The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-24
FANCIEs OF CARD PLAYERS.
Every One who "sits" in "a Game Is
Governed by Superstition.
From the Kansas City Journal.

Governed by Superstition.
From the Kansas City Journal
"Card players are a most supersttious
SET" said a business man who will occa
sionally sit" in a 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 po-
stion 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
a new one, as | said. but it recalled the
fact that all of them have a weakness.
For instance where is the card player who
I will play cards while some outsider has
foot on the rung of his chair? Then there
| is the other fellow who will get up ana
walk around his chair to change his luck,
and the other who will never lend chip
if he is winning. Why. / saw man the
other night who refused a chip or two to
a nighbor in the game, but he went down
in his trousers, pulled out a roll and hand
ed his friend an y and told MN to buy
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 II ism il should be, for
the word is completely accepted now by
the best of writers everywhere, in this
country and England too.
" Standing pat was used In a courtroom
a short time ago. Some lawyer was asked
by the judge what he intended TO do after
a certain decision had been rendered on a
motion. He said ne guessed he would
stand pat 1t wasn't strange that the
judge comprehended 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 understood by
every lawyer within the railing. II was
just at this time that The judge added
to the confusion by ordering one of the
bailffs to turn on the steam, as his feet
were too cold For the benefit of the I'M
} initiated il is worth saying that the cold
? feet refers to a habit of some small gam
blers 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 well
as men are natural gamblers, and in con-
sequence there have been many friendships
| OF long SIdHultlS dHiOuS WOIlSh lbi
ever by progressive euchre. Why / nave
, played in games where the cheating Of
some of the women was as palpable to a
man who Is accustomed to card playing
as the nose on your face But said 10th
: ing, as the women 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 second and
third prizes, and the prize for making the
: greatest number of points and the prize
, for the least number and a prize for the
greatest number Of mistakes, and the
Lord knows how many others. It's reg
ular 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 obliterated
from the progressive social games entire
ly, for there was a game heard of where
the head prize was made up of 1--WE -
gold pieces all tied up with blue
, ribbon, and you bet the men
in that game were working hard
for the head prize for some Of
them wanted that twenty-five with want
that must he filed. / expect some of them
cheated, but as a lady, who was a guest
at the home of the hostess, got all the
money and the hostess did the unehmS
Of the tickets, there was a faint suspicion
that a few extra holes got into the young
lady's card by mistake-on purpose. But
Of course / don't make a charge Ike that;
I'm only thinking"
In reply 20 a query: whats yonr SUI
perstition?" the talked said: 1--WE only
one. won't play In a. game when have
on q single thing that has never been worn
before-not even a necktie. Takes my
mind away from the game, and. there
fore, never wear a new thing when am
going to play poker"