Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1886-07-23
EVIL oMENs.
Why n Professional Gambler Looks With
Disfavor Upon Cross-Eyed Maids.

Why "A Professional Gambler Looks with
Disfavor Upon Cross-Eyed Maids.
II never knew gambler, an actor
or hack-driver who was not supersti-
tious, and have known a great many
men of those professions" said one of
Inspector Byrnes' detectives the other
evening. IA gambler won't play for
week if he meets a cross-eyed woman
Monday morning. He couldn't win if
he did. Sailors are superstitious, too,
but have never been thrown much
among them. so / don't know the bent
of their fears. But cabmen-the all
night hack-drivers-ar the most super
stitious people in the world. Have you
never noticed the gang of night-hawks
who sit in their cab doors till morning
in Chatham square, and along the
Bowery near the ball roomsp They all
believe in signs. 1 know two cabmen
who work the Germania Assembly
Rooms balls and the hops at Everett
Hall, in Fourth street, who follow GER
tain rules of obtaining good luck as re-
ligiously as monks observe their pray
ers. And they go through certain
forms, too, for preventing bad luck,
when indicated by omens, with just as
much method and sincerity.
1.-TWO Philadelphia faro players came
to New York last New Years. They
went to clearinghouse on Lexington
avenue, near Twenty-fourth street, Sc
cured rooms, had their luggage moved
to the house and paid their bill a week
in advance, as required by the landlady.
That night they went down to dinner.
The head waiter, an Irish girl named
Maggie, was cross-eyed. She was a
| lively girl, and otherwise not bad-look-
| ing. The two gamblers were handsome
men, and Maggie smiled on them. The
more she smiled the more nervous they
got, and at last they left the table.
After whispering together in the hall a
few minutes, they went to the landlady,
wanted rebate on the money ad-
vanced for their board. They moved
out that evening. Those men intended
to buck the tiger in place on Sixth
avenue, near Twenty-seventh street,
that night, but they didn't play for a
week after that.
"You can't talk night hack-driver
out of his queer ideas. You can reason
with a gambler, and he'll tell you he
don't believe these superstitions, yet he
wouldn't dare play if the signs were
bad. He would make some other ex-
cuse. Early yesterday morning saw
two thin horses hobbling through
Blocker street, drawing a hack. twas
Sandy Eagan's rig, from the Germania
Rooms. Just before the horses got to
Mulberry street white cat ran across
the road and disappeared down a cellar
stairs. Sandy saw the cat, jerked the
half-starved horses nearly off their feet
and came to standstill. Then with ar
old whip he dashed them as he turned
around and drove down Mott street at 8
gallOp. He went through Houston street
to Crosby, back up to Blocker, and Their
on his way again. As he crossed Broad
way Sandy looked back over hi.
shoulder like veritable Tam O'Shan
ter looking for witches. ANY
kind of a cat running in front o
cab is bad sign, but white ca
means utter decentralization. Some
night-hawks, after seeing cat rur
across their way, Immediately begin t.
drink, that they may forget the appari
ton. They don't always wait for tn,
cat before beginning to drink, however
When hack-driver has the deliriun
tremens, he doesn't see snakes like tn
ordinary man, but he sees hundreds o
white cats, always on a run, crossin;
and recrossing always before his vision
An all-night cabman never puts his lief
foot on the wheel first on mounting thu
box. He thinks it's bad luck. Nothin,
can induce him to open the door of hi
carriage with his left hand. If sho,
gets loose on his horses foot, that's
bad omen. If a passengers drunken
man who has lost his hat, that's goo,
sign; that means big rain-storm, an,
consequently a good business. If
cabman carries three men at one tim
early in the evening, that means goo
luck, providing he does not eat durin
| the remainder of the night. To ed
would spoil the luck but he may drin
as much as he chooses. N. Y. str.