FRISCO’S LITTLE GAMES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 700, 17 September 1875, Page 4

FRISCO’S LITTLE GAMES.

“ San Francisco people love strangers, and they sometimes take ’em in. One of ’em loved me,” writes an emigrant. “ I stepped into a gorgeous saloon—of course only to get a light. There was a baker’s dozen of nice fellows in there. One of 'em spoke ‘ Just in time,’ says he. ‘For what;’ says I. ‘Penny under the heel,’ says he. ‘ All right,' says I. ‘ Take a hand !’ says he. ‘ I will,’ says I. Then he said the way to play it was to put one heel on a penny laid on the floor, then reach forward with a piece of chalk, and ■mark on the floor, as far as possible from the toe, the one whose mark proved to be nearest to the toe was stuck for drinks. It’s a lovely game ! Tmarked, then another fellow marked, and then another fellow marked, and in reaching forward lifted his heel from the penny; then a cuss behind him, quick as flash, picked up the penny, and gave me a sly wink; then he said, ‘ Your heel ain’t on the penny.’ ‘lt is,’ said he. ‘lt ain’t,’says I. ‘ Drinks that it is !’ says he. ‘ Done !’ says I. I found I was done. That fellow hauled off his shoe, and shook out aiiother penny. They sell champagne by the ‘ drink’ here, at two ‘bits’ a glass. They had some and I disbursed three dollars 25 in coin. That chap then came over, and said, ‘ 111 give you a chance to get even.’ ‘ How V savs I. ‘ Odd or even,’ says he. ‘ All right,’ says I. Then he made a 6 on a piece of paper, and held it so that I eould see it; then, ‘ Odd or even 1* * Even,’says I. ‘You’re stuck,’says he, and turned that 6 upside down, and it was 9. I murmured just a little. I told him it was hardly fair to ask if I wanted to get even and then show me odd. He said it did look odd.”