A New Game.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 30 October 1890, Page 38

A New Game.

There is a new game en the pave. It, is two-handed and easily played. The leading party is a fascinating little Spanish girl with sparkling black eyes, well-rounded cheeks, the olive hue of which is hidden beneath rouge artistically put on, rich and pouting lips, and a demure manner. This latter quality is her right bower, which is quickly and strongly backed by the little joker that lies in a shy glance from her eyes. She is an experienced gamester, though apparently not more than three summers have passed since she was budding 16, and she always plays her cards to win. Her territory is within the boundaries of what the fair Saturday afternoon promenaders have declared to be civilisation, and she has such a great regard for the proprieties that, though she has been playing her game for a month now, she has never been seen below Bush street, nor beyond the Baldwin. On 3 of her most recent victims is a tall, soldierly-look-ing gentleman, whose figure is well known upon the Rialto. He is certainly old enough to know better. Notwithstanding the inclination of his hair to lose its original deep brunette hue, however, he is just as gallant now when ohallenged by a pair of bright eyes as though the silver threads were not appearing on his thatch This was the way of it : The pretty little senorita was going out Market sireet ; the Colonel w-is going the same way. The little one saw that the quarry was an old hand himself in the lists of love, and she played her cards carefully. The Colonel got close to her, looked at her with his wicked, wicked eyes, and passed her, keeping only a few feet in advance. As he was passing she lowered her long lashes upon her oheeks and summoned up a slight blush, while just the faintest suspicion of a smile played around her pretty lips. She had played her right bower. The Colonel saw the blush and the drooping of the lids, and considered himself a winner. When the senorita arrived opposite the entrance to the photograph gallery in the Phelan Block the Colonel iooked back. As he did so she , played her little joker. The antique gallant caught her glance, a thrill went through his ancient form — he was her slave. He carelessly turned on his heel, and nonchalantly walked back. She was just going up the marble steps. He followed. She dropped her handkerchief. It was an old play, but it worked. The Colonel had the cambric in a moment, in another he was leaning over her, as in a most gallant manner he returned it. His rewarc was a glance that completely turned his head. The ice was broken, and after a few minutes, by which time they had reached the first landing, she said she was out on a mission of mercy, selling tickets to a raflle for the benefit of a poor Spanish family at North Beach. She drew out a paper on which were numbers, opposite which were the real and fictitious signatures of about 80 old and young men, who had been caught in her net. The tickets were only sr'c5 r 'c each, she said, and she had only 15 more to sell. A lawyer on the floor above had promised to take five, and that would leave ten on her hands, which she was very anxious to dispose of, as the drawing was on the morrow. As she said this, she gave the Colonel one of her archest glances, and looked up into his face in a most bewitching manner.' The result was that in his' most

gallant way he handed her sdol, and scrawled some hieroglyphics over the ten numbers he oho^e on the paper But, could lie not, see her again to ascertain the results of her good work ? She would be greatly pleased, and that wicked old Colonel made a " date" to meet her on the following afternoon. He would wait, for her, he said, at a certain popular restaurant, where they should dine together. Then, with a pressure of the hand and another glance which made him feel young again, she left him. He waited the next "day at the restaurant and is waiting yet. Of course, neither he nor anyone else ever hears of the result of that raflle, but as the little one was seen on the asphalt yesterday, it may be piesumed that that convenient Spanish family is yet patiently starving in the same old way. The senorita's victims are rapidly accumulating, but she plays her game so neatly, and is withal so pretty and ladjliku that the investors in her charity fund cannot help admiring her.