The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-12
tually, other dodgers fall promptly in ar

Women gamblers usually associate with
masculine companions. A ~favorite mode
of procedure for a gambler is to select "
pretty young women and establish them IN
a flat, where he will invite casual acquaint-
ances to pay a social call. The women,
the gambler and his companions with
polite reserve. During the evening
one of the women will propose a game of
poker. The men acquiesce and the
game begins. The women carefully watch
the eye of their leader and play under his
he himself is a loser. They win and the
outsiders lose to the amount of $50 or $3.50
in, perhaps, half an hour. 10 watch one of
those dainty decoys. with her hands
clasped, the tips of her fingers resting
against the dimp!e in her chin. one would
suppose her a marvel of guilelessness. She
is not to be trusted. She poses for effect,
but not in the artistic sense. With her fin
ger tips thus. she indicates to her compan-
ion that she holds a pair of aces and awaits
instruction. Not one of her countless little
tricks of gesture and information but con-
veys its meaning in cipher to her partner.
After a time the gambler and his friends
take their departure. The outsiders have
passed a pleasant evening. and, having lost
IN agreeable company, no one Is disposed to
grumble. The true nature of these sittings
Is not suspected, and the stranger returns
again and again until he has nc more
money to squander. This class of gambler
divides his profits with his feminine ac-
completes, who often become az expert as
himself. 1t is then that the gambler grows
uneasy, his abiding fear being that one or
the other OF the women may become at
tracted to some wealthy victim whose re-
current visits mean a steady profit. Should
his fears be realized, the woman in the Ian
guage of the sporting fraternity, will give
the whole snap away" Consequently the
gambler selects for his "side partners'
ened as himself.
There are also other games in progress
less systematic and for lower stakes. A
Fifth avenue dressmaker, considering the
proceeds of her establishment insufficient,
quietly intimated to her patrons that they
might play in a room which she had fur
nished for the purpose. Her customers, find
ing 1T a convenient rendezvous, made APP
polntments with others who were in the
secret, and, as a result, the modigte netted
q neat profit by this new form of patronage.
Poker playi ing is rapidly invading the
salons of society, while abroad it ia referred
to as the national game of Americans,
society women in giving teas and recep-
tions have become weary of the inevitable
Rotations and piano playing and have
taken to cards. At first tho stakes were
small, but this being voted a trifie slow,
they we're gradually increased. Now it is
no uncommon occurrence that after one of
these delightful little lat homes' there are
those who leave with purses considerably
lightened. Poker playing is unquestion-
ably the popular fad among young matrons,
but as the husbands of the fair exploiters
do not interpose their objections, there
seems no apparent excuse for the prohibit
tlon OF this fashionable amateur highway
robbery.