Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-11
WOMEN WHO PLAY POKER.
A 81 Louis Gambling House which h FIRE.
quented by Both Sexes.
st. Louis Critic.

quented by Both Sexes.
st. Louis Critic.
at has always been supposed that the
game Of draw-poker, so.called, was en-
tirely beyond woman's comprehension,
said female Telegraph operator TO a
Critic reporter the other day. "Stlll,
and many other girls have mastered the
game, and paid very heavy tuition bills"
The reporter was invited to accom-
pany the young lady and see for himself,
and an appointment was made aud kept
for Thursday night. A long table occu-
pied the center of the parlor, with sup
pei or ordinary excellence.
In the front part Of the room
three men and half dozen
women were clustered about a
table playing private game of cards with
checks for 81, 81 90 and 50. Near the
folding doors was roulette table, un-
patronized, 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
aud regularity, according to the extent Of
their i'll luck,
Everything about tue house appeared to
be conducted with the utmost quietude,
DNN~FhNeNN-f
argument between the women.
The reporter was shown upstairs
Three rooms on this floor were moderately
furnished, and men and women sat about
many tables playing and smoking
cigarettes Smoking seemed favorlte
pastime with a majority of the females on
this floor.
"See that woman over there with the
cloth suit on?" said the telegraph
girl. "IIer husbands u clerk in one of
the courts. She's a regular female sport,
and IL all the time betting She'd wager
from 81 to 500 on anything from dog
| fight to an election. She's O great one
for attending races, too, and can pick out
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. Hel
| husband Is said to be very wealthy, 0nc
he must be, too, for she drops about $2t
per week here. Girls who work hard all
the week come here on Saturday nigh
and leave their wages. One girl who has
Il leading position at great dry good:
house used to come up here on Saturday
night after she'd got through toillng
Now she comes on Sundays. Well, she
has mother and Young sister TO care for
and whenever she'd 90 broke here all The
women'd make up purse for her, 'caus'
she used to cry and say she'd squeal OF
the establishment
"There was a blonde who used to CONT
here with her who had an awful passion
for gambling. | saw her lose $40 here II
one night. The next day she pawned he
watch and diamonds, and thought OF TAX
ing her husbands money and absconding
She would invest her last dime in gam
bling. 1t is three weeks now since she's
been here. don't know what has become
of her, Probably she has absconded.
"Now, If you'll come up on The nexi
floor I'll show you what sends woman
home with fire in her eyes and Satar
straddle of her tongue"
The rooms above were fitted up luxur
iously, and evidently by u female uphol
sterer with good eye for color and effect
in the drapery and pictures, The apart
ments, in fact, were most handsomely
furnished.
In corner Of the room stood u marble
top table, with many bottles and glasses
upon it, Here the women treated them
selves to sherry, the reporter was in.
formed. The front hall bedroom was o
resting place for ladies who lost money
down stairs. No one could enter thii
room save by key obtained downstairs
There was nothing vulgar about any
of the women found upstairs, gooC
breeding being visible on all sides. TIL,
language used was the most refined, ant
when not referring to the game Of chance
was on topics of the highest character.