Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1888-08-04
BOYS GAMBLING ron psNiss.
The Fascination of Such GAYS q.
"Llner." ''Craci' and 'Crmp.N

The Fascination Of Such Cay a.
"tincr." "crack" and ''Cnp.
The luxuriancc and magnificenApf |
the gambling establishments Of Mao |
Carlo. Baden and AK have given a
idea that they are the most costly gafA
bling houses In the world. This NAV III
ono sense 10 true. but there Is building
In this city which cost more than any Of
the gaming establishments Of continental
Europe and which is daily used by gam
blers. Players are daily cheated there
by chance out Of their last penny literally
and are forced to leave the place without
enough money TO buy meal.
Where Is this great building and who
are the gamblersi you ask. Il Is tho
Federal building, the United States post
Office in this city, and the gamblers are
the newsboys all around Il. Who has
not seen them?
From early In tho morning until Il Is
too dark to distinguish heads from tails.
between the buttresses OF the postofficc.
along Mail street and all over the side
walk. can I've seen knots of these little
street gamblers anxiously trying their
fortune. They have become one Of the
institutions Of the city. It is just rs
natural that newsboy should pitch PEN
mics as that he should sell papers, and no
ono thinks Of disturbing him. He has
taken possession Of the federal building
presumably with the knowledge Of tho
officials. and he considers IL trcspass on
his rights when n pedestrian pushes his
way through and interrupts his game
He puts his entire capital into the W.
ture, and many an enthusiastic \ss1e
gambler. who never dreamed Of Zstems
and who never broke bank sas been
compelled to sleep ut night somc un-
comfortable doorway becay& he lost his
little all at pitching pennk
To beI BILE to tell TING Twho are inter-
estcd and Who do not ow all about this
game rA Nrter hy A up little chap
the other W. had ''gonc broke on
der pavcma %ho was anxious to
sell all his ( &c 81 the game for a
small consi a. There are, accord
ing To thisT ,ystory, two ways Of pitch
ag PENN The iirst game Is called
!, ler. 1t may be played by from
twoto q boys. In this game line is
closen( q the players stand n certain
distaH of and pitch their coppers rs
ncayf possible to the line. but not over
it'll five are playing they oil pitch.
ysXiposc three Of them put their coppcrs
across the line and two this side. The
pennies beyond the line are lost and must
be divided between the other two. The
one whose penny lies nearest the line
takes all Of the pennies. shakes them in
his han,i and drops them to the pave
mcnt. The heads belong to him and the
tails to his opponent.
Another and more difficult game Is
played and is called ''crack." II is played
just the same as the elmer" game, cx-
ccpt that the penny must first he thrown
against the wall and made 10 rebound to
that part of the pavement where the
chosen crack is situated. This requires
mere skill than the other game, and only
those who are expert ever attempt it.
Another favoritc game OF these little
CHAPS is called .'crap." 1t is played with
single die and is shaken in the hand.
and the opposite player calls "odd" or
'.even' for the number Of spots on the
face Of the die
As superstition " w Dc IouHu among
all classes of gamblers it IL also to be
found among the penny pitching news
boys. and it takes some queer shs.--.
Not IL lal of them who sells IA s.rs will
pitch a penny until he has made at least
one sale, and the little fellow with tho
lpx is just as determined and will MOI
try his fortune until he has had one
''shine." Again. nearly all of the boys
have their favoritc pennies. in which
they believe. and they cherish it just o.
fondly rs the late John T. Raymond did
his prctcntious 1904 dollar, and thess
pennies are often the one thing about TIM
boys that arc kept scrupulo,isly clean.
Another. and probably the most peculial
superstition. is that they believe woman
brings them bad luck. II, in playing OF
the street. n woman passes before boy
who is about to pitch. and between hin
and tho crack at which he throws, h
can. IL he Fixes. refuse to throw, and thu
game Is given up and another cracl
chosen. Why woman and not n mar
should be chosen rs the omen Of i'll lucl
does not appear, but ''Dcy allus bring IL
rocky wild 'em. New York World.