CARDS AND SUPERSTITION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue 9303, 20 March 1907, Page 3

CARDS AND SUPERSTITION.

Card playing gives an observer an insight into one of the many curious phases of human nature — the almost universal belief in luck even amidst educated men of more than average intelligence. Probably only a very few persons would not have repudiated the assertion that they believed in luck; and yet I can recall hardly one who had not some crotchet of his own that could be justified only on the ground that the fall of the cards may be influenced byunknown causes which can in our present state of knowledge only be described as belonging to the category of luck. One player I knew well — I must admit he also believed in astrology — who absolutely Tiefused to play- cards;, during one special month in each year ,because he had reason to believe that that month was unlucky to him. Yet he -was one of the most levelheaded card players I have known, and in ordinary matters a man of gi<eat common sense. I was^ at one time intimately acquainted with a club where the stakes played for were comparatively high, and the play was consequently very good ; and where the players were, with hardly an exception, hard-headed men, who -were keen about winning, and who wei|e at the same time a singularly social, kindly, and liberail-minded body of men. Amongst the members was a very pleasant, quiet old gentleman, whose only occupation was to spend his days at his dub, and especially in its card room. Afc the period when I first knew him ho had ceased playing cards himself, but was extremely fond of watching other pepple play. He was the most inoffensive of spectators, never made comments or criticisms, and simply amused himseilf in watching the fall of the cairds. Gradually, however, experience showed— or was imagined to show— that any player whose cards he overlooked held bad bands, with, as it was asserted, an extraordinary regularity. He invariabiya sked permission beforehand before sitting down beside a player, and the moment the player held bad cards he (offered, without being asked, to leave the table— an off«r which, lam ashamed to say, was invariabl yaccepted To put the fact plainly, he was tabooed from watching 'card playing, because he was supposed to bring ill-luck by the mlera fact of his vicinity.— From an article on Whist by Mr Edward Dicey, C.8., in the Pall Mall Magazine.