The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-12-30
SuPERSTITIONS OF GAMBLERS.


Racing Men who VIII Not Bet at Ger
tain Times-Lucky and Unlucky
Days.
Sporting men are noted as being the
most superstitious persons. Those who
bet on horses are all more or less in
fuenced by certain events which they
look upon as omens of good or i'll luck.
All these signs they eagerly look for,
and are influenced by them on the way
they place their money on the steeds
whose chances they favor.
mo, I'm not betting to-day" was
the reply of one of the turfmen, in an
swer to an inquiry from another of his
ilk whether he had bought any pools
on the races.
"Busted?" was another laconic in
quiry. =
mo, but 1 laced one of my shoes
| up wrong this morning. It's a bad
sign I'll let them alone to-day
| care you supersttious?'
| Il frankly confess that / am" he re-
piled, as he lit cigar, land don't
know of a sporting man or gambler
that is not supersttious. and furthermore
| do not believe there is a human being
who is not OF course, some are more
SO than others; but take gamblers and
horsemen as a class and you will find
that each one has his peculiar quilp-
Now, this morning l laced my shoe
up wrong. If l had left it that way it
would have been a lucky day for me,
but 1 did not. 1 unlaced it, and I'll bet
two to one if l bought a 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-
periencc? What do you consider
lucky omen?'
You want to know what consider
a lucky omen Ell? That's just as the
| idea strikes me- used TO count white
horses. Supposing that l was standing
at the corner of Broadway and Wall
street. I'd take out my watch, when |
had one, and time myself, and count the
number of white horses that turned in
to Wall street from Broadway in five
minutes. l would sometimes go on the
odd numbers and sometimes on the
even, Like this: If | made up my
mind on even horses and an even num-
Der went by during the five minutes,
then I would be lucky, and vice versa"
"I've heard of gamblers visiting for
tune ellers for tips. Did you ever Wis
it them?"
MANY time sir. Here's an in
stance. I'm red-hot republican, and
at the time of the presidential cam
paign was backing Blaine for all l was
worth, when [ went one day to see
fortune teller. Says she: You have
been making foolish bets; 60 and bet
the other way all that you have-all
the money that you can beg or borrow.
I told her was betting on Blaine and
she said Wait Then she went into
another room and came out in about
minute. Cleveland will be elected as
sure as you sit there in that chair. but
he will never serve his term out. That
was paralizer, but took stock in it.
for she never fooled me in her life. [
hedged and bet on Grover on her &C
count, and made $4,000 clear above my
hedges, and off Kelly, the bookmaker.
Here's another instance from the same
woman. had been playing in hard
luck, till had only S12 left. [ went
to her and told her how l was fixed,
and that 1 wanted tip on the races
She told me to read the names of the
horses. / did so, and when l got
through the list she said: 'Tilford is the
one I am sure of; bet on Tiford.' L
went down to the track. and when the
horses went to the post there were only
four tickets sold on Tilford. This was
a bonanza, you know. if he won.
bought one SIS ticket The track was
regular duck.pond; slush up to the
horses knees. Tilford came in last.
Oh, forgot he was entered IN two
races that day. The next race he was
in heard that Mike Daily, his owner.
; wanted to scratch him. but the judges
would not have it. This wasn't very
encouraging, but stuck to him and
put my last flyer on him. His jockey
famed him with every jump, and
brought him in winner by two
lengths. l got five hundred and odd
dollars for my ticket. So much for for
are snide, but take those that are edu-
and they get there, as general rule.
you gamble on cards, do your"
20, yes, l make my living as sport
ing mane"
"Does your superstition affect you in
playing cards?"
Eyes, indeed. If am going to play
cards for money 1 always hunt up
beggar and give him some money for
luck. I have walked sometimes two
miles to find beggar. know gam
bier who goes daily to an Italian on
Green street, who has three little cana
res that tell fortunes by pulling an
envelope out of a pack. He always
follows the advice of the bird, and
have actually seen him she'd tears over
some of the slips he got, not from
: grief, but from vexation, if it went
against his grain"
Il have had gamblers tell me that
they had acquired the habit of trying
their luck in different ways, but claim
it's not habit; it's nature, born in
man, and it never GENES out. Why, L
know dozens of people who laugh at
t superstition that will have a regular
5 case of the dumps if they see the new
moon over their right shoulder for the
t first time. They think if they see it
, over the left shoulder and make a wish
they will get their wish. "-New York
Mail and Express.
,, An Able Financier.