiable notes out of it Be still, Fido! WOMAN PILOTS EXCURSION BOAT Mrs. Rose E. Watkins First of Her Sex to Hold License in Illinois. Bloomington. III. Mrs. Rose E. Watkins of La Salle county, this state, has been granted a license as pilot and master of a steamer on navigable waters, and is now a familiar figure to Illinois river excursionists. The season is now at its height and thou sands have watched her at the wheel as she guided the vessel along the devious meanderings of the inland waterway. Mrs. Watkins is now regu larly authorized to handle a steamer up to 100 tons' burden 'on the Illinois river or any of its tributaries. When the government decided it would inspect the boats used to cx'.rry passengers on the rivers of the coun try and examine in rules of navigation the pilots and masters, using the same rigidity and same vigilance as with ocean going vessels and their com manders, the examining board toured the state and looked into every boat Inspectors Peck and Mansfield, who were assigned to the Illinois river, one day ran across the steamer George S. Watkins. When they asked to see the pilot they were amazed when Wat kins, who serves as engineer. Intro duced his wife. The inspectors asked her the usual questions about the laws of navigation, lights, signals, etc.. and found that she was thoroughly in formed, more so than the average man. She was granted a license im mediately and is very proud of the document. The regulations do not prohibit wom en serving as pilots. Although the in spectors were somewhat dubious about their authority to grant the per mit, due to lack of precedent, they de cided that they must do so and com plimented Capt. Watkins upon her knowledge of the subject. Mrs. Watkins was born upon the banks of the Illinois, and has spent nearly her entire life upon the river. She taught school for several years. After her marriage to Capt. Watkins the latter decided to embark in the excursion business. Mrs. Watkins de cided to assist her husband, and. after studying navigation, wag intrusted with the post of pilot. She has fre quently demonstrated her presence of mind and cool-headedness in trying sit uations and has won many compli ments upon her success in an occupa tion so novel for a woman. IS CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR. Workshop of R. R. Williams of Texas, Blacksmith and Lawyer. Dallas, Tex. R. R. Williams of Cumby, Tex., who is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for gov- Workshop of a Gubernatorial Candidate ernor against Gov. Thomas M. Campbell, is a blacksmith and lawyer. Until he made public an nouncement a few weeks ago of his candidacy for the office of chief ex ecutive of the state he had been heard of but little outside of his own com munity. Lawyers in his town do not have much to do and Mr. Williams spends much of his time plying his trade of blacksmith. He also is filling the office of justice of the peace through appointment. Mr. Williams' candidacy has been well received by the anti-administration element of the party. Williams clubs have been organized all over the state during the last few weeks. He is receiving the active support of some of the leaders of the party and the fol lowing which he has developed is mak ing Gov. Campbell uneasy. Texas is such a big state in area that it takes much money to travel over it making a campaign. Mr. Wil liams says that he is too poor to stump the state. He will conduct a "front porch" campaign. It is planned to run excursions of his supporters to Cumby and let them listen to the ! speeches of Mr. Williams, who says he i will remain at home during all the campaign. Probably Not. Mrs. Gushleigh (to steamer ac quaintance) I save all of my hus band's old love letters. Do you save yours? The Other Woman My dear ma dam, I have had four husbands. Chi cago Tribune. Failed to See the Connection. "What did that man say when you told him you bad seen a sea serpent?" "His conversation became suddenly ! irrelevant. He began to talk about local option and prohibition." Wash ington Star. CAPT. OJ P&TjtfNf, m T-3g Truth and Qualify appeal to the Well-Informed in every walk of life and arc essential to permanent success and creditable standing. Accord ingly, it is not claimed that Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Senna is the only remedy of known value, but one of many reasons why it is the best of personal and family laxatives is the fact that it cleanses, sweetens and relieves the internal organs on which it acta without any debilitating after effects and without having to increase the quantity from time to time. It acts pleasantly and naturally and truly as a laxative, and it component parts are known to and approved by physicians, as it a free from all objection able substances. To get its beneficial effects always purchase the genuine manufactured by the California Fig Syrup Co., only, and for sale by all leading drug- THE "LESS" AGE. Cholly It's wonderful, bah Jove! Riding without hawses, telegraphing without wires, and all these things. Maude Yes and thinking without brains. THE TIME TEST. That la What Proves True Merit. Doan's Kidney Pills bring the quick est of relief from backacho and kid ney troubles. Is that relief lasting? Let Mrs. James M. Long, of 113 N. Augusta St, Staunton, Va.. tell you. On January 31st, 1903, Mrs. Long wrote: "Doan's Kid ney Pills have coxed me" (of pain In the back, urinary trou bles, bearing down sensations, etc.). On June 20th, 1907, four and one-half years later, she said: "I haven't had kidney trouble since. I repeat my testimony." Sold by all dealers, 50 cents a box. Foster-Milburn Co., Buffalo, N. Y. Cruel Kindness. Aged Belle You know, Mr. Sey mour, I have always had the greatest horror of growing old. Green Youth But I hope, dear lady, that you havo not found it as bad as you anticipated. Smokers have to call for Lewis' Single Binder cigar to fjrt it. Yvur dealer or Lewis' Factory, Peoria, ID. It's sometimes easier to catch on than It is to let go. This -woman says that after months of suffering Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound made her as well as ever. Mande E. Forgie, of Leeslrarg'jVa, writes to Mrs. tfnkham: Ml want other Buffering' women to know what Lydia E. Pinkham's Vege table Compound has done for me. For months I suffered from feminine ills so that I thought I conld not live. J wrote you, and after taking Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegctablo Compound, and using the treatment yoa prescribed I felt like a new woman. I am now strong, and well as ever, and thank yoa for the good you have done me." FACTS FOR SICK WOMEN. For thirty years Lydia E. Pink ham's Vegetable Compound, made from roots and herbs, has been the standard remedy for female ills, andhas positively cured thousands of women who have been troubled with displacements, inflammation,Tjcenu tion, fibroid tumors, irreginaritiea, periodic pains, backache, that bear ing-down feeling, flatulency, indiges tion, dizziness ornervous prostration. "Why don't you try it ? Sirs. Pinkham Invites all side women to write her for advice. She has guided thoasaads fa health. Address, Lynn, Masa. 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