The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-06-21
CHAPTER XIX.
on &c own.

or course Tommy cannot always be
producing plays under fire but while
10 rest blllets 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 viii find regular Garfield.
This man banks nearly oil the games
Of chance and IL an undIsputed author
lty ON the rules Of gambling. When
ever there Is an argument among the
T0mmIes about some uncertain point
as to whether Houghton Is entitled to
Watkins sixpence, the matter is taken
10 the recognized authority and his de-
clsion is fnal.
The two most popular games are
Grown and Anchor" and House"
The paraphernalla used in Grown
and Anchor" consists OF piece OF cam
vas two feet by three feet. This Is
divided into six equal squares. In these
squares are painted a club. diamond,
| heart. spade, crown, and an 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 corner of
billet and starts bally-hoolng until a
crowd OF Tommies gathers around;
then the game starts.
The Tommles place bets on the
squares, the crown or anchor being
played the most. The banker then
rolls his three dice and collects or pays
out as the cnse may be. If you play
the crown and one shows up on the
dice, you get even money, II two show
up, you receive two to one, and II three,
three TO one. II the crown does not APP
pear and you have bet on 1t, you lose,
and so on. The percentage for the
banker is large II every square is
played, but II the crowd is partial to,
say two squares, he has to trust to
luck, The banker generally wins.
The game of blouse" is very popular
also. II takes two men to run It. This
game consists of numerous squares Of
cardboard containing three rows OF
numbers, five numbers to row. The
numbers run from one to ninety. Each
card has different combination.
The French "estemlnets" In the viii
lagos are open from eleven In the morn
ing until one In the afternoon in ac-
cordance with army orders,
After dinner the Tommles congre-
gate at these places to drink French
beer at penny glass and play
House"
As soon as the estamlnet Is sufl-
ciently crowded the proprietors of the
House" game get busy and, as they
term It, eform a school," This consists
OF going around and selling cards at
a franc each. II they have ten In the
school, the hackers of the game de-
duct two francs for their trouble and
the winner gets eight francs.
Then the game starts. Each buyer
, places his card before him ON the Ia
! BILE. first breaking up matches into III
/, teen pieces.
, One Of the hackers OF the game has
small cloth bag in which are ninety
cardboard squares, each with n mum
Der printed thereon, from one TO nine
) ", He raps on the table and cries
! out: eyes down, my lucky lads"
7 All noise ceases and every one Is at
, tention,
The croupler places his hand In the
, bag and draws forth numbered
square and Immediately calls out tbs
! number, The man who owns the care
| with that particular number on It
, covers the square with a match. Th'
! one who covers the fifteen numbers OF
his card first shouts House" Tn,
other hacker immediately comes ovei
to him and yerlfies the card by calling
out the numbers thereon 10 the mnI
with the bag, AS eaeh number l.
called he picks II out OF the onei
picked from the bag and says, Right
II the count Is right he shouts. "Hous,
correct, pay the lucky gentleman. an,
sell him card for the next school
The "lucky gentleman" generally buy
one unless he has a mlser trace il
his veins
Then another collection Is made. |
school formed. and they carry on viii
the game.
The callerout has many nickname
for the numbers such as "Kelly's Eye
for one, Legs Eleven" for eleven
"Cllekety-cllciS' tor slxty-six. or "'ro
OF the house meaning ninety.