The Gaming Table: Its Votaries and Victims. Volume 2 (of 2)Steinmetz, Andrew
History
The Gaming Table: Its Votaries and Victims. Volume 2 (of 2)
Steinmetz, Andrew
Gambling
The commanding officer of a Militia regiment having passed an evening
with several of his officers, carried one of them, who was much
intoxicated, to town with him. How the rest of the night was passed was
not known--at least to the young man; but in the morning the colonel
slipped into his hand a memorandum of his having lost to him at play
L700--for which sum he was actually arrested ON THE PARADE the same day,
and was compelled to grant an annuity to a nominee of the colonel for
L100 per annum!
A GAMESTER TO THE BACK-BONE.
Archdeacon Bruges mentions a gentleman who was so thorough a gamester,
that he left in his will an injunction that his bones should be
made into dice, and his skin prepared so as to be a covering for
dice-boxes!(31)
(31) A similar anecdote is related of a Frenchman.
FOOTE'S WITTICISMS.
A blackleg, famous for 'cogging a die,' said that there had been great
sport at Newmarket. 'What!' said Foote, 'I suppose you were detected,
and kicked out of the Hazard room.'
F--d, the Clerk of the Arraigns, brought off Lookup when indicted for
perjury. Foote, afterwards playing with him at Whist, said, 'F--d,
you can do anything, after bringing of Lookup. I don't wonder you hold
thirteen trumps in your hand. The least he could do was to teach you the
"long shuffle" for your services.'
The Rev. Dr Dodd was a very unlucky gamester, and received a guinea
to forfeit twenty if he ever played again above a guinea. This, among
gamblers, is termed being TIED UP. When the doctor was executed for
forgery a gentleman observed to Foote--'I suppose the doctor is launched
into eternity by this time.' 'How so?' said Foote, 'he was TIED UP long
ago.'
EFFECT OF A SEVERE LOSS AT PLAY.
Lord C-- lost one night L33,000 to General Scott. The amiable peer,
however, benefited by the severe lesson, and resolved never again to
lose more than one hundred at a sitting! He is said to have strictly
kept his resolve.
PADDY'S DECISION.
Some gamblers duping a country fellow at the game called Put, in a
public-house near St Pancras, one of them appealed to an Irishman who
was looking on whether he had not THREE TREYS IN HIS HAND? 'You had all
that,' said Paddy; 'and what's more, I saw you TAKE THEM ALL out of your
pocket.'
GAMBLING CAUSED BY GRIEF.
The Honourable Jesse Anker, in order to dissipate the gloom occasioned
by the loss of his wife, whom he passionately loved, had recourse to
gaming, by which, at different times, he lost considerable sums, but
not so as to injure his property, which was very large, in any material
degree. The remedy did not prove effectual; he shot himself at his
lodgings at Bath.
A GAMBLER'S EXCUSE FOR NOT BEING A SECOND IN A DUEL.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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