The age-herald., 1900-10-24
THEGAME OF "SEBEN, q.
 COME 'LEBEN"
Wooing Fortune by the Game of CrapS-FascinatiOn of the
 Sport for its VOtarieS.


 tiser
 Who has not heard the systolic phrase, ''seben. come 'leben," nor marveled at its mystic import? It is the fateful invoca- ton to Lady Fortuna that issues from the suppliant lips of her dusky but faithful knights when, in secluded hooks of the public highway, beneath the sequestered shades of convenient door steps-even in the gutter-they woo the blindfolded god dess in that game of games-craps.
 Stroll along any crosstown street where on the colored population is at all gested: there the African tiger may be seen roaming at will flashing his tail and roaring for victims who have coppers to lose. In such neighborhoods, at almost any point and at any hour of the day but especially during those listless hours between the issues of the extra jour nals when business is dull and time heavy upon their hands-groups of colored gen. try ranging from the shoeess and one suspender gamin to the lavender-trousered and pink-shrted swain wheel upon the sidewalk banishing ennui in the absorbing but forbidden pastime.
 Pause for a moment and witness the thrilling drama of a game of craps. The coffee-colored gamesters kneel around an imaginary altar to Fortune offering up sac rifices while the goddess herself invisible, sits above turning her wheel for him who, by the ardor of his addresses, best com- mends himself to her benign favor.
 The game is played with dice; two are re- qured. The stakes are laid upon the side walk within the azimuth of the players eyes lest, when their minds are pre-occupied with the circumstance of play. they mys- terously disappear at the beck of some zealous follower who is always on hand to mascot or to hoodoo as his friendship for the respective players may dictate.
 The dice are held by the shooter on the upturned palm of his hand; then with dexterous forward shove and a backward jerk of that member they delivered, for veal woe. into Fortunes lap upon the dusty pavement. Happy, then, the lot of him who throws a seven. little Phoebe" or an eleven, "big Phoebe" for either num- Der unqualihedly wins the stake; but thrice and four times unhappy he who throws three or a twelve for he has "trowed monk and he has irretrievably lost. If the player turns up some number other than those four of decisive fate he may con tinue throwing until he duplicate his initial throw without in the meantime turn ing up big or little Phoebe: for in case of the occurrence of either of those original opponents of victory their power for good is turned into one for evil. and the player might just as well have "trowed a monk" at first. Whether the player can or cannot duplicate his initial throw then becomes a collateral issue within the province of the goddess to decide, requiring additional
 
 stakes multiply; the game becomes wildly exciting; the gamsters argue and wager; ''chaos is the word and the chances are that the stakes will disappear simultane- ously with the presence of the zealous friend referred to.
 As the player shoots craps he invokes the favor of the partial goddess with words of optimism, hoping thereby to spread glamour over the game, and thus -beguile the Lady Into verdict forms cause while allied -T ictio view Of the case, rapidly rehearse express slohS ol~exorcism and hoodoo, striving to c9lGpass his defeat. At the initial play he pronouneeS the weird lncantation, "Seben cone 'leben," oft repeated, intimating to the goddess that the consummation of his nor tai desires is to throw eleven, or, in the event that destiny may not have decreed that lot for him, then that he is willing to compromise the matter on throw of seven. The expression is varied with the more po- tent and cabalistic invocation, Come big Phoebe," than which no charm is greater, and which oftentimes preponderates in the battle of spell and counter-charm, prevail ing against the most bllghting hoodoo.
 Assume that the stake is up = that is, down on the sidewalk-and that the game is fairly on.
 "Seben come 'leben; sebep come 1eben; seben come 'lebenl' jabbered the sooty thrower, with dice poised on palm about to throw.
 "Yaller feber in de South; yaller feber In de South; yaller feber in de Soufh!" chorus the contesting gamesters, instilling black hoodoo OCT the bright prospects of the thrower.
 Come big Phoebe; come big Phoebe; come big Phoeber continues the thrower, hurling back the tide of hoodo upon his would-be destroyers.
 .'Fiah in Lunnen; fiiah in Lunnen; fiiah in Lunnen" excitedly scream the foe meet ing potent charm with cankerous spell.
 The die is cast: the thrower has failed to make his seven or eleven. Thus lar the hoodoo has prevailed. It powerful, but not annihilatory. monk was not t'rowed" There is still hope. Assume that the player has thrown a six; he may continue throwing to duplicate his point. new wager covering this probability is added to the stake It is to throw a six.
 six I wants; six I wants; six I wants! Glib me six gib me six; gib me six.' nut ters the hard-pressed thrower rapidly Shooting craps"
 "Grafhoppers in kansas! gleefully con jure the ascendant hoodooers, warming to the fray
 Six I needs; six I needs: six I needs! Glib me six; gib me six; gib me siX!" wild ly moans the outmanoeuvered shooter.
 "Playg in Egyp; playg in Egp' playg in Egyp!'' loudly exercise the enemy, hurl!ng anathema against benison.
 The game Is in equilibrium of charm and hoodoo. There is a deadlock of contending influences; the players benign star saves HlHl iroh throWinS tAe ldtdl numbers or defeat, while the rigid hoodoo maintained by his opponents will not allow him to make his objective six. Extreme measures must be resorted to, and both sides marshal their reserve mysticisms for final coup.
 The player places the dice upon the side walk, with the number he desires to throw upward, and with his sable finger traces magic circles in the dust around them. nut tering the while this wild rune of Obeah:
 Dis yer fgger s in nah eye
 Gwine ter hab it fo' die
 Fo' ter git it I's gwine try
 Dis yer trow, CT Ise gwine shy"
 This signalizes the climax of the game, and after the rendition of this ultimate mumbo-jumbo the player can scarcely choose but to make his point unless coun- teryailing hoodoo Is pronounced while the next throw is delivered.
 "Six I needs: six I needs: six I needs