Show A WIFE AS A MASCOT tho arts of a woman against the skill of gambler now a mexican cattleman be covered money in a onvad at monte and cleaned out the dealer it was in alie state of sinaloa in mexico where I 1 was in the employ of an american dealer as a collector of bird skins said thom lougee a taxidermist ider mist to the new york sun man that I 1 saw the charms of lovely woman exerted in rivalry to a gamblers skill and they won as they always should I 1 was staying at the time in a little city called Tuxa tapan and I 1 strolled into the principal gambling place one evening to watch the players at monte there was a single large low room with a bar at one end and tables ranged about the wall for gambling the place was lighted by candles and was half filled with mexican charros with here and there an american mining man or some native visitor from the capital city in london made clothes playing was slack except at one table where a mexican cattleman from country upcountry up in full charro costume of sombrero with silver braid jacket wide pantaloons with a row of big silver disks running down the outer sides and bright ivory handled revolvers at liis belt was dropping his money at monte ane dealer sat at the center of the kidney shaped table with high heaps of silver dollars at his elbow while the players sat round the outer circumference the cattleman was sharp and watchful so that the dealer had no opportunity to do tricks but the regular odds of the game caused the stranger to lose slowly until with an exclamation he announced himself broke and rose from his seat but I 1 have three hundred dollars at the hotel he said if you care to wait I 1 will go for it and perhaps leave that with you 1 l at the senors pleasure responded the dealer showing his white teeth in an affable smile beneath his black mustache the cattleman went out and the game went languidly on until in ten minutes he returned carrying in his hand a bag of mexican dollars he was accompanied by his wife a pretty little dark eyed spanish creature in flowered silk ball dress and mantilla at sight of her the dealer instantly sprang up to offer her a seat but she coquettishly declined the attention and sauntering carelessly along jumped upon an unoccupied end of the table with one leg curled under her and tho other displaying a daintily booted foot swinging toward the floor her husband seated himself opposite the dealer and the game proceeded As tho stacks of silver dollars passed to rod fro thid time with no particular advantage in luck to either side the woman apparently becoming more and more interested leaned forward with the palm of her hand on the table eagerly watching the game her manner was frank and engaging but from where I 1 stood I 1 could see that her eyes were dividing the attention of the dealer who perceptibly was losing interest in the game and displaying less of the dexterity that in the beginning had characterized his handling of the cards at last the ranchman was winning and the canvas bag in which he had brought his three hundred dollars stake was full to overflowing and triple rows of dollar stacks lay at his right handall other play was suspended as the spectators crowded about the table to watch with breathless excitement the game which now was running as high as one hundred dollars on the turn of a card the conversation in the room was decorous and none present failed in due manifestation of respect to the presence of the pretty little dark woman perched on the table who was well known in Tuxa tapan as the wife of the gaming caballero with the ivory han aled revolvers from my position near the wall a little in the rear of the table I 1 noticed that as in her intense interest in the game she leaned toward the dealer her mantilla upon the side next him was slipping from her shoulder which she bein spanish nativity was a very charming piece of living statuary mechanically the dealer lifted from between his feet a bag from which be counted out two hundred dollars to pay the catt lemans last winning without a word the latter added this to his stake already on the table making four hundred dollars to be lost or won As the dealer shuffled the cards the mantilla fell from her head and shoulder and she gathered it about her with a half startled half coquettish look of dismay as he turned the deciding card without looking at it 1 I will again said the ranchman and he began to pile the dollars again on the cards the dealer reached down to the canvas bag and emptied it in counting out four hundred dollars then he passed the bag across the table to his opponent the game is ended I 1 the bank is broke let me congratulate the senor on his good fortune he said smiling but behind the waa the eilent nger oi a man who realized how he iad been defeated ant must hold liis bace without a word the cattleman wept the silver dollars on the table ito the lag and passed it to a wild vaquero who was standing be ind him ten dollars he passed to alic to bu expended in lie crowd the little woman lier eye lancing with triumph hopped doar from the table and then with her leaning affectionately on his arm the cat beman bowed to the dealer and the spectators said buenos noches senors and passed out ot the room into alie street followed by his cowboy attendant carrying the two canvas bags in which were over fifteen hundred dollars |