American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-01-10
THE GAME OF THIMBLES;
OR, BEST TWO IN THREE.

OR, BEST TWO IN THREE.
Who has not heard of the game of Thin
bles? For the edification of those who have
been SO fortunate as never to have seen it, we
will succinctly describe it.
The sporting gentleman produces three COM
mon sewing thimbles and small ball, and
placing them upon his knee or some smooth
surface, commences operations by rolling the
little ball by his third finger under each of the
thimbles, which are in a row, lifting first one
and then another, as the ballapproaches it, with
his thumb and fore finger, and passing it along
from one to the other. When all ia ripe, lie
suffers the ball to stop, half disclosing, half
concealing its resting place. Hands are then
lifted and the easy dupes make their bets as
to the identical thimble under which the ball
may DO found. The strength of the game lies
in the legerdemain by which the gamester re-
moves the ball and places it under any thimble
he may choose, after the bet is made.
Thousands Of dollars have been lost at this
game. About three years ago we took trip
upon one of the fine Western steamboats, up
Red River to the foot of the Raft AS usual,
there was large number of passengers on
board, among them the celebrated DR.. B,
the inventor Of the game of "thimbles !" The
DR.. frequently amused the passengers with
several games, particularly one called "Calcu-
lation," which seemed to be his favorite, and
brought him quite revenue during the trip.
The Doctor himself was quite subject of Gu
riosity and study to us, having heard SO much
of his unrivalled shrewdness as a sportsman
and the vast amount accumulated by him by
the little game of Thimbles. Indeed, it
was said that he was the moving cause of seve-
raj penal statutes in regard to gaming, having
been enacted by this State and Georgia
One eveninr flor Sunrar II u,as inciotad h.,
some Of the passengers that the Doctor should
exhibit the game of Thmbles, which with his
usual modesty he declined to do, protesting
among other things that he had no thimbles.-
This difficulty was easily remeded, mesSen-
ger being despatched to the ladies' cabin, soon
returned with the requisite number. The Doc
tor made him little ball of paper and COM
menced the performance. At first he was quite
unlucky-but he paid up punctually, and con-
soled himself with favorite expression of his,
that "sometimes | am very severe, then again
not quite sossly."
Among the lockers on was a young gentle
man from good old Connecticut, on his first
visit "South" He was on his way to the head of
navigation with pretty little stock of groce-
sles, by way of trying his fortune in the Great
West He soon manifested considerable inte-
rest in the game, declaring he knew the thin
BILE under which the ball might be found
The Doctor gave him knowing wink and de-
sired him in whisper not to tell. But so Of
ten did our friend "guess" right, that at last
he laid aside all scrupes of conscience, and de-
sired to be permitted to bet few dollars. To
this proposition the Doctor at first objected
declaring che did not like the young mans
eye, it was too KEEN" that he saw the ball
SIC. This seemed to please Connecticut very
much and made him more anxious to bet.
After much parley and good deal of reuc.
lance on the part of the Doctor, it was at last
agreed that "Connecticut'' might bet telv dol
lars, "iuSt .fe,c," if he would allow the Doc
tor little chance against ttco such piercing eye
as he had, by betting two to one. This being
at length settled, our young friend put up hi:
twenty dollars against the Doctors ten.-
Hands off and all being ready, he lifted the
thimble and sure enough there was the ball.
The Doctor gave up the money and all enjoy
ed a hearty laugh at his expense. This wa:
the largest bet which had been made that even
ing. The Doctor observed, Sometimes he
was not quite so sly"
The ball and thimbes were again put il
motion-again all being ready our lucky
friend proposed TO bet-but the Doctor declar
ed he must have some chance against suCl
great odds as "Yankee eyes," and insisted OF
bhiSO " OiSj VI tiiitJ doiiulo w tOh OOiiie
made. This was also accepted again thu
thimble was raised, and sure enough there wa
the ball. Our friend again pocketed anothe
X, and again the ''social halln rang with laugh
ter at the Doctors expense.
, The thimbles were again arranged. Thi
time we observed the game closely, as w
thought from his repeated losses the Doctor wa
hardly entitled to that great reputation for Gun
ming and sagacity which had ever been attri
buted to him. Now, in the moving of the lit
tie paper ball, we thought we discovered tn
source of the Doctors misfortunes, for becom
: ing little unroled,a portion Of paper of whcl
it was made, stuck out from under one of tn
thimbles. THIS our Connecticut friend plainl
saw, and we presumed the Doctor, through oil
age, (now about 10Y had his sight so impare
as not to be able to see it, and could not, there
fore, play his game with his accustomed adroit
ness. But the tale was soon told. Our cyan
kee friend" proposed to double the bet "havn
the thing so dead" The DR.. impatient ofrepeat
ed losses, told him to make it hundreds nstea
of tens. This was done, and our friend be
three hundred dollars against one hundred dol
lars Gust here we thought it shame to TAX
advantage even Of professional gamester
blindness, for the location of the ball was s
The money up, Connecticut" was all in
patient to realize his expectations, and in rrea
eagerness he again raises the thimhlc-aud sur
enough it was rot there! lie had reach.a a.
climax Of the Doctors expectations .a segar
to bis ready cash and willingness 10 bet. an
lie could not win, We have seen many pic