Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1918-04-17
On liz own.

On Ills Own,
OF course Tommy cannot alwaJs be
produc.a@ plays under fire but while
in rest bHla.s he has numerous other
ways OF amusing himself. lie is
great gambler, bat never plays for
large stakes. Generally, in each COM
pany, you viii find a regular Garfield.
This man banks nearly all the games
of chance and is an undisputed author
ity on the rules of gambling. When
ever there is an argument among the
TOmmies about some uncertain point
as to whether HoUghtOn is entitled to
Watkins siXpence, the matter is taken
to the recognized authority and his de-
ciSiOn is final.
The two most popular games are
"CroWn and Anchor" and House"
The paraphornalia used in Grown
and Anchor" consists of q piece Of can
vas two feet by three feet. This is
divided into six equal squares. In these
squares are painted club, diamond,
heart, spade, crown, and an anchor,
one device to Il 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
q billet and starts balIy-hooing until a
crowd Of TOmmies gathers around
then the game starts.
The TOmmies 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 case may be. If you play
the crown ana one shows up on the
dice, you get even money, if two show
up, you receive two to one, and If three,
three TO one. If the crown does not ap-
pear and you have bet on it, you lose,
and so on. The percentage for the
banker is large if every square is
played, but if 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. It takes two men to run it. This
game consists of numerous squares Of
cardboard containing three rows of
numbers, five numbers to q row. The
numbers run from one to ninety. Each
card has a different combination.
The French "estaminets" 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 TOmmies congre-
gate at these places to drink French
beer at penny glass and play
House"
AS soon as the estaminet is suffi-
GENTLY crowded the proprietOrs of the
House" game get busy and, as they
term it, form a school," This consists
of going around and selling cards at
franc each. If 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
bic, first breaking up matches into fif-
teen pieces.
One of the hackers of the game has
q small cloth bag in which are ninety
cardboard squares, each with a num-
Der printed thereon, from one to nine
ty. He raps on the table and cries
out: Eyes down, my lucky lads
All noise ceases and every one is at
tentiOn.
The crOuDier places his hand in the
bag and draws forth q numbered
square and Immediately calls out the
number. The man who owns the card
with that particular number on it,
covers the square with match The
one who covers the fifteen numbers on
his card first shouts House" The
other hacker Immediately comes over