The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-27
1T is DULL IN THEIR LINE.
SPORTING MEN DECLARE GAM
BLING's GLORY HAS DEPARTED.


But 1t Is Believed That the Coming
of the Fall VIII Restore Things TO
Their Usual Busy Condition-Then
the Kitty Will work on Some OF
Her EmatiatiOn, and the Battle OF
Chips VIII Again BE Abroad in the
Land-It Is Only the More EIabO-
rate Forms of the Wooins of the
Tickle Goddess That Now Suffer.
The Small Stakes Games Stin
Draw.
Tickle Fortune has but few devotees in
Savannah. That is what the gamblers
say. 1t pains them TO note a woeful fall
ing off in the number who engage in ven
turesome dalliance with the painted paste
boards. the rapidly turning wheel, the
darkies' beloved craps or the faro layout.
Things are not what they used to be, the
professionals sadly exclaim.
That there is little doing, is the general
cry. The more pretentous establishments
find it hard to make expenses. The keno
joints continue to flourish, if the hum of
many voices and the CLEAN of lights from
the places they are said to occupy count
for anything, but keno Is a little game.
Diminutive stakes gain admission into it,
through the house makes all the same. A
great many seek fortune through its agen-
cy and there is the fascination of the
possibility of running ten cents 10 as many
dollars. In fact, that is by no means the
limit to the possibilities, for it is recorded
that winnings of a hundred or so have
grown from even so small a sum. Few,
indeed, are they who have been so lucky
yet there are many who are chasing the
elusive in the hope that they, too, may
taste of the sweets of fortune.
Policy too is said TO be still fourishing.
That is ever dear TO the colored heart,
while many white people are aIso lured
by its enchanting power. Drawings are
made two or three times a day attaches
of the esta blishments floating about among
those who invest in tickets to dispose of
the numbers upon which so many hopes
are based and by which so many are blast
ed.
1t is from the proprietors of the swell
joints the fortune parloys, the gilded pal
aces of Fortuna that the plaintve cries
are heard. When they meet on the
streets they discuss their woes, deploring
the falling off in business and wondering
when things will brighten up a Bit and
admit of the kitty being fed as of old. The
poor little creature is sadly starved now,
and, it is said, unless some hurry to the
rescue, she will be unable TO stand the
strain. The kitty is very important lit
tie animal, and if she is ill-fed then trou-
bic is sure to result.
One who conducts what is known as
usually popular poker room said the other
day that he had never known things so
dull in his line. He said he hadn't had
game to amount to anything for month.
Now and then there would be sitting
lasting a couple of hours or So but there
would be probably two or three house
players sitting in and that is only taking
money out of one pocket and putting it in
another.
when asked for an explana ton of the
apparent stroke the popularity of the game
had suffered, its proprietor replied that he
supposed 1t was because many of those who
ike to indulge now and then are out of
the city. He said, too, that there are but
very few travelling men striking the town
now, and that that always makes a differ
ence. Some of the travelling statesmen al
ways feel glad to take hand for a while
in a quiet little game, but they are not
showing up.
The man with the woes continued by
saying that he hoped things would he look
ing UP bit a little later on. He does not
consider that the reversal of the fortunes
of himself and his associates in the same
line of business will be permanent The
fall Is relied upon to bring a change a
orlghtenins up in the number of players
ana the restoration of the kitty to her
usual sleek and fat proportions
Were it not that the falling off in the
volume of business done by the esta blish-
ments is due TO conditions brought on by
the summer it might be supposed that the
gambling question was about to settle it.
self in Savannah. But the belief of the
professionals that there will be an i'm
provement later on shows that this must
be a mistake, and 1t is proba BILE that those
who toll not neither do they spin" NAV
continue to be arrayed as never was Solo
mon in all his glory.