St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-11
WOMEN POKER PLAYERS.

A ST. Louis Resort for Quiet Gam,
of Draw.
Society Ladies Wager Hundreds at
Draw Poker and Faro.
New York Journal.
sit has always been supposed that the
game of draw poker, so-called. was entirely
beyond woman'S comprehension, said
female telegraph operator to a st. Loui.
Critic reporter the other day. ''Still l ant
many other girls have mastered the game.
and paid very heavy tuition bills. A lady
operator who is employed in the Office with
me asked me if would visit friend OF
hers with her. 1 consented, and after sup
per she took me to an elegantly furnished
house Oh Washington avenue, where was
introduced to half dozen young women
who were present.
1--WE sat and talked for while, and then
one of the ladies proposed social game OF
cards. First it was euchre. and then after
a time one of the women mildly inquired il
played casino. 1 said 1 played a little,
and then we started in and played two OF
three games. Then my lady friend who
had brought me to the house retired with
another young lady to an adjoining room,
leaving me playing casino with a girl OF
about twenty or twenty-one. Becoming
tired Of the game my opponent suggested
that she would like TO play little game oi
poker / said l didn't know how, but she
naS lart tO oiva ma in
I'VE will begin at cents ante" she
said.
''She then explained the nature of an
ante" the relative value of two pairs,
three of kind, 'straights,' full hand,
flush and so on.
1t didn't NATTER she said. ANY
amount
1--WE played quite while. and I lost
$3.50, all the money had in my pocket
book. Then we sat chatting. and she said
If I'd call some evening she'd teach me the
game thoroughly. L promised to come
again. and when my friend came into tine
room where we were she asked me if ]
could loan her dollar. l told her l didn't
have it, and then we started for home.
Just as we were about to get On car my
friend turned around suddenly and said:
6 Susie, Pm busted; you'll have to pay
the fare.'
Il explained that hadn't cent and so
we had to walk uptown. On the way
home l told her how lost my money at
the cards, and she said she had dropped
twice that amount. She told me that the
house we were in ran a few little games on
the quiet. She said she had won as much
as SIS there in one night. 1 got so worked
up about the thing that / agreed to go again
with her on the following Saturday night.
l went and have gone at least once week
since then.
Sometimes I come away broke. On
several occasions have won pretty good
sums of money. Every Saturday night the
place is fairly packed with women. They
come in coaches, too, for some OF those who
go there are said to be wealthy. On week
nights there are not so many visitors as on
Saturdays and Sundays. Still, the place is
pretty well filled every night"
The reporter was invited to accompany
the young lady and see for himself, and an
appointment was made and kept for Thurs
day night. A long table occupied the
center OF the parlor, on which was set a
supper of ordinary excellence.
In the front part of the room three men
and half dozen women we're clustered
about table playing a private game of
cards with checks for 81, $3.50 and So.
Near the folding doors was roulette table.
unpatroniZed, and in the back room was
the faro bank around which seven or eight
richly dressed women were engaged in
losing money with greater or less speed and
regularity, according to the extent of their
i'll luck.
Everything about the house appeared to
ha wit fho or
sound being heard but an occasional argu-
ment between the women.
The reporter was shown upstairs. Three
rooms ON this floor were moderately fur
nished and men and women sat about
many tables playing and smoking cigar
cts. Smoking seemed favorite pastme
with majority of the females on this
floor.
''See that woman over there with the
cloth suit on" said the telegraph girl. Her
husbands clerk in one of the courts.
She's regular female sport and is all the
time betting. She'll wager from 81 to 500
on anything from dog fight to to an cleo
ton. She's a great one for attending
races, too, and can pick out a good horse
every time. Her husband knows OF her
sporting prOclivities, but he don't care where
she goes.
THAT little black-haired woman with
the ruby lips is here every night Her hus-
band is said to be very wealthy, and he
must be, too, for she drops about S25 per
week here. Girls who work hard all week
come here Saturday night and leave their
wages. One girl who has leading posi-
ton at great dry goods house used to
come up here Saturday night after she'd got
through toiling. Now she comes Sundays.
Well, she has mother and young sister to
care for, and whenever she'd go broke here
all the women'd make up purse for her,
cause she used to cry and say she'd squeal
on the establishment.
There was blonde who used to come
here with her who had an awful passion
for gambling. l saw her lose $40 here in
one night. The next day she pawned hel
watch and diamonds and thought of taking
all her husbands money and absconding
with it. She would invest her last dime in
gambling. 1t is three weeks now since she's
been here. L don't know what has become
of her. Probably she has absconded."
"Now, if you'll come upon the next f1ool
I'll show you what sends a woman home
with fire in her eyes and Satan astraddle OF
her tongue
The rooms above were fitted up luxuri-
ously, and evidently by female uphol-
sterer with good eye for color and effect
in the drapery and pictures. The apart
ments, in fact, were the most handsomely
furnished in the establishment.
In the corner of the room stood marble
top table with many bottles and glasses
upon it. Here the women treated them
selves to sherry. the reporter was informed,
The front hall bedroom was resting place
for ladies who had lost money down stairs.
No one could enter this room save by key
obtainable down stairs.
There was nothing vulgar about any OF
women found upstairs. good breeding being
visible on all sides. The language used
was the most refined, and when not refer
ring to the games of chance was on topics
of the highest character.
A Philadelphia Combination.
Philadelphia Press.