at a certain "honr each evening from a place of business into a city of hells. The closing of the offices and stores is the signal for the opening of a host of gambling saloons. They are all on the ground floor, well lit, opening on the streets, and so numerous as to excite wonder at night as to where the stores can be, and by day where the saloons are. These are the usual evening resort of all classes. And there are few who do not occasionally attempt to win some of the piles of gold and silver that glitter on the tables. 1 found myself strongly attracted by the thought that it might be possible to cut my labor short by a few fortunate ventures; but I had not done much in one direction or the other when I found myself playing at a table where one of my fellow-passengers was dealing. As I had barely observed the man on board, I was rather surprised by his whispering to me in an interval of the game:
"'Keep your money in your pocket, meet me outside at noon to-morrow, and I can do you a good turn. " * You come to California to make money I presume? " was the greeting when we met next day.
- ' 'Certainly,' I replied.
" ' Then take my advice,' said he, * and don't play. << ' Why,' I asked laughingly, * is it so difficult to win ? " 'Difficult!' said he, 'it's impossible. '"But when the chances are so nearly even, surely the interval between the minimum and maximum stake is great enough to allow almost a certainty of winning,' I said.
" ' Not a bit of it,' was the answer. ' No matter how you arrange 3'our stakes, in the long run it is just the same as if they were all of one size; you'll win as many as you lose, and have the percentage of the bank against you. " ' Then all those symptoms and calculations which I see people following are a delusion ? '* '
