Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-06-16
GAMBLERS FANCIES.
Some of the Peculiar Beliefs Of Po'
ker Dev0tees.
An OverhauIing Of Progressive Prizes by
travelling Man.

| tiOuS set, Sdlu tfdVeillnS iildH wiz
win occasionally sit in little game
when the limit is to his liking. and the
company of .unexceptonal quality.
why, how is that SAM" asked
companion wen knowing that If sam
once got started he would not leave the
matter until he had explained his re-
mark.
He got started all right, and he went
through the whole list of superstitlons
from start to finish, and touched upon
society prizes.
There was a new one on me the
other night" he said, 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 table, and
not crossways. This was a new one. as
| said; but it recalled the fact that all
of them have weakness. For in
stance, where is the card player who
| will play while some outsider has Il
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 other who will never
lend a chip if he is winning. Why, l
saw a man the other night who refuse I
a chip or two to neighbor in the
game. but he went down in his trous-
ers. pulled out roll and handed his
friend an X and told him to buy few
from the banker.
poker too, has given the country
some of the richest slang. Take the
word bluff and where can You find a
better word? l suppose it is in the
Century and the Standard, or if it isn't
it should be, for the word is completely
accepted by the best OF writer's every
where, in this country and in England,
too.
Standing pat was used in court
room 4 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
Il wasn't strange that the judge COM
pretended the situation, and. without
a word, went on. after the other law
yer had said that his opponent would
do we'll 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. 1t was just at this time that
he judge added to the confusion by
ordering one of the bailiffs to turn on
the steam as his feet We're cold.
For the benefit of the uninitiated,
it is worth saying that the cold feet
refers to a 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 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
women ruined forever by progressive
euchre. Why, l have played in games
where the cheating of some of the
women was as paipable to 4 man who
is accustomed to card playing as the
| nose on your face. But / said nothing
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 MAX
ing the greatest number of points, and
the prize for the least number and a
prize for the greatest number of mis-
takes and the Lord knows how many
| others, It's a regular gambling game,
but the same who indulge in that kind
Of sport viii jump on a man who plays
|
Nor is the gambling instinct obliter-
ated from the progressive social games
entirely, for there was a game l heard
Of where the head prize was made up
of five s. gold pieces, all tied up with
| blue ribbon, and you can bet the men
in that game We're working hard for
the head prize, for some of them want
cd that twenty five with a want that
| must be filled. | 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 punch
| ing 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, l don't
make charge like that, I'm only
thinking"
In reply to the query, whats your
| supersttion?" the talker said: Eve
only one. l won't play in a game