Slot

“ Slot′ting-machine′, a machine for cutting slots or square grooves in metal. [Slit.]
Slot, slot, n. the track of a deer. [Ice. slóth, track, path; Scot. sleuth, track by the scent.]
Sloth, slōth, or sloth, n. laziness, sluggishness: a sluggish arboreal animal of tropical America, of two genera (Cholœpus, the two-toed sloth, and Bradypus, the three-toed sloth) .—adj. Sloth′ful, given to sloth: inactive: lazy.—adv. ”

“ Another fellow and I got a system on slot machines, and one day we beat the machines out of a shotbag full of nickels, and when we showed up at the tent all the fellows wanted to know how we did it, and pa said it was gambling, and we ought not to do it, but he also wanted to know how we managed to win, and when we told pa about it pa said it was no sin to beat a slot machine, 'cause it was an inanimate thing, just a machine, and anybody who could beat a nickel in the slot machine at his own game was equal to a Rockefeller. ”

“ He was taking tickets and deftly slipping them into a slot in a tin box which stood beside him on a chair; on the stairs leading to the ballroom, a man with a mass of brass checks hanging by strings from his fingers was keeping up a continuous fire of patter. ”

“ Ordinarily the owners and saloonkeepers divide the winnings of all slot machines. In a fair machine the winnings fall into the receptacle A. Most of the money gambled by players found its way into this depository. ”

“ Are or are not the slots of made in the web of the rail? A. 24. They are. Q. 25. Name some of the familiar uses in mechanics of slots for the purposes of adjustment, and describe the manner of their use. A. 25. They are so generally used in the construction of everything that is made of iron, or that iron is used in the construction of, that it would be almost impossible to pick out anything they were not used in for the purpose of adjustment. ”

“ Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears, while The used key is always bright, as Poor Richard says. ”

“ I asked the auctioneer if the contents went with the chest, my real object being to get a look at the lock which seemed a very old one of steel, though it was much damaged and lacked a key. I was answered with a torrent of speech in true auctioneer fashion:
"Aye, good master. Take the lot just as it stands. An oaken kist, hundreds of years aud and still worthy a rest in the house-place of any man who has goods to guard. It wants a key, truth to tell; but the lock is a fine aud one and you can easy fit a key. ”

“ If this empty pocket into which the last man falls is in the inner row and has opposite it a pocket in the opponent’s inner row containing one or more men, the player captures these men and at once removes them from the board. And if there are one or more men in the corresponding opposite pocket of the opponent’s outer row, they must also be taken. ”

“ On a carom table he has the right to play on either ball, even though both should be within the “string.” On a pocket table it is his privilege to have the red placed on its appropriate spot, or he may elect to play the balls as they are. Should he adopt the latter course in this instance, or at any other time he happens to be in hand on a pocket table, he must, before hitting either of the balls in the “string,” cause his own to pass outside.
5. When a player is in hand on a carom table, and the other balls are within the “string,” he may play directly upon either. ”

“ Therefore, no record is kept of the suits of the cards which have been played, but only of their values. The position of the balls at [187] the commencement of the game is at the left hand side of their respective divisions, as shown in the illustration. When a king, for example, is drawn out of the box, one ball, opposite the miniature king on the cue-keeper, is slipped to the right, and so on until all the fifty-two cards have been played, when, of course, the whole of the balls are at the right of the apparatus. ”

“ If possible, lead an ace, or from a short suit of king or queen, or from a suit of equals, as king, queen, or queen, knave, or knave, ten.
In general do not lead trumps up to the dealer's adoption; but with three trumps, and the score two points in your favor, lead a trump, if the turn-up is not above the king. If you hold the two bowers and an outside ace, always lead them in the order named.
Always lead a trump when your partner has ordered up, or made the trump. If you have no trump, play your best card. Avoid leading the turn-down until at least one round of trumps has been played. ”

“ Flush.—When, the cards are all of one suit, they reckon for as many points as there are cards. For a flush in the crib, the turned-up card must be of the same suit as those put out. Nob.—The knave of the suit turned up reckons for one point; if a knave be turned up, the dealer marks two. End Hole.—The point scored by the last player, if he make under thirty-one; if he make thirty-one exactly, he marks two. Last.—Three points taken at the commencement of the game of five-card cribbage by the non-dealer. ”

“ A stake is driven in the ground (or if in a gymnasium, an Indian club is placed) in the center of a square plainly marked, and measuring from eight to twelve feet. A throwing line is drawn twenty or more feet from the stake. The game is played with bean bags, and begins with the choice of a guard. This choice is made by all of the players standing on the throwing line and throwing their bags at the stake. The player whose bag falls farthest away from the stake becomes the first guard. ”

“ At the word of command the box begins to play, and when desired by the exhibitor or one of the audience, it suddenly ceases. The effect is really marvellous, but the secret of the trick is very simple. In the box there is placed a balance lever, which, when the glass is in the slightest degree tilted, arrests the fly-fan, and thus prevents the machinery from moving. When the performer gives the word of command, the glass is made level, and, the fly fan being released, the machinery moves, and a tune is played. ”

“ Another feat of dexterity is slipping the card, that is, slipping it from top, bottom, or centre, or placing one or two cards from the top. If you’re playing a game at all-fours and you know the ace of clubs is at the bottom, you can slip it one from the top, so that you know your partner opposite has it. ”

“ The poker thrust though the wooden slips of the shutter held the rope quite solidly. I attached my rope to the poker with an expert knot that I had picked up at a course in tying knots during a preposterously dull week I had spent at the base in France. Then I dragged from the bed the gigantic eiderdown pincushion and the two massive pillows, stripping off the pillow-slips lest their whiteness might attract attention whilst they were fulfilling the unusual mission for which I destined them. ”

“ But he heard the jingle of many keys in her hand and the creak of the lock, as she tried each key ... and failed!
“Oh, this one will open it,” she whispered, each time. “Oh, this one must!”
Then, at last, she came to the last key in her hand. She thrust it into the hole: it fitted perfectly. She turned it—snap! The lock flew open. ”

“ If any player have more or less than five cards dealt to him, and if the fact be not announced before any portion of the hand is raised from the table, such hand is a foul hand, and the player to whom it is dealt shall place his cards, face downwards, on the table, and retire from the game, and shall forfeit his stake in that game.
14. If a player be compelled to retire from the game in consequence of having a foul hand dealt to him, his stake, [49] if he has staked, shall remain in the pool, and the dealer shall refund such player the amount of his ante or straddle only in that game. ”

“ The extreme circumference is a kind of counter or depôt for the stakes, marked all round with the letters E and O; on which each adventurer places money according to his inclination. The interior part of the table consists first, of a kind of gallery, or rolling-place, for the ball, which, with the outward parts, above called depôt or counter, is stationary or fixed. The most interior part moves upon an axis, or pivot, and is turned about with handles, while the ball is set in motion round the gallery. ”

“ The 235dotted line running from the slit to the foot of the table’s leg represents a wire which operates a spring whereby the card is forced upward, or lowered, through the slit, at the option of the manipulator. “A” is a point at which is inserted a small knob, or button, pressure upon which works the spring. By pressing with his foot at “B,” the player accomplishes the same result. The method of its use is as follows: The abstracted cards are placed in the slit, the player holding his hand of cards in front of it ”

“ The third stake is obtained by the eldest player, who may hold, either from the cards dealt, or obtain by drawing in addition from the stock, thirty-one, or the highest number under that; each ace, king, queen, and knave being calculated as ten, and the rest according to their pips; any one drawing above thirty-one loses of course. ”

“ Trick 4.—To make two odd tricks is simple. To win the game A must not get the lead. With an established suit against you, you should not take a finesse, which would allow the adversary with the established suit to obtain the lead. To lead the queen of clubs from Y’s hands would be dangerous. The possibilities lie in the diamond suit. Z, therefore, leads a diamond and allows B to win the trick. The dealer must play the ace of clubs, for, should the diamonds fall, the game is assured. ”

“ The bystanders having staked their money according to their choice on a board marked in divisions for this purpose, the horses are started revolving rapidly together by means of mechanism attached to the board, and the horse which stops nearest a marked goal wins, every player who has staked on that horse receiving so many times his stake. ”

“ Despite what many wise card players maintain, a deck can be stacked in the shuffle—if there are not more than three, or at the most four, players; but in a half-dozen riffles of the cards I can put a good hand at the bottom and deal it at will though the eyes of twenty men are on me. ”

“ Before beginning the game each player places a single counter in each of the pockets of his outer row and two counters in each pocket of his inner row, except that the pocket on his extreme left in the inner row is kept vacant and the one next to it holds but one man. ”

“ How to hold the Racket—One finds many different ways of holding the racket among good players, and no exact rule has ever been received as correct. Still, nearly all good players observe certain principles in holding a racket. It is of the first importance that you should be able to play a ball either fore- or back-handed without changing your hold on the racket. If the hold is changed, there is always danger of not getting the racket into the right position quickly enough. ”

“ The lowest is the dealer, who has choice of cards and seats, and who, having once made his selection, must abide by it.
Six players constitute a full table, and no player shall have a right to cut into a game which is complete. ”

“ If the player has traded, either for ready money or barter, and has secured a hand strong enough, he at once stands, and exposes his cards; if not, the dealer passes or to the next player, and acts in a similar manner, going round and round the table until one of the players decides to stand, when the hands are exposed and the round settled. ”

“ No player may go outside of the circle formed by the chairs.
HUNT THE RING All the players stand in a circle holding a long cord, which forms an endless band upon which a ring has been slipped before it was joined at the ends. This ring is passed rapidly from one player to another—always on the cord and concealed by the hand—while somebody in the center endeavors to seize the hands of the person who holds it, who, when actually caught, takes his place within the circle. ”

“ For instance, if the player who is signalling is seen to lay his right hand open upon the table, that may serve to indicate hearts; if the hand, instead of lying flat, is resting upon its side, that may mean spades; if clenched flat on the table, clubs may be signified; and finally, if clenched and thumb upwards, that may denote diamonds. The values of the cards are no less easy to indicate. If the telegraphist looks upwards, that may mean an ace; if downwards, a king; if to the left, a queen; if straight in front of him, a knave ”

“ A game at cards not unlike Loo, but with this difference, the winner of one trick has to put in a double stake, the winner of two tricks a triple stake, and so on. Thus, if six persons are playing, and the general stake is 1s., suppose A gains the three tricks, he gains 6s., and has to ‘hand i’ the cap,’ or pool, 4s. ”

“ A ball made of india rubber and covered with cloth, and a "racket" for each player are the implements needed for playing. The racket is used for handling the ball, and is about two feet in length, with net work at the outer end, by means of which the ball is tossed from one place to another. Rules for playing the game are obtained with the implements needed, which can be procured from dealers in such lines of goods. ”

“ As leader infer from the fall of the cards, relying on your partner’s correct third-hand play, the position of the remaining cards of your long suit. Correct inferences will assist you to decide whether to continue or to abandon the suit. If you find the cards so placed that an advantageous lead of the suit must come from your partner, plan carefully how best to put him in the lead. ”

“ Rackets.—The choice of a racket is an important matter, and it is also a difficult one. Young players seem to take pleasure in selecting the most extraordinary rackets in a shop. Let me strongly advise them to avoid all unusual handles, heads, or methods of stringing. All these eccentricities are useless at the best. Nothing is so good as the simplest form of racket, possessing an octagonal handle, and strung in the usual way. Such a racket is used by all the better match-players in England. ”