The Making of a Young Gambler

Do you see that young fellow standing on the other side of the table holding three or four chips in his hand? Said a faro dealer in a gambling house last evening, as he sat in a lookout chair, and watched the maneuvers of a boy apparently 19 years of age, who occupied a place near a faro layout. Yes, said a reporter, what about him? Observe how nervous he is. He does not know whether he is putting his chips down right or wrong, but he will soon learn. He puts only one chip at a time on a card and then watches that chip intently, never taking his eyes off it for a moment or until the dealer rakes it in or else pays it. So far that is about all he knows regarding a faro layout. If that rounder and notorious chip lifter standing behind him could catch him off his guard he would steal that chip off the king and the boy would think the dealer took it. See him now—he is going to put a copper on that chip and then watch developments. If it wins he will reach over and in his nervousness will almost knock over the two chips in trying to pick one off the top of the other. Watch his face; it is as red as an Italian sunset. He is scared someone he knows will see him playing. He does not care whether he loses or wins because he is just learning to play and is therefore too nervous to think of either loss or gain. But he will be blooded when he does learn, as the characteristics of a blooded player stick out all over him. I have been dealing faro for nearly twenty years now and I have seen hundreds of just such commencements. It is a very easy matter for an old dealer to call the turn on a new beginner.