A COSTLY SUNSHADE.

Evening Star, Issue 11445, 12 January 1901, Page 4

A COSTLY SUNSHADE.

M. Blanc, the founder pf tie Casino at Monte Carlo—which really Ti\eans Monte Xlarlo itself—was veiy eccentric! If he had ever been young there is no rgcprd of the fact, for he is always described asLa little old gentle,m.an, in a Ipng pofsi and with th? aid. pf a yelipw cane, without which he heyer seen during" his waking hours. Though enormously'wealthy, he'was excessively thrifty m trifling matters, and woyld haggle like an old-clothes njafl to save a franc on articles for his. pergonal use, though he thought nothing of expending hundreds of thousands of femes in beautifying the and the miniature city."'"" He was never known to play at" tie tables, excepting on one occasion, and somewhat costly experienceWhile on a visit to the Wiesbaden Casino with Mine. Blanp he was jn tfee habit of aacompanying her on a mprning stroll each, day. During one of these Madame complained of the heat of the son, and requested her husband to buy her a parasol. Accordingly the two entered the shop, wi\ere Madame selected a very pretty article, iforth 80fr (about £3 4s), which M. Blanc, wi.th'a scowl and a grumble, paid, When the Casino opened at" noon great was the astonishment of the croupiers and the visitors to see M. Blanc place two hJuis on the red at one of the trente et q,uarant e . tables. The attendants hastened to get hiin a chair, but this he declined, saying he was only going to remain a fey When the cards were (iealt he won, and taking up his winnings left "the original stake pn the table. For a second thne he won, and bad now got back the pripe of the Wnbrella. But, not content, hj? yen.ture.d lpujs, which this tjme he Ipst. Somewhat annoyed at this, the founder of the place doubled the stake a,nd won, thus getting back the cost of the umbrella again. Determined, however, to regain his two louis, he staked them again, only to see them raked in by the bank- Thus he kept cm winning and losing, but never able to recover the two louis, till at last he found himself twenty-five louis out arid the gold his pocket book containecL A tbausaudfranc note he had wjss quickly changed and swallowed up. Then, becoming exasperated, he cashed his cheque for a Targe sum., and sitting down commenced the b»tsG in earnest. Hour after h«UF P* ss ed, but M. Blanc, his eyes fixed on the treacherous pasteboards, neyer budged from'his post. Jfe kept on planking down Heavy stakes until the last deal was declared, when, calmly rising, hj& seized his yellpw cane, f*nd niade his way through the gaping oniopkers into the open air. On reaching home l\e found Mme. Blanc playing "Patien.ce"' with a pack- of cards, the offending parasol being on the table. " Madame," said the old gentleman, "do you know what that thing has cost me?" "Mais pui, mon ami. It post you 80fr." '"Madame," rejoiced he, "you are mistaken. I have j\Vit paid the bill—9l,ooofr." sunshade ' had cost no less than £3,640.