Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-18
Chapter is Continued.l.

the rope stairway, sthere was a howl or indignation, but we had their money and told them that if they did not like it they could write to the management later and their money would be refunded but under these conditions they would not be above to witness the performance that night.
 After a little grousing they accepted the situation with the promise that if the show was rotten they certainly would let us know about it during the performance.
 Everything went lovely and it was a bowling success, until Alkau Ike appeared on the scene with his re- volver loaded with blank cartridges. Behind the bar on a shelf was long line of bottles. Alkali Ike was sup posed to start on the left of this line and break six of the bottles by firing at them with his revolver. Behind these bottles piece of painted can vas was supposed to represent the back of the bar. at each shot from Alkali's pistol a man behind the scenes would hit one of the bottles with his entrenching tool handle and smash it to give the impression that AIkaI was a good shot.
 Alkali Ike started in and aimed at the right of the line of bottles instead of the left, and the poor boob be- hind the scenes started breaking the bottles on the left, and then the box holders turned loose; but outside of this little fiasco the performance was a huge success, and we decided to run it for a week
 New troops were constantly coming through and for six performances we had the IS. R. O." sign suspended outside. .-
 CHAPTER XIX.
 ON HIS OWN Of course, Tommy cannot always be ] producing plays under fire but while | in rest billets he has numerous other ways of amusing himself. He is a | great gambler, but never plays for
 large stakes. Generally, in each com
 pany, you will find a regular Canfield. This man banks nearly all the games
 of chance and is an undisputed au- | thority on the rules of ambling. Whenever there is an argument l among the Tommies about some un-
 certain points as to whether Hough- l ton is entitled to Watkins sixpence the matter is taken to the recognized
 authority and his decision is final
 The two most popular games are
 Grown and Anchor" and House
 The paraphernalia ustd in "CrowI and Anchor" consists of a piece oi
 canvas two feet by three feet. This
 is divided into six equal squares. IT
 these squares are painted club, dia-
 Inond; heart spade, crown, and al
 anchor. one device to square There are three dice used each dice marked
 the same as the canvas The banker sets up his gambling outfit in the cor ner of billet and starts ballyhooins until a crowd of Tommies gathel
 around; then the game starts. The Tommies place bets on thu squares, the crown or anchor being
 played the most The banker thel
 rolls his dice and collects or pays ou as the case may be. If you play tn
 crown and one shows up on the dice
 you get even money, if, two show
 up, you receive two to one, and three three to one. If the crow l, does not appear and you have bet O , it, you lose, and so on. The percent
 age for the banker is large if ever
 square is played, but if the crow , is partial to say two squares he ha l to trust to luck. The banker general } ly wins.
 The game of House is very pop
 ular also. It takes two men to ru it. This game consists of numerou } squares of cardboard containing thre 5 rows of numbers, five numbers to row. The numbers run from one t 1 ninety. Each card has a differen
 combination.
 The French estanlinets in the vii l lages are open from eleven in tn 5 morning until one in the afternoon i ] accordance with army orders.
 After dinner the Tommies congre l Oatn of these nlacaS tn drink Eranc beer at penny a glass and pla l House"
 } As soon as the estaminet is suH :. ciently crowded the proprietors (
 the House Game'' get busy and a
 they term it, form a school" Thi l consists of going around and sellin :, cards at a franc each. If they hay 8 ten in the school the packers of tn :, game deduct two francs for the ] trouble and the winner gets eigf 1 francs.
 Then the game starts. Each buye I places his card before him on tf n table, first breaking up matches int v fifteen pieces.
 Il One of the packers of the gam t has a small cloth bag in which al
 ninety cardboard squares. each wit
 number printed thereon, from or e to ninety. He raps on the table an g cries out, Eyes down: my lucky lads n All noise ceases and everyone is al e tention
 s The eroupier places his hand in tl
 bag and draws forth a numbere
 square and immediately calls out tf t number. The man who owns the car e, with that particular number on II covers the square. with match. I'll n one who covers the fifteen number r on his card first shouts House" I'll T other packer immediately comes ov'
 to him and verifies the card. by cal
 ling out the numbers thereon to .tl = man with the bag. As each numbt ), is called he picks it out of the ont y picked from the bag and say d Right" If the count is right l = shouts, House correct, pay the luck : gentleman and sell him a card for. u l. next school" The lucky gentleman 6 generally buys one unless he has e Semitic trace in his veins. l. Then another collection is made
 school formed, and they carry on vii $ the game. %t -tt- l. The caller -out has many nicknam e for the numbers, such as Kelly e Eye" for one Legs Eleven" fl $ eleven, "Clickety- click for sixty = to Aret c+rinr hackston Manag