Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-07
GAMBLE ON THE
'FL|P-BUG'S s. JUMP

Special to The Herald.
YUMA, Ariz., Nov. 6.-The high So
ciety of this town is all torn up over the
evil effects of the flip bug craze. Not
since Bill Baker ran off to Sonora
with Bonesy Swans wife and Bonesy's
four children. has Yuma had such a
sEakedown of its best social set. 1t is
all due to Mrs. Isaac Steppacher's
mother, Sonora Chiquita Salvadores y
Casablanca, of Magdalena, state of So
nora, Mexico, and the common flip bug
of the Mojave desert.
Sonora Casablanca is a Mexican of
the old Castilian lineage. The flip bug
Is a species of beetle. Sonora Casa
blanca's chief characteristic is a love
for rare forms of gambling. The flip
bugs only interesting feature is his
peculiar ability to jump about two feet
in the air when prodded with a tooth
pick.
About two months ago Sonora Casa
blanca came up from Magdalena to pay
a visit to her daughter and her son-in-
law, ike" Steppacher, who is the
well known and popular night clerk"
in the Golden Eagle hotel. near the
railroad station. About a week after
Sonora Casablanca arrived Mrs. Step
pacher sent out cards to the society folk
inviting them to a little afternoon af-
fair. On the bottom of the cards. which
were the best specimens Of the Weekly
Scorpions fine engraving work. were
the words Flip Bug in old English
type.
Roulette Layout
On the day Of the reception the guests
came early. Mrs. Steppacher did not
keep them in suspense. After passing
a. m
duced the ladies to her mother and
then led them into the library. In the
middle of the room stood roulette
layout without the wheel. There were
chairs around for the guests and a
stack of chips in front of the bankers
place.
The wondering guests were each
asked to buy in, blue chips costing four
bits and the reds and whites in pro-
portion Most of the women had come
well heeled the others wrote out
I. o. U's. Then they sat down and Mrs
Steppacher's mother produced a Zip
bug.
The bug, which is a beetle about rs
big as three months old cockroach,
is a very peculiar insect. When caught
in the fingers it will play possum and
draw all of its six muscular legs Up
close to it's abdomen. When placed on
fiat surface the bug remains appar-
emily dead until prodded In the rear,
Then it will suddenly leap about two
feet in the air, landing two feet OF
so away, sometimes on its back, some
times on its feet.
"FIip Bug" Game
In the new game OF "f1ip bug" as
introduced at Mrs. Steppacher's re-
ception, the bug is placed in the center
of the board. There he stays, curlel
up, while the players make their bets
One can bet on red or black; on mum
bers, odd or even, and on whether the
flip bug will land on his back or his
feet. This last chance gives an added
zest to the game.
When all bets are made the banker
gently pokes the flip bug. He jumps
Where he lands, there the banker pays;
the banker also pays on whether III
lands right side up or not. Bets arc
then cashed, the flip bug is corrallec
and new round of bets is made. Wher
the bug jumps off the board altogether
the banker gets his percentage. i
the flip bug shows signs of fatigue Z
| new one must be substituted upon {
majority vote of the players, exclusive ol
the bankers voice.
She Has Mysteries
Mrs. Steppacher's first nip bug party
was a success Mrs. Molly Hodgkins
began to win steadily at the start and
kept her lead until the flip bug jun oet
off the board and through the 9at.
tern of her peek-a-boo waist. Ther
Mrs. Rodgkins went into Mysteries ant
the game was delayed. Mamie Cham,
plain played steadily on legs back,
safe, conservative game with chances
even, and she won.
AS matter of course flip bug be'
came the rage in Yuma's social set
Every afternoon for weeks there was q
flip bug party Popular matrons of the
town set their little boys out on this
mesa hunting for flip bugs as they
would a Mexican hairless dog, and car.
ried them everywhere they went il
little cages made of cork and pins
and suspended on their chatelaines
Big gambling debts began to be con,
tracted by the unfortunates and heavy
orders for dress goods We're sent e