Williams news., 1919-01-03
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 con- pany, you will find regular Garfield. This man banks nearly all the games of chance and is an undfsputed 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 Grown and Anchor" and House.
 The paraphernalia used in Grown and Anchor" consists of piece of can 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 a 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-hooing until 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 and one shows up on the dice, you get even money, if two show tn nd 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 mck. The banker generally wins.
 The game of "House" 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 row. The numbers run from one to ninety. Each card has different combination.
 The French "estaminets" in the will lages are open from eleven in the morn ing until one in the afternoon in ac- cordance with army orders
 After dinner the .Tomnaies congre- gate at these places to drink French beer at a penny a glass and play House"
 As soon as the estaminet is suffi- cfently crowded the proprietors of the House" game get busy and, as they term 1t, form school" This consists of going around and selling cards at franc each. If they have ten in the school, the packers of the game, de duct two! francs for their trouble and the winner gets eight francs. II
 Then the game starts. Each buyer 1 places his card before him on the ta- ble, first breaking up matches into fif- | teen pieces.
 One of the packers of the game has small cloth bag in which are ninety cardboard squares. each with a mum. Der printed thereon. from one to nine l ty. He raps on the table and cries l out: Eyes down. my lucky lads."
 All noise ceases and every one is at- l tention.
 The croupier places his hand in the | bag and draws forth numbered square and immediately calls out the number. The man who owns the card with that particular number on it, covers the square with a match. The one who covers the fifteen numbers on his card first shouts House. The other packer immediately comes over : to him and verif1es the card by calling out the numbers thereon to the man baga-s~Assa each-.number is... called he picks it out of the ones picked from the bag and says, "Right."