The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-03
In THE CARD ROOMS
Faro Moves Along at Snail's Pace
and Wins Little.
FROG AND SOLO ARE HEARD
And In Some Quarters the Game
of Props Fascinates the Enthu-
siasts = Whist Losing Its
ORPHAN Aneodote.

Missoula, Dec. 1.-The resumption of
gambling in Missoula made as little
difference as did its suspension when
the new codes first went into effect.
Not one citizen in Missoula in a hum
dred has observed any change in local
conditions, and not a tenth Of the peo-
pie in this city ever see or hear any
thing of the games that go on here.
Afissoula is remarkably fortunate In
the location of its gaming district. 1t
Is ON a street that Is out of the regular
line of traffic, and Is sufficiently seques-
tered to attract no attention from those
who pursue the ordinary path of busi-
ness travel. Nobody sees or hears the
games who does not want to; not that
there Is any attempt at seclusion. but
their location Is such that they are of
the beat of the ordinary citizen. The
fortunate result of these conditions is
that, unless a man Is anxious to gam
be. he win not see the game. There Is
none of the Happening in" start at
gambling, which often results disas-
trously to the man In whose pocket Is
Hhe pay check which ought to go TO the
grocer and the butcher
Since the tiger was turned loose again
been very little big play in town Oc-
casionaaly, as was narrated in the STAN
dard a week or so ago, a lumberman
or a miner comes In and leaves the bulk
OF lids summers earnings in the tigers
unew. but the principal play Is done
by the gamblers themselves. Since THE
resumption of play one bank has
'tturned UP Its box" but 1t was ac-
comp1ished by one OF the profession,
and none of the roll got outside of the
street. Now and then a stranger drops
in and loses or wins a hundred, but
there has been none of the plunging of
6ormer days. and when the game gets
duh the dealer, the case-l1eeper and the
lookout mournfully discuss the deca-
dence of the sport and tell tales of the
days when the boys stacked chips up
TO the lamps.
Their has been a revival OF slough
here this fall and frog and solo
are heard more often than anything
else where the boys play cards. There
IL. so the friends say, an especial at
traction about this game. This fasci-
nation seems to be, from an outside
standpoint, the great opportunity
which the game affords for Chewing
the rag" The game is always played
twice, once with the cards and again,
afterward, with the chin. 1t is this
opportunity for critical analysis of the
game that seems to an outsider to con-
stitute its chief charm. II is notice.
able, however, that no amount OF argu-
ment and wrangling seems to settle a
disputed point. When the new deal Is
made and the debate closed the dis
pute is as far from being decided as
when II begun. Maybe slough is like
props. An old player said the other
night: You can play at this game for
years and not know how to play it,"
And, speaking of props, they tell a
story of a local player who was play
ing misery" the other night. There
was about $50 involved in the hand
and II looked as IL his misery" was
made all right. But as the play pro-
crossed. IL became evident to him that
his jack OF diamonds would take a
trick unless be could get rid of It,
How he could do It he didn't know
Whatever was done had to be done
quickly. The night lunch man came
bought a sandwich. He slipped the
Jack OF diamonds into the sandwich
next the ham and ate II. OF course he
was a card short and he didn't win
the hand but he didn't lose 1t.
For two winters whist has reigned
supreme among local card players but
It seems to have lose dts grip this year.
1t Is not played at all except by a few
loyal enthusiasts who mourn ever the
decline in popularity OF their favorite
game. There is no occasion for alarm.
Whist DIS too good a game to be kept
In the background long. 1t is the king
of card games