The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-05

players. The individual accounts be-
tween the players are, in turn, kept men
tally with the greatest eXactness. When
the game is over, which is generally at the
last echo of the ''pie down" whistle, when
the lights, except the standing ones, gci
out, the players adjourn TO some quie t
part of the forecaStle to settle their finan =
ciai differences But if any of the me n
thinks he has got the worst of it in IL lie
accounting he does not express his dissa t.
isfaction until the next day, for the bl'ne
Jacket or marine who speaks in a 10 nd
tone after pipe down" has gone is lik' sly
to find himself cat the mast" before The
officer of the deck, in a jiffy. He, there-
fore. nurses his grievance until the next
day. There are very few of these 81 lev
ances however.
Now, the beauty of this plan of pla ying
poker on a man-of-war consists in, the
fact that it would be impossible for any of
the officials of the ships police depart
ment commissioned or enlisted, to swear
that men discovered SO playing We're gam
bling Eyed suspiciously and taken 20 task
by the maSter-at-arms, the sergea mt of
the marine guard, or even the officer of
the deck or the admiral of the feet for
the matter of that the men are playing
for fun; the halves of cards are merely
counters. Isn't the game Of casino per-
mitted on this packet they'd like to know?
How long has there been any regulation
prohibiting the playing of euchre on these
frigates, they'd like to inquire? Wronged
aggrieved, insulted, martyrs to a martinez
the players bear the marks of the injury
to their feelings on their faces as the &C
cusing officer retires in confusion. And
then they go right on playing.
There is very rarely ahy limit in these
poker games between the enlisted men,
and large sums of money often change
hands in the accountings. There is no
welching. A welcher's life would be made
so miserable for him by all hands for
ward that he would find it expedient to de-
sert at the first opportunity. The game is
usually in 41e hands of a dozen or so
strong players not long after monthly
money has been served out, and the tussle
between these giants for the final posses
sion of the bulk of the crews money is
often prolonged affair." Accordingly inter
esting 10 the entire ships company for
ward. The men who have dropped out,
broke, do not stand around and watch this
contest, however, for if they did they
would draw attention TO the game, some
thing they are exceedingly careful not to
do. But all hands know what is being done
in the battle right along by means of lit
tie signals only understood among mem
of-WarS men, and this information is
quickly disseminated throughout the en-
tire ship. Not infrequently the money
which has been earned and hazarded by u
great majority of the crew finds its way
into the pocket of a single man. This hap
pened on board one of the vessels of the
South American station a few years ago.
A marine playing with perfect squareness,
gathered together nearly $1,000 of the
crews wages-the ship had been for some
time in quarantine, and money was plenti-
full up forward-and promptly deserted at
Pernambuco. He has not yet justified the
prediction of the officers that he. would
eventually turn up again on board one of
the ships, broke, and under another name.
Blue jackets who have just been paid off
and received sums varying from $500 to 81
900, after three years cruise often haZ-
ard the entire amount in these games, and,
if they get cleaned out, Immediately ship
over and begin the accumulation of an
other hoard. They make no whimpeT over
their enforced foregoing of rides on palace
cars and other delights of life ashore,
which they had pictured for themselves
at the close of their cruise, but go on shin
ing their bright work without a murmur.