Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1909-04-09
THEY STAKE LIFE
VERY CHEERFULLY
CHINESE A NATION OF GAMBLERS
WHO BET ON EVERYTHING.

Gambling has become a national
trait Of the Chinese and there isn't
thing, however trivial, that they won't
take chances on. The itinerant trades
man, hucksters and others at the road
side have their bowls into which are
thrown dice. Gambling houses are
everywhere and, though nominally
under the ban, continue to do flourish
ing business by bribing the local Of
ficers. One can't expect anything bet
ter from the latter when they have
been brought up to the same thing and
always keep In practice themselves.
Even the women in their own private
apartments while away the hours with
cards and dominoes. Gossip and
gaming are about the only employ
ments as we'll as recreation for the
women of the upper and middle class
es. Coolies between jobs spend most
Of their time and hardearned cash
gambling.
The Spaniards have their bull fights,
the Americans their pugilistic encount-
ers, but the contest dear to China
mans heart is cricket fight, or, some
times, quail fight. Hundreds Of dol
lars are lost and won on these contests.
But on things of deeper import do they
gamb BILE also, even on life itself, taking
wonderfully long chances. This may
arise in part from the fact that they
are more or less fatalistic in belief and
that the great majority of them GER
tainly have but little in their lives to
make life attractive. With millions of
them it is not much more than animal
existence.
As last stake, put up in desperation
in the hope that luck will change, the
Chinese offers his finger. 1t is test
Of courage and honor and means much
more than is evidenced on lie surface,
for Chinese firmly believes that as he
leaves the world so will he be in the
next On account Of this belief it is Of
ten impossible to get consent to am
putate disease or injured member,
though the patient himself can see that
it is his only chance. But his innate
gambling spirit and his superstitlous
ideas make him willing to take the long
chance, grim death only too often TAX
ing the trick.
No matter how hungry a Chinese
may be, he would rather spend his
last cash playing for his dinner with
sight or nine chances in ten that he will
90 hungry until the exchequer is re-
which may not be until next
day, than buy what he needs outright.
Every block or two along a city's
streets are the foe1 gamblers with their
baskets of near-foOd on their arms.
They call attention to their wares by
the rattle of the narrow, numbered
strips Of bamboo which they shake up
and down in hollow joint of bamboo
with piece Of skin tied over one end.
In other words, they carry their slot
with them. 1t is a drawing
Or not of the right strips that deter
mines whether the gamester Will have
4 feeling of satisfaction under the girdle
Or have to draw it an inch or two tigk-
Ter to quiet the cravings Of an "aching
void"
In crossing the Pacific ohe gets a
good idea of the universality Of gam
bling among this people. On fair days
The lower deck is often completely fill
ID with groups of Pig-tailed Celestials
,hattering and gesticulating as though
they were bent ON taking each others
lives over their cards, dice or dominoes.