"Did you ever see geraniums and heliotropes growing in such luxuriance?" asked one of the ladies.
"Only in my own state," replied a Californian. "There the plants grow to immense size and bloom in profusion."
"Do not forget charming Funchal," said another. "Remember that there we saw geraniums and fuschias of wonderful size, and vines of pink bouguainvillia that covered the mountain-side cottages."
At Monte Carlo, as we drove through the park that surrounds the white marble gambling palace, we admired the magnificent parterres of flowers, the beds of pansies being especially beautiful in variety of color and size of the flowers. On the piazza of the Café de Paris, where a band was playing, we had afternoon tea and from there watched the throng of visitors who were moving along the palm-lined paths or were ascending or descending the marble steps of the Casino.
"Is there a charge for admittance?" we inquired of the guard at the entrance of the white palace.
"No," he replied. "Present your visiting card at the desk of the Secretary in the corridor. He will approve. Then, after you have registered your name, a card of admission will be given you."
In the decorated rooms where the games of chance were in operation, many handsomely gowned women and well-dressed men were moving from place to place conversing in quiet tones, but crowds were centered around the roulette tables, where the chairs were all occupied and many people were standing. We joined the throng around one of these and saw that the table was divided into numbered spaces, some colored red and some black. In the centre of the table was a little wheel with spaces to correspond in number and color to those on the table. The stakes were silver five franc pieces, one or more. No other coins nor bills were permitted on the table.
"I will try it," said one of our party after watching the game awhile. "I will place a five franc on number seven black."
The table was dotted with silver coins. The croupier touched a spring that sent a small ball spinning around the wheel. The ball stopped in space three red.
"Three red wins," announced the croupier.