The Bemidji pioneer., 1901-08-15
ODD SUPERSTITIONS.
THEY ARE BELIEVED IN nv
# EVERY GAMBLER.
Persons Of Both Sexes Who Take Risks
at Chance Games Go About Armed
with Wonderful Talismans to Bring
Good Luck Their Omens.


Good Luck Their Omens.
No people in the world are as super
sstitious as gamblers. Every profes-
sional dealer" will tell you of a hun
dred and one omens and superstitions,
some OF which are his own peculiar
property, and some OF which are com
mon to all who make living BY serv-
ing the tickle goddess in the temples of
John Doe. And 1t is not only the peo-
pie who make their living by gam
bling who are firm believers In such
things, but those who play the game
from the outside There is scarcely a
man or woman who CANDLES habitu-
ally that does not go armed with some
wonderful talisman to bring luck. Not
only the poor African man and
brother who carries around the left
hind foot of rabbit killed in q coun-
I try graveyard at midnight in the dark
Of the moon" but the wealthy FREE
Il quenter OF Canfield's or Monte Carlo
as well. One man who had a remark
able run OF luck at Mdhte Carlo last
year ascribed 1t all to a frame which
he wore on his watch chain. This coin
had a grim history, Tor 1t was the only
piece OF money found on the body OF a
gambler who committed suicide in the
grounds or the Casino after losing his
entire fortune at the gaming tables.
Another player, whose success at the
tables attracted considerable attention
y last season, always carries in his pocket
when he goes to gamble "a little Indian
idol carved in ivory, which he picked
up in his travels in the east. When he
makes a bet he invariably keeps one
hand on this idol, and is sure that it
brings him luck. On one occasion at
Long Branch last year he went to the
tables without his mascot and expert
senced such q run OF bad luck that he
was obliged to beat hasty retreat.
another inveterate gambler who Wis
Its Monte Carlo every year pins his
faith to "a miniature Of his dead wife,
which he wears attached to q chain
around his neck; and an old player at
tributes his good luck to silver watch
which saved his life by stopping bull
let in one OF the battles of the civil
war. " Va
"a familiar figure at Monte Carlo is
that OF an elderly man who wears
perfect armory OF charms dangling
from his watch chain. There is a pig
in gold, another in silver (the pig in
any form is supposed to bring luck),
an Egyptian scarab, an Indian rupee, 4
an ancient Etruscan coin and nail
from the claw of a tiger which once
nearly killed him. In spite Of all this
the old man has only moderate luck,
which may be accounted for by the /
charms working against one another
playing at cross purposes and thus in 4
terfering with the workings of the
spell. He candid1y confesses that he
would be thousands of dollars richer
II he would leave gambling alone.
But the gamblers Superstitions are by i
no means confined to charms. Nothing
is too trivial to be converted ny him
into an omen. "a number of which he
dreams, or which catches his eye on
the street or in the newspaper, the |
number OF letters In his name, the date |
OF his birth his Wife's age when he
first met her the date or his wedding
from these and many more fanciful I
sources he gets the numbers upon Il
which he stakes his chance Of winning \
when the merry marble spins rollick
ing around the whirling roulette
wheel. Some men never play on AL
Friday ror on the thirteenth of thell
month while others consider these
their lucky days. Nearly every gam
bier lin this country considers It I'M
lucky to play roulette or faro ,on Sun
York Press.