n with skittles all over the
country. At a place not ten miles from London, I am told that as much as
two thousand pounds has been seen upon the table in a single 'alley,'
or place of play. The bets were, accordingly, very high. The instances
revealed by exposure at the police-courts give but a faint idea of the
extent of skittle sharping.

Amidst such abuses of the game, it can scarcely surprise us that the
police have been recently directed to prohibit all playing at skittles
and bowls. However much we may regret the interference with popular
pastimes, in themselves unobjectionable, it is evident that their
flagrant abuse warrants the most stringent measures in order to prevent
their constantly repeated and dismal consequences. Even where money was
not played for, pots of beer were the wager--leading, in many instances,
to intoxication, or promoting this habit, which is the cause of so much
misery among the lower orders.

CHAPTER II. PROFESSIONAL GAMESTERS AND THEIR FRAUDS.

A gambling house at the end of the last century was conducted by the
following officials:--

1. A Commissioner,--who was always a proprietor; who looked in of a
night, and audited the week's account with two other proprietors.

2. A Director,--who superintended the room.

3. An Operator,--who dealt the cards at the cheating game called Faro.

4. Two Croupiers, or crow-pees, as they were vulgarly called, whose duty
it was to watch the cards and gather or rake in the money for the bank.

5. Two Puffs,--who had money given to them to decoy others to play.

6. A Clerk,--who was a check on the Puffs, to see that they sank none of
the money given to them to play with.

7. A Squib,--who was a puff of a lower rank, serving at half salary,
whilst learning to deal.

8. A Flasher,--to swear how often the bank had been stripped by lucky
players.

9. A Dunner,--who went about to recover money lost at play.

10. A Waiter,--to fill out wine, snuff candles, and attend the room.

11. An Attorney,--who was generally a Newgate solicitor.

12. A Captain,--who was to fight any gentleman who might be peevish at
losing his money.

13. An Usher,--who lighted the gentlemen up and down stairs, and gave
the word to the porter.

14. A Porter,--who was generally a soldier of the Foot Guards.

15. An Orderly-man,--who walked up and down the outside of the door, to
give notice to the porter, and alarm the house at the approach of the
constables.

16.