The morning news., 1889-05-31
FAIR POKER PLAYERS.
THE American Came Popular Among
society Won en-.
From he PEltjmore Herald

G J
Ior, estopished at the number of ladies.
variable society queens OF European capi-
+ols whom he sawthere around the tables
IN tbe casinos. rishpg their louis upon the
re5 or calmly waitirG the turn of the wheel
urirb all the nonchalance of the experienced
and hardened gambhc.
Guch thiags were never dreamed or III
Nankeedom. Ladies in his country played
casino eucher, or some OF the blues,
,,-igbt even indulge IN whist, and stretching
6oint to make it more Interest," g, make
mall bet on therubber. But who had
ever heard of a society belle playing poker9
\ NIwadays, however woman have come to
.bn conclusion that what is sauce for the
gander is sauce for the goose, in card-play-
nc as well as in other things and men can
No longer claim a monopoly in the fascina-
tiors of the great American game.
II NAV De a snock TO some people to learn
y INIT if is nevertheless; true that the par
lars of the fashionable residences in the
neirbborhood of Mount Vernon place and
o+her districts inhs sbited by the hdut ton,
are often the scene Of poker games in which
+he chief participants are ladies of the most
exclusive sets. After the dinner or tea for
wnica the ladies have ostsnsibly gathered
in handsome evening dresses they draw
around the table and are soon deeply i'm
nersed in the mysteries of 'bluffing" and
I'anteing," and when you ''sit into" one Of
these games you must have your purse well
lined. 'Peany antsn and 40 cent limit"
are not at all the order OF t day. slack
pots' of $50, SIS, 500 and even more are
bv no means rare occurrences. Husbands
and brothers have Heen brought into re-
ouisition, sometimes lrnwittingly, aud the
fair gamblers are wei up in all the techni-
cal terms and rules of the game. Tne
lates, thing in poker is known and has be-
ba n ba
dealer has the option OF making it a jack
not whenever she pleases. The consequence
is that the game is more exciting, higher
hets are made and the pots often reach
considerable amounts.
There are differences in women who
"buck the tiger" as well as men who in
dulge in the same pastime. There is the
laxative woman who spoiIs a good game
as soon as she enters it. She takes no
heed of its progress; doesn't know the diff
ference between a "bob-tailel flushn and
the dead mans hand" has to be contin-
Mallv reminded that it is her turn to ''ante; -
masses when she wants to "come in. and
then insists it isn't fair, she had splendid
hand, which afterward turns out to
be a pair of .deuces, and she thinks they
might give her another chance this time,
anyway. She chatters constantly and al
together acts in manner calculated to
make a serious aud enthusiastic poker
"fend" lose all her religion. This kind of a
player never stays in & game long; she loses
dollar or so, filds she has forgotten her
pocketbook, and drops out, thoroughly
satisfied with her dissipation.
Then, too, there is the demure little crea-
ture with steady eye, calm nerves and i'm
movable face. She declares she doesn't
know one card from another; has seen the
game played once or twice, but is alto
gether in the dark about it; still if it is any
accommodation she will take couple of
hands just to see how it goes, anyway.
She sits down quietly, says never a word
more than is necessary, watches the play
ers closely, bets judiciously and usually
comes out at the end of the game with
most of the chips in her possession and the
reputation among the men of being a
"deyviish sly" one. .-.....-
Woman, lovely woman" has never had
too nice sense of honesty, especially when
it came to getting ahead of her fellow
beings Eve, when she cheated Adam out Of
Paradise; 4C-ye4r-Old Helen, when she per-
suade1 the Greeks and Trojans that she was
beautiful enough for them to fight ten
years. Cleopatra, who cozened even the
astute CaeSar-all are witnesses of this fact
When it comes to money-getting she is es-
y pecially willy, and at poker playing her
code OF morals Is not usually changed for
the better, and some OF theLn could give
points to the ''heathen chineen on ''ways
she can surreptitiously ''fiil bob-tail from
Il the discard or snake third ace from
the bottom OF the pack her, conscience is by
no means SO tender as not to permit her to
q DO it. When a man does such things and
81 Is found out he usually has fight on his
81 hands or takes a dose of cold lead to quicken
his senses of honor. Not SO the woman.
Il The gambler in brocaded silk and real old
81 lace openly, or with little attempt at con-
81 ceahnent, practices legerdemain amOag the
cards with her bejewelad fingers, wins the
s pot, and her poor victims gaze sadly after
the remnants of their pin-money as she
81 quietly drops it into her well-filled purse
81 snd-say nothing to her. Among them
# selves tney talk, of course call her cheat,
N and VOW it's just too mean for anything
and they won't play with her any more,
81 but her position in society is too high for
81 them TO offend her by ''kicking" openly,
III and when she wants to play again-why
she plays and cheats just the same. OF
81 course, us perfectly awful" but then she
II Is Mrs; Blueblood, the queen Of society, and
she, like the King Of England, can do no
wrong.
There are other types. too. There is the
unlucky woman who whines, grows lugu-
brlously at the first los, hysterical at the sec
SIld 9ld and positively snivels at the third.
tnere IS The one who gets angry. l have
heard Of one who threw water all over the
dress shirt front of her husband because he
won fat Jackpot from her.
When men sit down for an all night game
hquor IS requisite part of the appointments
of the room. They need something to tone
up JLer nerves after few heavy losses
women are no stronger, no less in need Of
stlihulants than their spouses, and when
FEMININE poker club meets the hostess al
ways sees that the wine-cooler is well
stocked. During the progress of the game
1ne VISITS to the buffet become more fire.
Quehe as the evening advances and the
game grows brisker. Face, which at 10
neFe radiant and sweet, at are flushed as
baccnantes. The fair player becomes
- eGHiess, makes wild bets, drops" her last
u7'laF and Is supported to her carriage by
ae Erlnnlng but discreet butler. Some
INES IN her intoxicatlon and fren-
'eu ny her losses she borrows from
Sle INSCRIPTIONS tempter at her
e.DoW; borroMs uHtil sne cannot posi-
" nope TO liquldate her debt without
T1ouslDg the suspicious of her husband.
lueh come days, weeks of remorse and de-
Spoldency and attempts to regain her
-aoeS which only sink her deeper in the
4uusmlre, Her subtle tenpter whispers
.NaAs by which she may cancel her debts.
Lu' perhaps, at last she yields, and her
sDLor and peace of mind are gone forever.
80 are some Of the dangers arising in the
slSu s6u OF the society gambler. Worse may