Birmingham age-herald., 1894-11-16

Sometimes Whole Villages Are ImpoyeT-
 ished by streak of Bad Luck-They
 Rely Upon Charms and Their Ability to
 Cheat-They Are Good Losers.
 As eagerly as duck Hops into the wa ter does an Indian jump into game of chance. Unbounded belief in luck and perhaps the natural deviltry of the race make Indians inveterate gamblers. There is nothing in an Indians possession that he will not readily wager on game of chance Nearly every noble red man is tho possessor of an individual charm or fetich which enables him to do things that other Indians cannot do. This fetich is of value exclusively to the owner, and according to their belief would be of no use or advantage to any other Indian. No person besides the posesssor knows what the fetich is and were it to become known it would immediately lose it's power for good. No Indian will knowingly steal another Indians fetich. Such theft yiti- ates tho power of the thief's fetich and casts over him hoodoo.
 Having full faith in the ability of his charm to bring luck to him, the Indian never fails to place all his possessions in tho balance when there is bet on. If he loses, he takes it philosophieally and at. tributes his bad luck to the greater power of his adversary's charm. If he wins, he has added faith in the power of his own charm. Indians have been known to wager all their earthly possessions, even to their squaws and children and tepees, on the fall of a stick in one of their games Indian villages have become pauperized and dependent upon charity for months because the inhabitants bet everything they had on the result of games with other villages. Such occurrences were common several years ago, and were it not for the restrictions of government regulations would be so still
 Gambling is not secret vice among tho Indians. It is indulged in by all the mem- bers of the tribe, and the more expert the gambler the higher he stands in the esti- nation of his fellows. To have tho fame of being a successful gambler causes an Indian to looked up to almost as much as if he were a successful warrior. There is no fear of shocking the morals of even the highest chief by proposing game with him-in fact, the invitation pleases him. One point of advantage held by the red man over his white brother is in the fact that when he loses everything he possesses he is not much poorer than he was before, and he can readily recoup himself by mak- ing a raid upon some unfortunate white settler or upon a weaker tribe. The whito man may commit suicide, but the Indian simply looks for victim and sela1H fc fsc.iiiiss iiss to find him. -
 Before the, government frightened the moral lines on the Indians professional 2e6fa gamblers were plentiful. Of late years their number has decreased rap- idly. The most famous Indian gambler of today is Quelepah, a Comanche.7 His game is monte. He is about 80 years old, tall and straight, with a thin, narrow face His eyes are sunken like those of a consumptive. He never smiles and seldom speaks. Like all Indian gam blors, his dress is rich in bright colors. He usually rides white pony and is at tended by two Apache Indians, both fla nous for deeds of prowess. He travels from village to village and from tribe to tribe. Everywhere he is well knowng Whom his approach is made known, the Indians wait for him to appear, saving their money to play with him, for it is an Indian maxim that Gin the game of Quelepah the play is honest, and the stakes are what you please"
 Quelepah once appeared at the Cash creek village. 1e rOue HUG bno VilliiSe shortly before sundown. One of his com panions spread a bright red blanket on the ground. Quelepah knelt before it. As he settled down on his launches and brought forth new deck of Mexican monte cards the blanket was surrounded by Indians orouching three and four deep. And behind them stood other Indians eager for an opportunity to play. The long, lean fingers of Quelepah shuffled the cards with marvellous rapidity. The interest in the game waxed as the light waned. Can- dles were procured as night fell and were fastened in sharp pointed green twigs stuck in the ground.
 By their flickering light Quelepah could be seen paying his losses and pocketing his gains. He was both dealer and banker. Behind him on his right and on his left crouched his two Apache fel- lows As dawn was breaking Ouelepah