The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1895-12-14
POKER Is POPULAR.
Boston's Upper Circles Arc Intent
on tho Fascinating Game.


|
cles Of the Back Bay have any concep'
tion OF the extent to which poker play.
ing Is carried in that section. rhe
whole locality il divided into '.sets, .
and it is customary for each one to hold
a session at his or her house nearly
every night in the week.
The usual hour for beginning play ID
eight o'clock, and it is customary for
the ladies to dress for the occasion.
while the gentlemen not infrequentiy
alray Themselves in full evening cos
tune. The standard limit is ten cents,
one reason for making it SO small being
that the conscientious shall not feel
that they are gambling. Generally
there are three hours of play, after
which the hostess asks her guests to a
light repast, consisting of sardines,
crackers. cheese and sweetmeats. Bot
tied beer is the favorite beverage. but
there are instances on record where
something stronger has been indulged
In. A great many society people of
both sexes drink rum punch, lemonade
dashed with whisky and plain gin. The
usual time devoted to refreshments is
Is minutes, as all are anxious to get at
the cards again.
1T frequently happens that seven and
eight players are present ut sitting,
and when everybody "stays" the cards
fall short, which necessitates gather
ing up the dead wood" and filling out
the hands from it. There is a we'll
grounded superstition that these dis
cards have been robbed of everything of
value and that to draw from them is
equivalent to throwing the chips into
a red hot stove. To in measure meet
these exigencies II and IL spot cards
have been added, making the pack con-
sist of 60 cards instead OF SO.
Another innovation is the ring
doodle" A ringdoodle is declared when
a hand has been called and fours are
shown. Then follows round of jack
pots, the holder of the winning band
starting them. Blue chips are put up
to correspond with the number of play
ers. OF course, a round of jnck pots
would be equivalent to ringdoodle,
but it comes easier to some players to
pay on the installment plan. Then
regular round of jacks is declared
when full hand is shown. Two are
never allowed to play in the modern
game, no matter how good their hands
may be. A jack pot always follows.
There are also buck jacks and jacks on
the slightest provocation. 1t has now
become the custom to make discount |
of one red chip for every jack pot. |
When the time has crept on toward
midnight the keeper of the kitty an
that round of consolation
jacks will be played. The chips are di-
rided into a number of piles cores
with the number of players.
md the extras are placed in the center
If the table with the individual contri-
buttons.
There are few sets audacious enough
o play 2O-cent limit, but it has not
let transpired how they figure out
afety from the charge Of gambling
When society plays poker there is al
vays a big supply of cards on hand.
f luck runs badly for a player a new
'ack is demanded, but it israrely for
une changes her plans.
Another characteristic of society
'oker is to be found in the limited MEM
ry exhibited by the players. All the
winners are unanimously declared to
. the luckiest persons alive that they
ever lose, while at the four or five pre-
ious sittings they have come out be-
ind every time. There can be no sys-
em in society poker, owing to the
mall limit; it is virtuallya showdown,
nd to those who are luckiest in draw
,g cards go the winnings. One OF the .
lysteries of an experienced poker play
r is how women can keep the run of
leir cards and at the same time carry
lively conversation about Mrs. So
nd-So's last baby, the coming changes
i balloon sleeves, tid-bits of scandal.
C., but they do it, and the cases are !
ire where the liveliest talker misses ;
,ming into jack pot or sweetening.- {
OSton Herald.