Moreover, there can be no doubt
that many modern instances of billiard sharping occur, such as I
have just quoted, in which the unwary are unscrupulously
'fleeced.' I know of several.
'NOT KNOWING YOUR MAN.'
A certain high military character sat down to play with a Russian
prince, who introduced loaded dice. The travelled Englishman
lost every bet; for the Russian never missed his seven or eleven,
and modestly threw only ten times. The supposed pigeon then took
up the box with fair dice; and, having learned to 'secure,'[33]
called different mains at pleasure; threw sixteen times; won all
the aristocrat's money, and wished him good night. Such is the
effect of not knowing your man!
[33] This term means making sure of what you throw.
A BLIND GAMESTER.
John Metcalfe, much better known by the nickname of blind Jack of
Knaresborough, was a celebrity at Harrowgate during the first
quarter of the present century. This extraordinary man had been
deprived of his eyesight at so early a period that he retained no
idea of either light or vision; but his remaining faculties were
so actively employed that few persons in the full enjoyment of
sight have surpassed him in the execution of undertakings, which
seemed particularly to require the exercise of that faculty.
Pages:
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155