The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-24
FANCIEs OF CARD PLAYERS.
Every Ono who "sits" In n Game Is
Governed by some superst,tion.

governed by some superstitton.
card players are a most supersti-
tious setv said a business man who
Yill occasionally "sit" in little game
when the limit Is to his liking and the
company OF exceptional quality.
There was a new one on me the
other night" he continued, FOR one of
the men, when we were taking seats
shifted his position because he wanted
to play with the grain of the table.
That is, he wanted the cards to come
to him with the grain Of the round
table and not crossways. This was
new one, as ! said, but IL recalled the
fact that all of them have a weakness.
For Instance, where Is the card player
who will play cards while some out
slider has a foot on the rung of his
chair Then there Is the other fellow
who will get up and walk around his
chair to change his luck, and the 9TH
er who will never lend a chip IL he is
winning. Why, l saw a man the 9TH
er night who refused Il chip or two to
neighbor in the game, but he went
down in his trousers, pulled out roll
and handed his friend an y and told
him to buy a few from the banker.
Poker, too, has given the country
some of the richest of slang. Take the
word bluff and where can you find
better word. l suppose it is in the
Century and the Standard or If it
isn't it should be, for the word Is COM
pletely accepted now by the best of
writer's everywhere, in this country
and England, too.
Standing pat was used in court
room a short time ago. Some lawyer
was asked by the judge what he In
tended to do after a certain decision
had been rendered on a motion. He
said he guessed he would stand pat
1t wasn't strange that the judge COM
pretended the situation and without
word went on after the other lawyer
said that his opponent would do well
to draw cards, as standing pat had
no terrors for him.. More than that,
every reference was thoroughly under
stood by every lawyer within the rail-
ing. 1t was just at this time that the
judge added to the confusion by order
ing one Of the bailiffs to turn on the
steam as his feet were cold. For the
benefit of the uninitiated it is sworth say
ing that the cold feet refers to habit
Of some small gamblers who play for
the money that is In 1t, saying as an
excuse, My feet are cold,' and getting
out of the game when they are ahead.
THAT reminds me that women as
we'll as men are natural gamblers, and,
in consequence, there have been many
friendships of long standing among wo-
men ruined forever by progressive
euchre. Why, have played in games
where the cheating OF some of the wo-
| men was as palpable to a man who is
accustomed to card playing as the nose
on your face. But said nothing, as
the woman would have been mad and
denied everything and placed me in
the hole. Look at the prizes they play
| for now.
There's the head prize for men and
women, and the BOBBY, or consolation,
| prize for men. Then there are Sec
! Ond and third prizes, and the prize for
making the greatest number of points
and the prize for the least number and
prize for the greatest number of
mistakes, and the Lord knows how
| many others. It's a regular gambling
game, but the same who indulge in that
| kind of sport will jump on a man who
| plays a little quiet game of poker at
| home.
Nor is the gambling spirit oblterat-
| ed from the progressive social games
| entirely, for there was a game ! heard
! of where the head prize was made up
of five s. gold pieces, all tied up with
! blue ribbon, and you bet the men in
| that game We're working hard for the
head prize, for some of them cheated,
! but, as lady who was a guest at the
home Of the hostess got all the mon,
and the hostess did the punching of the
| tickets, there was a faint suspicion
| that a few extra holes got into the
young lady's card by mistake-on pur-
pose. But, of course, don't make a
charge like that; I'm only thinking"
In reply to a query, Whats your
superstition" the talker said: "I've
only one. l won't play in a game when
l have on a single thing that has
never been worn before-not even q
necktie. Takes my mind away from
the game, and, therefore, I never wear
a new thing when I am going to play
ker."-Cincinnati Comercial-Tribune.