GAMBLING “LUCK.”

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1921, Page 4

GAMBLING “LUCK.”

(By A. E. Manning Foster).' MONTE CARLO. , Spiritualism is everywhere nowadays, and I have found it in a place where I should least expect to find it—the gamhling rooms at Monte Carlo. Congratulating a woman player on her wonderful luck at roulette, she replied : “It is not luck.” “You mean you have a system?” I inquired. “Certainly it seems very successful.” “No,” she replied mysteriously, “it is not a system in the ordinary sense. It is something much better. I will tell you. It is my spiritguidcs.” “You mean that the spirits tell yon what to play?” 1 asked. “Certainly,” she said, in a tone "hicli left no doubt as to her deep conviction. “Then why do they sometimes tell you wrong?” “Spirits are not infallible,” she replied ; “I thought everybody knew that.” “Then how ?” 1 began. “I am sorry I told you,” she interposed. “I thought you were an initiate. I see you are only a scoffer.” She turned away scornfully. Now whether spirits can and do

interest themselves in the winning

numbers at roulette f must leave to such authorities as Sir Oliver Lodge, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and the Rev Vale Owen to determine. lam not a

scoffer, merely an inquirer. Certainly the idea makes no more strain on the credulity than the belief in mascots and charms which is widely prevalent among gamblers. I used to think that people just pretended to believe in these tilings, that they toyed with them as pretty, fancifuf idea's which added interest and colour to life.

But not n bit of it, Men and women players here have as firm a faith in thentalismans as tlie lady of my story has in her spirits. Some of them are a little a&hameu their belief and do not display theii mascots openly. They just finger them surrreptitously. But many make no bones about it and vaunt the profound convictions. They can always triumphantly defy anybody to prove a negative. Men and women bring to the casino all sorts of talismans. Lucky pigs in gold, silver or bog-oak are very popular, and so are “touchwood” charms. Some have their lucky stones or pieces of jewellery or wear special colours which they think bring them good fortune. The shops display numerous devices and amulets. Bracelets ot elephant’s skin with gold clasps are often seen and some favour rats’ tails or the skm of a venomous snake. One man was in the habit of bringing to the rooms a small, live tortoise which lie kept in his pocket and touched now and again. Another brought a spider enclosed in a box painted inside half red and halt black. He always [flayed on the colour which the spider lodged in after he had shaken the box. To lose at play is to be lucky in love, and, conversely, no lover wbo has had a winning run at the tables should choose that day to put his fate to the test. 1 heard of a woman who refused a man’s offer because lie proposed to hor 011 an evening when she had had a big win at the Casino.