Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-08-12
GAMBLERS LUCK.
Superstitions of thu 0sy0tees OF
the Faro Bank.
0mens Which They Take as Being Lucky
or Unlucky-A Belief in the Eff
cacy Of Touching
Humpback.

Correspondence Of tie Philadelphia PreSs.
SANTA FE, n. NJ, August l.-"When
the keris are comm yer way, why play
'em far all they're worth. Make the
dealers eyes start out the socket, and
don't stop the lick till you've busted
the machine or luck changes" This
advice was given me the other day 10y
one of the old timers during conversa'
ton regarding faro and other games
which are played at most frontier towns
openly and publicly.
~ made a run at Garcia's one night
and scooped them to tue tune of 81 900,
and before they know'd they were hurt
and when Charley was bankin' l tapped
him for over SIS, 900 inside ofthirty min.
utes, and then turned damned fool and
blew it in at Colds. My rule, young
fellow, it is to stop when luck changes,
and it's burned good rule, but can
no more follow it than doctor can
take his own medicine. When Pm
wiunin', want TO break the bank
when | lose, l play on, hoping for a
good streak. Sometimes she comes,
sometimes she doesn't"
Gamblers Signs.
speaking about good streaks, gam
hlers are very superstitious about signs
and tokens, suppose"
"SuperstitiOus! / should say so.
They may look bold and free and easy,
but tell you, every one Of 'em has
more SUPERSTITION to the square inch
than a mule has kicking power. Look
at old Hill-quiet, clever man as ever
lived, generally speaking, but if you
want to see him riled just interfere with
one of his pet superstitions and he'll
curse blue streak. He's great believ-
er i'm spiders. Let one of them black,
ugly things be about him while's he's
dealing and he's as happy as dead ln-
jun. Why, one night II stranger drop
ped in during the game; the bank was
winning every lay out, and, spying a
spider crawIiu' on Hills shoulder, he
brushed il oil and killed it. Well, such
yelling and swearing! Hill stopped
the game, and the startled stranger left
the place in u hurry. Since this Hill
has had bad luck, and attributes 1t to
the spiders death.
al lost
A. Cool 200 One Night
by just having feller's foot on my
char during the game. When l found
out the cause | just raised my voice
with both hands and made very pref
~ speech. The Teller apologized and
slaked me with hundred and took his
foot away. / started in and soon
swamped the bank. tell you want
no mans foot on my chair while am
handling the pastebOards. Why har's
Brownie, I've seen him throw many a
IS gold piece away, just because some
one could beat his faro game. He'd
look through his money, and II he'd
find the piece the player had changed
in he'd throw it over the hOusetOps, just
because the money was bad luck for
the bank.
"Oh, | tell you these things sound
funny, but there's something in them.
Why, sir, and of our boldest dealers gets
nervous and ehaky il certain men visit
their rooms during game. Now,
there's Mac, he's good 'un and bold
still, he thinks Murphys hoo-dOo, or
bad luck for him, and sometimes he'll
stop dealing when Murphy comes in.
His partner, Eddleman, is just as super
stiiiOuS.
"There's Joe. Just let him meet a
strange lady and
The Devil Himself
couldn't persuade him that he wasn'I
going to have good luck. But let hlt
washerwOman bring home collar
ironed on the wrong side and he be
lIeves bad luck will follow him for 8
week. I've seen him stop q big game
because he happened to find tuat ht
put on a different pair OF socks from
What he intended.- II his servan
should forget to black the heel Of ont
of his boots, Joe would consider this s
sign of good luck, and would back hi
faro game to any amount.
"Ned's the coolest OF all. He believe
in a streak ofluck; and also has some
pet superstitions. He believes gooC
luck will follow him if he, by mistake
puts on bis stockings wrong side out ,sn'
10 never so happy at dealing faro q
when he finds the bow Of his neckti
has slipped under his right ear. Ii it.
gotten under his left ear he gives tn
dealers box 10 Brownie
whims OF Players.
How about the players who bucl
the game; are they cranky also?
YES. There's Cooley Bearer, for In
stance. I've known him to follow al
old woman along the streets just 10 &c
he nib OF her cigarette. This he'd keel
for several days in his vest pocket OF
the left side, and then go and buck th'
tiger. II he'd win, he'd say The cigar
cite brought good luck. If he lost
then he'd say the old woman must have
been praying when she was smoking.
"Then there was Lance; his hobby
was that if he could touch humpbacs
person upon the hump without the
larty knowing it, be would be very
fortunate and strike bonanza. Last
summer one ottbe Boston tourists had
q hump. Lance saw him and prepared
TO touch him. He folio we'd him To the
old churches, curiosity shops and Other
pub lie places, and several times was on
The eve of stealthily touching the hump,
when the gentleman would turn
around. So persistent did Lance become
that the gentleman reported him to the
police, and the annoyance ended, much
10 Lsnce's cbagrin and modification,
He often said, If could have done 1t,
then it's good. bye to banks but he
didn't doit.
"AnotheI fsvorite superstition some
players have Is to bet high on certain
cards IL certain things occur during 8
game. 1.-THE dealer drops any money
in making change, then the are and