Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-23
PRETTY P0KEB-PLAYERS.
A Handsomely Furnished Club Room
Where Young Women Meet 10 Try
Their Luck at Cards.
Nickel Ante "a Usual rhing-About Fift
airls Pay Fifty Cents Week Each
as Dnes.

New Haven Comm Letter to n. Y. Josrnal.
The subject of girls playing cards for
money was mentioned by reporter the
other day while converslng with Young
lady VINO Is employed In one OF the man.
moth dry goods stores on Chapel street.
The scribe expressed the belief that the
stories about town to the effect that there
were young ladies in the city who made
practice of playing cards Tor money were
false. The young lady took exception.
$50 you don't believe that any OF the
girls play poker, chr" she remarked.
'Why, right on this very street there is
one Of the prettiest little club-rooms you
ever saw, and II is run entirely by about
forty or fifty young ladies who for the
most part earn their own livings. There
are half dozen tables In the room, and
the members are perfectly at liberty TO
play poker or any other game they like,
and II is nobody's business II they want
to make or lose little money either"
ut must be a pretty thorough arrange
ment," calculated the somewhat aston
ished reporter.
"Well, II you don't believe what l say
is so you can easily satisfy yourself
| W NAhSoNu1 hihhto ~ 10 uAAOWabAO lOl
members to bring visitors If they want,
and I'll give you chance TO see the
room"
Wednesday evening the fair saleslady
was as good as her word. Meeting the
reporter, the two repaired down Chapel
street to church. Not far down the street
the young lady entered very ordinary.
looking doorway. A journey up three
flights Of stairs and through a couple Of
Railways brought the pair TO heavily
curtained door with glass front. Here
the charming conductress gave three
sharp, peculiar knocks, and in moment
a fat, jolly-looking colored haunty"
cautiously opened the door. She smiled
as she recognized the saleslsdy, but looked
rather sharply at the reporter.
! The sight that met the reporters aston
ished gaze was startling, to say the least.
In the center Of the room were several
| quartets OF young women, all nice-looking
girls, too, who were engaged In handling
the pasteboard in a very professional fash
ion, judging from the remarks that were
heard.
The room itself was marvel in II:
way. 1t was an oblong apartment abou
twenty-five by forty, and was possessed
of only two windows, which were covered
with heavy curtains. Light was fur
nished by two chandeliers that hung a
either end of the room. The floor wa
carpete1 with a heavy body Brussels car
pet with wide border, and the wall
were handsomely covered with gilt paper
A wide dado and fringe added considera
bly, to the decidedly rakish appearance o
the room.
The furniture was of plush, and con
sisted of large number OF easy chair
and several sofas and lounges. The rounI
tables, six in number, were OF the regula
ton sort, and had chairs to match. In on
corner of the room little space was rem
dered private by curtains that hung from
the ceiling, and here the charming patrons
of the club could exchange great secret
with their particular chums. AT tn
other end of the room there was close
in which the members could hang thei
wraps.
Al one OF the tables several cookbook
ing girls were so intent upon the gam
that they took no notice OF the approach
OF the visitor and his companion.
The young lady referred to must hav'
been playing in rather hard luck tina
night, as the pile of chips in front OF hel
was mighty small compared with the tai
piles of worries in front of the other girls
The girl with the tallest pile at this table
wore the most pleasant expression OF any
one in the game, and vice versa.
"What ante do you generally pla.
withfn was asked.
"Nickel ante usually" was the reply
"although frequently some Of the girl
are so flush that they get the ante up to
dime or quarter One of the rules o
the club is that, no matter what the ant
may be, there can be no limit"
dHow is the club supported" wa
asked.
"All the girls-about iifty--pay Mt
cents week, you see. That make
enough to pay the running expenses o
the room and for the janitriX' WheneVe
the girls want a spread or any thing 0
that kind they chip In. Won't you nave
little wine or something before you go
Here, auntie, get us little clareli VII
your" 1904
closet at one side OF the room, plunged IN
and shortly reappeared with poWl .
cracked ice, a bottle DIST, Julien, a sugar
bowl and couple of dainty glasses.
"You see, we mean to enjoy ourselve
in quiet way II 1t is warm weatner,
said the young lady, pouring out the re-
beverage. "This place does not cost u
nearly so much as you might imagine
All the girls play fair enough when the
play at all, and so every body stands a
even chance. am ahead about 20 thl
month, although have lost about Slo.
ind in the long run that don'twln muc
nor lose much, but then theexcitemento
the thing is what makes the fun, yo
know" -
The reporter was ushered out INTO ln
hall. ON the way to the street ne M
half dozen well-dressed young Wone
ON their way TO the club-roomi an talkin
over their luck of the previous svehi l
and expressing their opinion Oh me Ne
manner in which to scoop Tue po' "ne
only one holds pair of deuces.
s,,at a rrfved at Nh