Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-01
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IN THE ALLEY.

Liver LIP JACK, as the presiding officer.
arose and stood on log of wood to make his
address Of welcome. He began: "Erodder
members. YOU is all aware dat Jedge Miller kavo
announced his cisiOn in de crap club case al q
It Is agin de bes' interests Of de club TO hold
frther meetin's in lie city. Dem dar lawyers
did de bes' dev could wild the case but
'cordin' to de jedge it want good case
and OATS de reason he said something bout
de grand Jury. De counsel asked de
jedge for pussonal bonds but 'twa'nt
no go, and he said dat de backin' must be a
house and lot nOthin an as we is not vet
wealthy enouf to spote dat kin OF property We
Jess thought we'd come out er town and get
over here tween de waters. whar de people
knows no law and whar every member OF dis
club kin git justice"
Oats what and we's gwine ter git it, too,
yOu bet shouted BLACK Diamond
DE law bout de high seas" continued the
President. rs purity curious and one what
Washington policemen doan know nothin'
bout. and anyhow dey amt got no right to
Interfere Wild US nOhOw, aEd / knows les as
well as we all does dat hone OF de high sea
boats am coming up dis river"
-" hats de matter wild de police boat?" asked
Denny the Kid
Look at dar now. what bizness is dat bow
got to break up de presidents speech?" asked
TIE ,,TesldIng Ofhcer.
Go along chOrused the other members.
Well. den, as was about to tell YOU Ise done
er speakln' and de bizness of dis club mus now
be tended to-"
Rainbow Jones" then read the minutes of
the last meeting and by a unanimous vote the
club decided that there would be no reciuroc-
ity treaty between the United States and them
selves and they would declare the improved
mats their property because their legal adviser.
squire Black Stone" had decided that pos
sessnun Is nine p'luts in law"
Custodian 'tJohnslng" shuck out de bones',
and de president announced dat ali pussons
via cash capital could enter de game"
The GAME BEGINS.
Come seben.' Come big lebenr' "Come
on now while de pots er fryin'r' shouted the
ones who were risking their well-earned nick
els and dimes
III go you one dat you don't big Joe dat
crap. Seben-Ieben is gwine fer to come next. -
shake up dem bones well and don't lot de
little numbers come on top all dc time
70 dc lawdI believe dat dem bones il
loaded" 40
Well, here goes all Use got and it's de lass
IN the clothes. 'Tain't nothin' but dime and
II dat goes walks home"
You bets. den, dat You il pwine fer IN walk >,
on top" ~ ~0'''e
The seven didn't come and "Ole Hogs" last
cent was gone
The game was continued until after sundovn
anu oie hog had to wait until after dark to
go nome, Tor he had staked and lost those gar
ments that we're necessary to prevent his be-
coming haote 10 arrest soon as he met a
copper.
HOW IT oRIGISArED.
The game, which is not new one nv anv
means, Is said to have originated in the cotton
FIELDS OF the sunny south. The slaves were mot
permitted to gamble or play games of apy sort
IN the field. They could not carry packs NJ
cards or q dice box without being caught. and
consequently they invented the game that could
Dc played with two dice thrown from the hand
instead of from the tell-tale box The proner
name for the game was crop" because IL w.
chiefly played during the season when the crops
were gathered and they could play withou,
fear OF detection.
While the game is one originally confined IN
tne coiored people. and to the male sex, it has
become more popular IN later days, and now
we eoiorea females indulge In the sport il
affords as well as their male friends
The game Is one of national repute among
tne colored population with sporting proclivi-
nes, and Is played IN every state In the Union
Is well as on the other side of the waters A,
railroad depots, on river docks and on steamers
one never finds i. difficult to get in a game
Ing ueeX hancs on the boats invariably carry a
SET oil bones with them, and when the boat is
running from one port to another the rafting
souhu OF the bones Is constantly heard in
among The mass OF freight The colored pas
senSers are often made victims of professional
players, and many OF them lose all their money
IN vain attempt to get even" with the game.
IN A CRAP CLUB.
Inc crap game Is very simple indeed. and
sAn be learned in two or three throws IL ia
played on any tolerably smooth surface. from a
sAloOn bar or table 10 a country roadway
Often the players go 10 a house top in order TO
get away from the police. The two dice used
are thrown from the hand, and the spots that