The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-05-07
Gamblers superstitions.
BETTING ONLY WHEN The oMENs ARE
eooD-BANKING ON THE ADVICE
OF A FORTUNE TELLER AND
WINNING.

Whetner ne hdu DouBht any poois Oh
the races.
Busted" 7" was the laconic query.
mo but laced one of my shoes up |
wrong this morning. It's bad sign.
Ill let 'em alone to-day
'Are you superstltious
81 frankly confess that am he re-
piled, as he lit a cigar, "and don't |
know of sporting man or gambler
that is not superstitious, and, further
more, do not believe there is human |
being living who is not. Of course,
some are more than others, but take
gamblers and horsemen as a class, and |
you will find that each one has his own
peculiar quilp. Now this morning
laced my shoe up wrong If l had
left it that way it would have been a
lucky day for me, but l did not | un-
laced it, and I'll bet two to one if
bought pool on a horse he would
break his neck before he came under
the string"
"That's quite interesting. Would
you mind giving me some of your ex
periences' What do you consider
lucky omen?"
"You want to know what / call
lucky omen, eh? That's just as the
idea strikes me. When | was in New
York last summer | used TO count white
horses. Say would be standing at
the corner of Fulton street and Broad
way. would take out my watch
when ! had one-and time myself and
count the.number of white horses that
turned from Broadway into Fulton
street in five minutes time. l some
times would go on the odd numbers,
and sometimes on the even. Like this;
If / made up my mind on even horses
and an even number went by during
the FIVE minutes, then would be lucky
and visa versa"
81 have heard of gamblers visiting
fortune tellers for tips. DO you ever
visit them 7"
"Many time, sir. Here's one in
stance: / am red-hot Republican, and
was backing Jim Blaine to sheol and
gone, when went one day to see
fortune teller. Says she: You have
been making foolish bets go and bet
the other way all that you have-all
the money you can get or borrow l
told her l was betting on Blaine, and
she said wait Then went into
another room and came out in about a
minute. Cleveland will be elected as
sure as you sit in that chair, but he will
never serve his term out. That was a
paralyzer, but took stock in it, for
che never fooled me in her life. hedg-
ed and bet on Grover, all on her ac-
count, and made $4,000 clear above my
hedge and of Kelly the bookmaker.
"Here's another instance from the
same woman had been playing in
hard luck till only had $12 left. l
went to her and told her how was
fixed, and that l wanted tip on the
races. She told me to read the names
of the horses to her. did 80, and
when got through the list she said,
'Tilford is the only one am sure OF /;
bet your money on Tilford.' l went
down to the track, and when the hor-
ses went to the post there we're only
four tickets on him. This was bo-
nanza, you know if he won. bought
one $5 ticket. The track was a regu-
lar duck pond, slosh up to the horses
knees. Tllford came in last. Oh, !
forgot he was entered for two races
that day. The next race he was in |
heard that Mike DAILY, who owned him,
wanted to scratch him, but the judges
wouldn't have it. That wasn't very en-
couraging, but ! stuck to him and
put my last fiver on him. His jockey fan
ned him every jump and brought him il
winner by two lengths. l got $500
odd dollars for my $5 ticket. So mucf
for fortune-tellers' tips. Some fortune
tellers are snide, but take one educated
or that has it naturally born in them
and they get there as a genaral rule.
"You gamble with cards do you?"
"Oh yes; I make my living as {
sporting man."
"Does your superstition affect yol
in playing cards 2"
"Yes, indeed If | am going to play
cards for money always hunt up
beggar and give him some money fol
luck. / have walked sometimes TIVE
miles to find beggar, but l don't hav,
to do it here. There is one on every
corner l know gambler in New
York who goes daily to an Italian OF
Greene street, VINO has these littl
canares who tell fortunes by pullin,
an envelope out of pack. He Away
follows the advice of the bird, and
have actually seen him shed tears owe
some of the slips he got-not from
grief, but from vexation-if it went a
gainst bis grain"
"Have you ever been at any of tn
European gambling places ?"
"Oh, yes. ! was at Monaco
allow does the thing work there?"
ooh, the same there as anywhtr
else. suppose when you were bo
at school and chose sides Tor town ba
you tossed up for innings by spittin
on stick aud calling wet or dry fo
choice, haven't your
"Yes many a time
ala, ha We'll one evening | di
the same thing at Monaco. / threy
up a stick and called dry" and dry
was went aud played roulette.
quit 10000 francs winner at midnigh
I have had gamblers tell me that the
acquired the habit of trying their luc
in different ways, but claim it's not
habit-it's nature, born in man, an
it never comes out. Why, l kno
dozens of people who laugh at supe
stition, that will have regular case q
the dumps if they see the new moo
over their right shoulders for the fir
time. They think if they see it ov'
their left shoulders and made a wis
they will get their WISH
j. III. Mercer wishes TO make 8
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