A FRENCH VIEW OF THE GAMING SCANDAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9093, 18 April 1891, Page 6 (Supplement)

A FRENCH VIEW OF THE GAMING SCANDAL.

The latest of many debts of gratitude

owe to Truth is the publication of a jeu d'esprit, of which the following is a translation, from a French paper, L'lngenue, a

title which is certainly ben trovato:— '"Oads-flsh' (an hereditary oath in the Boyal Family o£ England), cried the Prince of Vales, rolling his r's according to his ■custom when he Is angry, or excited by even tenderer sentiments. ' Odds-fish, Sir Cummines, you have cheated.' "•Mille millions de sabretaches, monSei«°Ta^e y<h lim e to the Tower of London I' commanded the heir of the Crown, doubtless foreettingin his fury that the Tower is no loneer a prison, but contains every comfort fitting it for the residence ol an Amerioan m» The Duke o£ Coventry—to whom it is the custom never to speak-was consulted, and finallyacompromisewasarraDged. 'Morbleu, Sir Cummings,' said the prince,'you will sign a paper engaging yourself to commit suicide in three months, and on our side we swarto keep your secret. On that condition I remain your friend, in accordance withthe English code of honour.' Sir Cummings siened the fatal paper, got on (endossa) his evening coat for dinner, and everybody continued to live together In the most amiable re "But questions arose as to how the incident had occurred. "This is the explanation:— « The financial position of the Prince leaves muoh to be desired. He finds himself accordingly forced to run from country house to country house, leased by rich mrvenus, carrying in his portmanteau a card table and markers. The stakes are usually modest, but on this occasion were considerable. They were playing for 'bobs and ' half-bobs,' as they are called in the high society of England. The Prince kept the bank, and having lost the coup, paid Sir Cummings a ' bob,' who said, ' Monseigneur, you owe me two 'bobs' still. It was then that the Prince cried ' odds fish,' and the storm burst. " At the end of three moDths, Sir Cummings had not blown his brains out, and it was then that the secret was divulged. •■■ What then had prevented Sir Cnmmings

from keeping faith I _ "He had gone to Monsieur Stead, the virtuous editor of the World, a political journal run in opposition to the Times, and that worthy man had assured him that cheating at cards is not a crime necessarily resulting in suicide. «Go and consult Sam Lewis, our great lawyer,' said Stead, and Lord Charles Russell, the celebrated bams--6 » The interview with Monsieur Sam Lewis was short. 'Sign this little paper , said Sam, and he presented to him a sheet on which were written *«« let*«?. .{hir" will -Sir Cummings signed. The affair will now go before the Queen's Bench, to be tned by.^ e %inc?s atpr^ipal fear is that he will have to appear before the jury of m^p° n 0 S r S i r Cummings has signed so many little documents that his first question in meeting any anybody is ' Do you want me to ■^"tSK femme. Thafc is the last word of the situation. We are assured that Lady Oummings, the young and beautiful spouse of Sir Cummings But hush ! It

is impossible for us to hint that which the ichronique scandaleuse of London loudly speaks." We think wo could lay our hand upon tne author of this truly amazing hotch-potch. I£ our mirmise is correct, his final initial | would be a " B."