The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-25

six one with three. and third with two
dice. In buying cakes, sWeetmeats, etc, in
the public streets, it is quite a usual thing
for the purchaser to ''go double or quits
with the itinerant hawker who keeps
dice bowl tempungly handy for his clients
use.
popular gambling amusement, and almost
every one who has visited emma VIII be
familiar with il, as seen in Macao, where,
under government protection, 1t brings
in a considerable revenue. After two or
three years of flouTishing, the Hong Kong
government has at last succeeded in IN
ducing the Chinese authorities to close the
fantan shops at Cowloon, opposite. The
banker, in view of all, grabs a handful or
copper cash or paste counters, ana Chaps
a common rice bowl over them until the
bets are made. Then with a chopstick or
rod he separates four counters at time
from the mass until only one, two three
or four a. e.. none) remain. There are thus
four bets, and it is not unusual for halt-
starved-looking Chinaman to put $40 on
at a time Many Europeans drop consid-
cradle sums, for the game soon becomes
exceedingly fascinating, and or course
each inveterate gambler has theory
which he works out Invariably at loss
to HIMSELF by taking down notes In this
game the banker seems to have no ad-
vantage whatever, unless it be that the
odds are laid in such a way as to give MN
an extra chance.
Hwa-hwei is another form of gambling
very popular in the southern provinces,
especially in Foo-Chow. Out of thirty
six placarded names each spectator men
tally selects one. and makes his bet on it;
meanwhile the banker has taken SIP
of paper with one of the thlrtysix names
upon it and has hung it up in bag be-
fore the eyes of all. The successful guess
err gets thirty times his stake. Here, of
course, there is an advantage of one-sixth
in favor of the banker. The bag is open
ed by the player who has staked the larg-
est sum. There is another Cantones game
called Pak-kopkin, or white pigeon tai
ly," Which gives a great deal of trouble
to the authorities; denunciatory procla-
nations appear from time to time 1t con-
sists of each player choosing ten names,
from twenty selected each turn by the
banker out of a stock of eighty. Each
ticket costs a farthing, and when all haze
taken tickets the banker writes, in view
of all, any ten names he chooses out of
the twenty originally selected. No one
wins anything unless FIVE Of his names
appear, when the stake and a third man
is paid back;if six are alike, he gets six
teen times his stake; If seven, 100 times;
if eight two taels and a half; if nine,
five taels; if all ten, ten taes.
The celebrated waising lottery is now in
full swing at Canton. 1t is a bet upon
the name of names of the successful can
didateS i'm the examinations for degrees.
In 1874 the Picking government made a
bona fide effort to put a stop TO this lot
terry, which causes incalculable damage
in the Canton provinces; they even went
so far as to degrade the new Manchu vice
roy, Yinghan, who was accused by the
Chinese governor and the Manchu gen
of 4 he 4.To
unfortunately the only result of this adj
mirable policy was to throw the profits
into the Golfers of the neighboring POr-
tuguese colony of Macao, without in any
way putting a stop to the gambling evil.
In the end the Central government, in its
own interests. was obliged to lend official
sanction TO the lottery once more, and
now the right to sell tickets is officially
farmed out to the highest bidder; the con-
tractors last year paid in advance 800. 900
taels for six years, which, even at pres
ent low rates of exchange, means fl5O
a day. but as silver is just as valuable
in China as ever $500 a day is nearer the
effective mark; that is 5000 tickets day
at 81 each. must be sold before any per-
ton of making profit or even of defray-
ing expenses comes in.
or innocent family or social amusements
there are not few. The most common
and popular is perhaps shuttlecock. which,
unlike our game, is not played with a
battledore, but with the insteps' sides
so.es and heels of the feet. The hands
may not be used at all, but the elbows.
knees, hips and shoulders may. The game
does not appear to be very old one; per-
haps IL dates back 800 years or more A
group of young men stand round in a cir
Gle, and, keeping their eyes steadily fixed
upon the movements OF the shuttlecock
endeavor by kicking il up with their feet
or knees to keep It from falling to the
gound.
The common swing Is mentioned at least
1000 years ago, and seems 10 have been de-
rived from the Thibetans and Tartars at
all events IL IL said to be northern
amusement II Is "A curious fact that bal
ancing on the tight and loose ropes almost
Invariably done by women. and. strange 20
say, by women with deformed feet In
general conjuring the Chinese are not 10
be exceled, even by the Hindoos.
punch and July" is caslonally met
with. In the province OF So Ch'wan /
once came across some marionettes. The
performers stood behind a large sheet M
up on their side. and the audience sat in
the dark In front OF the sheet. The fig
ures were Of painted wood or cardboard
transparent enough 70 show the colors
through the Hight, and the men dangled
them about with sticks and strings In
the south of China the marionettes seem
70 merge lAAu iuttN ana Judy or
course. the Chinese Punch and Judy"
though often exactly the same az ours len
principle differs somewhat In detail the
character Of Mr. Punch being totally un-
known 10 the Celestlals Blind mans
bun" Is known ali over China, and differs
In no way from ours The name is the
same. 1. g. "the blind man feeling" cats
cradle" Is played both In Pekin and Can
ton. and OF course does not OFFER much
SCOPE for novelty. The Chinese call IL
picking involved thread"
Paper kites are said 70 have originated
about 1900 years ago. The emperor was
DESTROYS OF conveying messages from a be-
leaguered city 20 his friends beyond the
enemy's lines. and IN order 10 do this
unobserved he fashioned a number OF false
kites attached 10 strings and packed with
dispatches. In some parts Of China Aeo-
liam harps are attached to kites, and hence
Ia pcking the Kite La. by a sort OF eynecdo-