The Southern herald., 1886-02-27
LUCK AT GAMBLING.
Superstitions of Professional Paste
board Manipulators.
Wearing Old Clothes and Old Hats 70
Make Them Win-A Gamblers Warn
ing to Those who Expect to Win
Success at the Gaming Table.
Boston Globe.l

in West End sample-room.
"Yes," he continued, with reflective
nod, ait is safe to say that out of hum
dred men that play cards for money
ninety mine Of 'em has some little super
stition or other. In course, il you tax 'em
with it they'll deny it; but they have 1t
just the same. The fact is, there ia more
or less superstition in all of US, whatever
you may say. A manu tell yer he hain't
got any superstition in him; but If it comes
to marryin' or doin' anything important
Friday, yer can stake yer pile he wouldn't
be there. AM its funny how luck works.
Lots of men are ruined by not realizin' how
long streak of bad luck may last /
don't see nothin' ter prevent its lastin' fur
ever-do you?-except that, accordin' to
the doctrine Of chances, luck will in time
equalize itself.
"Well, that may be so, but the trouble is,
a great many men do not live long enough
or have the opportunity to give 1t a
chance. It's like man losing the only
one hundred dollars he has In the world
playin' bank. Maybe, il he had another
hundred, an played it, he'd come out a
winner-but, to my mind, he'd be quito as
apt to loss it as he was the fust hundred
in spite er the doctrine Of chances. Yes,
sir, it's funny ter see how luck works.
Only the other night dropped in ter see q
sizable game Of poker that was goin' on
not fur from here; an one or the players
friend of mine-that was settin' in bad
luck, sez to me: Bill, hain't won pot
for more'n an hour; wish you'd wait till
take one. Set down an concentrate yer
mind on me-
~ sez 'all right an set down an lighted
cigar. Well, of all the luck ever see
his was the wust. Most of his hands was
kelters, an what is still wus, when he had
a good hand somebody laid over him. That
is the wust kind of luck o man can have,
for, of course, If he hain't got nothin' at
all, he can keep passin' out, an lose
nothin' much but antes. Well, set there
for more'n two hours, an in all that
time he didn't win pot! There was
beads of sweat on his forehead. They'd
put it to him stout, tell you-an' turnin'
to another fellow at the table he says:
's'posin' we change seats.' The other fell
low was agreeable, bein' q winner, an,
will you believe it, he hadn't more'n taken
my friends seat when they commenced
comm to him.
81 never see anything like it. He must
have made two hundred dollars inside ol
twenty minutesl AM as fur my friend, h'
KEEP right on losn'. Finally he took lit
tie pot-a dollar bet and called, or some.
thing of that kind-an' left. 1t does beat
the Dutch how luck'll follow man."
"But you were speaking of gamblers
superititionsw
"Yes, some of 'em is very funny. They
used to say in war times that currency
tucked in mans ear would bring him
luck. I've seen many a man sittin' at {
poker table with little wad of currency
sticking out of his ear. How it worked
don't know, but the effect of it was com
ical. Another way to woo fortune, al
they say, is to put a chair back to the ia
BILE an straddle 1.-THE chair, l mean
That's the only straddle, by the way, he't
better make, Tess he's holdin' 'em yer,
stout. AhemW
1t was evident that the latter remarl
was intended in the light of witticism
so the writer smiled amiably.
"Yes," continued the sporting man, wip
ing his heavy black mustache with rec
handkerchief, "an' I've often known mel
to wear their stockings inside out, in hope
of bringin' luck. Others think that turnin
three times round a chair'l do 1t. An Pv
known no end of them that thinks there'
luck in some one thing they wear-a hat
or a coat, or pair of shoes. I've seen
man, very fond of dressin', set down to
table with as old an ragged pair o
pants on as ever you see, just for that rea
son. There's q faro-bank dealer in tow
that won't deal less he has on an oil
brown straw hat. A big game was goir
on the other night, when he discovered b
didn't nave ON his hat. He stopped th
game right there and would not deal an
other card till he got his hat.
"Sometimes player takes a notion tina
q certain party brings him bad luck.
see that shown not long ago in far
bank. A man that was plaYin' an ha
lost several bets looked up suddinly al
see man that he thought bringed hi
bad luck lookin' on. What did he do b'
cash chip an get the man to walk
couple Of blocks for some cigars"
| "And what are your impressions col
cerning gambling with cards~
"Well, he replied, tucking his cigar int
the corner of his mouth and drawing
long breath, 'I've done a heap of 1t my
self; but IL had my life to live over agai
/ don't b'leve l should touch 'em. Th
fact is, there amt no money in 'em Il
an honest man, to say nothin' bout Il
wear an tear of the excitement, setti
up nights, and SO forth. Now, jest look |
It. A gentleman sets into little game
draw and makes, wen say, fifty dollar
. He feels good, an is very liable
throw away at lest five dollars OF his vii
nin's, leaving him forty-flve dollars vii
! ner. Now, s'posin' the luck runs u
:. other way an he loses fifty dollars. We
; he feels kinder bad, an wanting to ha'
some fun for his money is pooty sure
: waste five dollars more, maxim him lift
Q five dollars out, or playin' with the cd
Q eleven ter nine against his comin' Q
= ahead. That's big percentage, to 81
nothin' bout the kitty an the kit
alone in the long run--that is, 'cordin'
the doctrine of chances. Why, it Isl
uncommon for party Of five or six pol
a players to run kitty up to fifty dolls