The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-09-02
"MOSSYPOKER''
Beats Ping-Pong Al
Hollow.
TRAMPS' GREAT GAME
Played With Freight Car Num-
berslnstead Of Cards-Penn-
syivania Detectives
Story.

tive, I discovered a new game, or
rather became acquainted with the
details of an old one little known out
side the tramp camps which line the
railroads. For iquiokr action It, ha
ping-pong, and other effete amuse-
memnts backed clear into the corner.
"One morning, while ! was camping
with a gang l had spotted, gentle-
man we called Bigfoot rose wearily
from his turf couch and asked me II
l had two bits.
What for?' asked.
Why to play, ofcourse, he ans
wered.
i've got four BEERS said. Four
beers is tramp for 20 cents.
Well, I'll go you a beer on the
next mossy,' he said.
Look here I said. I haven't
been on the road very long, an you
haev me goin'. What's the game"
What kind Of a piker are you,
anyhow, that you never played moss
back poker?' he exclaimed.
Show me how says, and the
beers is yours IL you get them i
You've played poker In your time,
I guess he said with some scorn.
II admitted had.
Well he went on. this is poker
with no short-card end, All you need
is the coin on mossback train an
the game starts. You take mossy for
the deck because the cars go slowly
and you have time to read the figures.
The engine is the first hand. Say 1t
is numbered 2021; you have a pair OF
deuees. First car Is my hand; say 1t
Is numbered $500; you lose, for have
trays against your deuces. Are you
wiser
II admitted I had the idea.
Here comes q mOssy now. yell
ed Bigfoot as he munched the end of
a secondhand cigar stub. I'll take
the first hand for beer q throw
II agreed.
1920 he yelled as the locomotive
passed. That's ten high; the cipher
counts a ten spot .g...a.f.u,
Got me skinned on an ace full
he admitted. :.
$685. he yelled gleefully, next.
'Youv can't beat trips Withhold 1885
How does your 5,456 suit you?
asked.
t" Pair of fives is good on them
Centrals,' he said. See I've skinned
you again on that measely 1,146 of the
Reading
Il lost again on a SITS, p, F. w. g.
G.. against Pennsy 1898. still was
q beer out on a 3.443 Missouri Pacific.
" Notice I had four-eleven-forty-
four? Bigfoot asked me. Then !
knew how 1t happened.
Fellows think there amt no
short-card end to the game Bigfoot
confided, a. he pocketed my four beers
But there is. an I'll put you next
Skin your eye over the train when
you see 1t coming. Count back how
far the steel cars run and fix your play
80 you get all the big ones
" I'll tell you why: All the steel
cars are the last put ON by all the
railroads and the numbers run usually
into five figures. The little short gon-
dolas run three and four figures, and
the man that gets them Is playin' q
four card hand against five.
" 1T takes a quick eye to size up q
train, but you soon learn how, II you
are wise on the graft Cabooses al
ways run big hands. They are always
numbered higher than the newest car,
and help a fellow out Of big hole
sometimes.
4" Once down in West Philadelphia,
doubled on the caboose and won out
with Hill. My pal knocked the
game sayin' nobody could hold five
aces in a straight game, but got the
money after we had settled the point
with ballast
q Any other game you can play
with q mossy?' asked.
Well. said Bigfoot, they're good
for craps too but the game is too
slow. Say, you shoot the engine for
your point and get two. You pal wins
II seven for the first figure on a car
comes on before two. II you get q two
for the first figure you take the coin.
The trouble about moosy craps
is that q whole train may pass before
you, win or lose. have played three
trains before a beer changed hands.
g OF course, 1t amt SO bad when
you have nothing to do but loaf
around and wait, especially when you
don't have more than a beer. Only
the cheap skates that have no big
money play mossy craps. Messy pok-
er is the thing for quick action.--New
York Sun.