, 1884-05-03
PRESTO CHANGE.
A LIttIP Game in which Luek Runs
all one way.

On the frontier 1t will always DC
found the case that when town Is
crawling out Of chrysalis state ana
putting on the snowy garments OF
growth and boom among the hetero-
geneous mass attracted by the eX-
citement occasiOned through bdsi-
ness prosperity is a class Of men who
live by the manipulation of cards.
In other words gamblers. The num-
Der of these gentry in place as a
rule is an indication of the cOndi-
ton Of the town. If n community Is
struck with stagnation and a power
ty of coin that is the place the sport
ing man, who follows the art for
living, shuns. On the other hand II
activity and progress is the order OF
the day that is the citv he is look
ing for. Spokane Falls has larger
representation Of gamesters at the
present time than any city on the
coast. While gambling is vice and
by the majority of people set down
as crime, yet there are few men who
are free from the weakness Of gam
ing in one way or another. The
most sdevout christian, in his own
estimation, will buy stocks on a.mar-
gin, or dip into grain pools, or invest
in certain town lots merely to stand
the chances of doubling his capital
and yet many of these same parties
would not bet on card unless thep
thought they had the dead mortal
advantage. In rejecting thus we
do not wish to be understood as pal
liating gambling, as few professional
followers Of blind fortune on the
green are so extremely conscientious
us not to take advantage Of every
opportunity to cinch an opponent
However the sports, as IL rule, who
have made their headquarters in the
Falls for the past year, have been
quiet, orderly men, many of whom
in a legitimate business transaction
will be found far more honorable
than many of those who look down
upon them. Gaming has been re-
markably brisk here for the past six
months, but until few days ago
was confined to the followers Of the
paste boards and no green, unsophis-
ticated strangers, entertaining ideas
that they had long before undergone
the operation of shedding their
cye-teeth, have been taken in.
Things can't run smooth forever in
gaming circles, as some one is bound
to exhibit its worse features sooner
or later, and two or-three fly indi-
vIduals, who know thing or two,
opened out Ia bunkO, ,Or lottery shop on
Mill street, between Riverside ave-
nue. and Sprague streets n few days
since. The building is new one,
small Of proportions, and by no
means attractive, and the first inti-
nation of its existence was the kick
ing Of parties who had "blown in"
their capital in a wild desire to pun
ish the "bank," a maniacal under
taking, in which the investor had
about as much show as q feline in Il
tOrrid place often mentioned without
claws. There was very tempting
display Of coin, watches, etc. The
victim was invited to draw an eR-
yelOpe at so much per drag. The
fool with money thinks he sees a
scheme to double his funds, and
tempted by the alluring bait he tries
his luck. There is no luck in it, as
no one was ever known to take out
as much as was put in. But the un-
wise venturer keeps on trying until
he hits the bottom Of his purse, then
he awakes to realize the extent of
his folly, and makes matters worse
by kicking. If a man keeps away
from the gaming table he never
plays. If he goes to them he goes
to beat somebody. Hence the silli-
ness Of parading his losses.
Wednesday a stranger, old enough
to know how to take care Of himself,
wandered about town gazing on the
sights to be seen. During his peram-
bulations his unlucky star guided
him into the new den. The suasive
individual behind the desk invited
the party with greenness clinging
about him to Jake IL chance. He
hesitated, ran his eye over the
wealth exhibited and dug. He
claims that he put $3.50 in the hands
Of the proprietor with no intention
of spending that amount, but the
proprietor took him for an easy
sucker, sunk the money, drew
ticket FOR his victim, and wonderful
to relate the ticket was a blank. And
great was the howl when the fact
dawned upon the stranger that he
was out. To silence the riot the
shOpkeeper refunded $l25. The
stranger hunted up Mayor Glover
and lodged information on the
house. The Mayor and Marshal
Hyde interviewed the owners Of the
den, and a pretty pointed Interview
IL was. The result Of that cOnfab
and the unmistakable advice OF a
well-knOwn attorney induced the
robbers to close down, and not only
that but to return the balance Of
their ill-gotten money to the stran-
ger who was taken in. We might
parenthetically add that the stran-
ger with the tough experience. had
the very bad taste to move out with
out even thanking his benefactors.
The managers of the skin game may
also thank fortune that they escaped
- easily, as the report of their OPERA
tiOns stirred up some very ugly talk
from men who are nOtfn the habit
of parptffffnor tnyinflTfn fok a. tho ftloaa