GAMIXG. 297 



engaged. In the centre of a table on one 

 side I observed a hoary-headed, venerable- 

 looking gentleman, dealing out a handful 

 of cards, and placing them in two lines 

 before him ; opposite to him sat another 

 with a long staff or rake in his hand, 

 which ever and anon, upon his senior's 

 muttering a word or two, he would extend 

 right and left to gather up the silver and 

 notes (there being but little gold, Peel's 

 Bill not having yet passed) and then dis- 

 tribute to one and the other the amount 

 they had left on the opposite two seg- 

 ments, out of the four, into which the 

 cloth on the table alternately red and 

 black was divided. 



I was soon convinced that I was 

 in one of those houses that I had 

 frequently heard and read of in books 

 both of the past and present century, 

 which have been, and are justly deno- 

 minated a pandemonium. On looking 



