ly throw away large sums in this
wretched game. A large share of the earnings of the poor go in policy
playing. It seems to exercise a terrible fascination over its victims.
They concentrate all their efforts on devising systems and lucky numbers,
and continue betting in the vain hope that fortune will yet reward them
with a lucky "gig" or "saddle." All the while they grow poorer, and the
policy dealers richer. The negroes are most inveterate policy players.
They are firm believers in dreams and dream books. Every dream has its
corresponding number set down in the books. To dream of a man, is one;
of a woman, five; of both, fifteen; of a colored man, fourteen; of a
"_genteel_ colored man," eleven; and so on. A publishing firm in Ann
street sells several thousand copies of these dream books every month.
The negroes are not the only purchasers. Even men accounted "shrewd" in
Wall street are among the number. Indeed Wall street furnishes some of
the most noted policy players in the city.

The policy offices are generally dingy little holes, and may be
recognized by the invariable sign, "Exchange," over the door or in the
window. They are located principally in the most wretched quarters of
the city.

Visitors to the Lunatic Asylum and the Almshouse may see a number of
instances of the fatal results of policy playing.

LXVI. PETER COOPER.

Peter Cooper was born in New York, on the 12th of February, 1791. His
maternal grandfather, John Campbell, was Mayor of New York and Deputy
Quartermaster General during the Revolution, and his father was a
lieutenant in the Continental army. After the return of peace,
Lieutenant Cooper resumed his avocation as a hatter, in which he
continued until his death. It required close attention to business and
hard work to make a living in those days, and as soon as young Peter was
old enough to pick the fur from the rabbit skins which were used in
making hats, he was set to work. He had no opportunity to go to school.
"I have never had any time to get an education," he once said, "and all
that I know I have had to pick up as I went along." He continued in the
hat trade until he had thoroughly mastered it, and afterwards became a
brewer, pursuing this trade for two years, at the end of which time he
apprenticed himself to a coachmaker. Upon completing his term at this
trade, he engaged with his brother in the cloth-shearing business, and
continued in it until the gener