On his right, in a high armchair sits a man who in the interests of the proprietor keeps his eye on the game and sees that all bets lost to the bank are paid. In the contrary case it is reckoned that the players may be trusted to see justice done.

I visited several gambling dens, and found prevailing everywhere the same quiet, bordering upon dull melancholy. The proprietors of the gambling dens, like the lessees of the drinking and dancing saloons, were pining for pay-day. I made the acquaintance of one gambler, who, as far as personal appearance and history went, comes nearer to the realization of Mr. John Oakhurst than seemed possible. Born of a well-known Massachusetts family he had been a gambler, miner, billiardmarker, and some other things not so reputable. Having won and lost several fortunes at cards, he had arrived at the conclusion that the chances are greatly in favour of the bank. He had accordingly, very early after Pap Wyman began to flourish at the corner shop, set up in business for himself, and has so greatly prospered that he is now building a new saloon, paved, as he mentioned with pardonable pride, with Minton's tiles, directly imported. A tall, handsome, dark-eyed, lighthearted man, I suspect he would not hesitate

either to shoot or cheat an acquaintance if direct advantage were to be obtained. But, if physiognomy is not wholly deceitful, he looks like a man who would stand by a friend, and be kind to women and children. In these respects, and with the advantage of gentle birth and early education, he is a fair type of the drinking, gambling, shooting, and hardworking men of Leadville.

CHAPTER VII.

THE CITY OF THE SAINTS.

THE traveller entering Salt Lake City by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway has a very charming introduction. The beauty of this wonderful line has faded amid the sandy plains that lie between the Green River and Grassy Trail. Then in the early morning the train glides into Utah Valley, with its comfortable little homesteads, tree-embowered and surrounded by grass plots, which excite the marvel and envy of dwellers in the middle. States, who all agree that it is more like Connecticut or Massachusetts than anything they are immediately acquainted with. Children throng about the train with baskets of apples, pears, and grapes, which they offer for sale on the principle of a Dutch auction, the price coming down very low indeed as the train begins to move away. We pass through this valley, with its blue lake on one side, and

on the other a range of hills deepening from grey to purple, with streaks of blood-red shrubs growing in the fissures, making the hills look as if they had been cut open and the wound left bleeding. Next comes a little pass in the hills, and the train is running along the Salt Lake Valley, to the left the lake, a streak of blue on the horizon, and to the right, shining in the early morning sun, the City of the Saints.

It is enough to make good Americans envious of a people whom they on other grounds strongly dislike to find them located in this pleasant fruitful valley. A nearer acquaintance with the city is not calculated to lessen this feeling. Land was cheap when Brigham Young, a later Moses, led the tribes out of the wilderness. With all his special gifts of prophecy, the successor of Joseph Smith could not foresee what the new city would grow to. But he wisely determined that it should have a fair start, and began by laying out the streets at a width of 128 feet. By these, ever extending till the city now covers an area of nine square miles, were built business places and residences to suit the needs of the growing population. The houses round the outskirts are very prettily builtmost frequently of one story, with verandahs and gardens. The city is laid out in squares

of ten acres, each subdivided into lots of one and a quarter acre. There are abundant trees growing boldly in the middle of the broad sidewalks, and mountain streams gaily race down by the roadway. These are not trickling streams, but veritable brooks, crossed by gangways. Throughout the Territory land sells at six and sixpence an acre. Within the city boundaries it must be pretty dear, for Zion is not only beautiful to look upon, but profitable to peddle in, and the saints are, above all things, shrewd men of business.

We had the good fortune to arrive at Salt Lake City on conference day. These conferences are held twice a year, and are attended by delegates from all the outlying tributaries of the Mormon metropolis. Here was a rare opportunity of seeing, not only the city people, but the provincials, otherwise to be obtained only by extended travel. The broad streets were full of them-men, women, and children, standing about, staring into the shop windows, or gossiping with old friends and new acquaintances. Bringing no prejudices to the consideration of this interesting settlement, I can honestly say that I never saw in a crowd of ten thousand people so many dull-looking, unintelligent men and women. The latter were atrociously dressed; but it is questionable