Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-09-21
GAMBLING GAME IN CUBA.
Played with Ball, and Is Very Ex-
citing, But the Bets Are the
Main Thing.


gives this account Of the now celebrated
game of the jai alai:
ARR ARR, 'A-r-r-r,' ARR
I'm crescendo and diminuendo like the
sound Of waves on beach, the audience
at the jai alai' in Havana accompanies
the 'crick,' 'crick,' of the ball as it flies
from racquet to wall and wall to racquet
with steady volume of sound, topped
with tumultuous breakers of shouts al
the termination of each rally" began
Mr.. Gauss in his description.
ION three sides are blank and black
ened walls; on the remaining side of
the parallelogram are rows of seats az
the level of the playing floor, and above
these are tiers of stalls, and finally the
upper balconies of boxes. On the mar
BILE floor of the court four players, two
in blue blouses and two in white, are
in incessant motion. The blouses are
stained with perspiration and when
player who has missed the ball turns
his face to the side wall in an exagger-
ated display OF chagrin, the moisture
from his torso streaks the slated sur.
face.
Tremendous activity, a steadiness OF
eye and muscle that no amateur can
hope to equal, dexterity that only those
who have played peltoa from childhood
can hope to initiate, evoke an interest
on the part of the spectators which is
intense. The skillful plays stimulate
enthusiasm. The feeling that a stake
Is at hazard with every stroke, that
there is money on the game. is what
makes the cigar rollers and cab drivers
of Havana cry out in approval or cha
grin at the turns of the play.
ut is not the professional skill Of
the winners that occasions the rush OF
the spectators at the close of each game
or particle but desire to be early
at the window where the bets are
cashed. The>big room at the level of the
playing surface is packed with the col.
larless. and, frequently, coatless, pa
irons of the game who have made 8
fortunate choice of the blue or the white
It must be acknowledged that exciting
as the game is, and marvellous as are
its feats of dexterity, the interest pals
before the evenings entertainment is
over, when there is no gambling on the
result. Ennui follows close on the exit
Of novelty.
But if the visitor in Havana does ar
the Romans do and succumbs to the
gambling fever, which is Quickl>
vivifying microbe in the veins of all
humanity, the interest in the game be-
comes terrific. He joins in the chorus
which comes from the lower benches
and claps and shouts vociferously at
every feat Of dexterity. This is the
way one bets at the jai alai: There Is
a counter on the floor. A soft and m.
sinuating page, who speaks New York
suggests that it is there for the con.
venience of those who wish to max,
| small bets on the result of the games
1T is a wire-grated, most business.
appearing counter, and one learns tha'
it has indeed government end to it..
operations. If one invests in a tickei
Of face value of 50, this costs $210, Of
which the extra dime goes to tho gov
eminent. One further learns that If one
is so sagacious as to pick the winning
team he will have for his ticket 81, Sc
or So, according to the amount which
has been wagered against his slice.
1.-THE horsey man advises you at once
that 1t is nothing less than straight
Parts mutual and one ascertains thai
the house, the benevolent jai alai. have
ten per centum on the gross receipts fol-
their trouble. Then. a man recollect.
that If he were in Concord, Mass. in
Washington, D. c., he would pass this
counter by as the seat of an iniquity
But in Havana. where all airs are balmy
with no northwesterly winds to slim.
ulate conscience, he buys ticket and
applies medicines to the gambling fever
by losing
Thus we have open, public gamblins
sanctioned by the authorities, and &
source Of revenue to the government
Many people at home feel that the
American occupation is responsible foI
the sanction of the institution. l an
told that the granting of the concession
was all but completed by the former
government; that it was one of the act,
which came under general agreement
to complete and that the refusal to ST.
feet this formal sanction would hav,
been regarded as bad faith and possibl,
an occasion of friction.
in Havana. which has easily revived
traditions of bull and cock fighting
this game, which affords certain hour.
of gambling at intervals during the
week. does not seem so bad as it would
here. The grim 'and CHASTITY turf ex.
changes of New Orleans, or the tragic
bucket shops of northern cities are faI
more vicious, though they IRE safe
guarded by a keener public sentiment
concerning the evils of gambling, To.
mas and Pedro and Ygnacio would b.
wiser e they disposed of the pesos los
at the jai alai in the development o
Cuba libre. but the businesslike way il
which they go at their gambling indi
Gates that If a government outlet for the
| gambling spirit was not provided there
would be many private safety valve.
which might not be so well arranged
as the jai alai and which might furniss
other than copSenital criminals for the