Gambling and High Stakes in Western Frontier Towns
In earlier mining camp days gambling thrived despite law, with El Paso Cripple Creek Leadville Goldfield Butte and other towns seeing roulette and poker in hotel lobbies. Prospectors grew rich then broke overnight, losing cattle ranches land and even Denver residence in high risk games. A road agent hold up and a lead City poker game reveal the era’s reckless fortune swings and bold players amid wild frontier gambling lore.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
el Paso
Cripple Creek
Leadville
Goldfield
Butte
Coeur d’Alene
Colorado
Denver
Neutral Strip
No Man’s Land
Oklahoma
Texas
Rio Grande
Pasenger
Cloud City
Gambling high and low in the western mining era
A vivid survey of gambling exploits across the Rocky Mountain region from Comstock Lode to Coeur d'Alene and Cheyenne. Mexicans sink a shaft to win a quarter share of a world famous vein, a Idaho gambler loses big by a queen of spades, and a Seattle dealer and a mysterious stranger ride hot streaks. A mule race in Arizona sparks a claim worth millions as luck and risk collide in frontier mining towns.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rocky Mountain Country
Comstock Lode
Virginia
Nevada
United States
Coeur d'Alene
Idaho
Queen of Hearts
Cheyenne
Wyoming
Northwest
Seattle
Stranger
Puzzling Trick With Tape and Hidden Knot
A magician describes a tape illusion using two loops and a middle cut trick. Through careful finger moves and a shake beforehand, the knot is formed and later concealed, then the tape appears whole again as the audience watches.
Make a Winter Skipjack Coaster from a Barrel Stave
A handy boy can craft a fun winter coaster by repurposing a stout barrel stave into a skipjack sled. Build a 16 inch tall upright support, braced front and back, with a seat formed from an 18 by 6 inch board. Seat firmly, lift feet, and glide down a short slope.
Optical Illusion Toy Demonstrated with Cardboard Strip
A simple optical illusion uses stout cardboard cut into bars with a narrow back strip and a small fastener so the piece can turn. When nearly upright the edges appear parallel, but as it lowers the illusion that they are not remains to increase the effect.
What Had She Been Doing
A local Sunday school teacher tries to admonish a young boy with a grave remark about not meeting in the better land. The boy reacts with surprised innocence asking what the teacher has been doing of now.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Johnnie
Riddles and wordplay from a lighthearted quiz piece
A collection of pun driven jokes and riddles on topics from bachelors to tea to letters and composers. The items hinge on pronunciation and wordplay, delivering quick punchlines and groan worthy puns.
The Hour of Need and Bedtime Prayers Exchange
George an 8 year old questions Bess 6 about prayers before meals Bess explains they pray at night and are not afraid in the day Quotation from Harper s Bazaar reflects child friendly dialogue and belief.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
George
Bess
Harper’s Bavar
Exhausted. Mother to Tommy over butter and gas
A distressed exchange between a mother and her son Tommy as she asks him to fetch butter from the store while noting they are out of gasoline. The line captures household strain and a child's apologetic response.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Tommy
Moth
Also Mentioned on This Page
West
Cayuse
Jonah
Arizona
Arkins
Patch
Cayenne
Peckham
Peck ’Em
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