tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post4704366859170316192..comments2024-03-29T01:33:22.669-07:00Comments on Buddies in the Saddle: Old West glossary, no. 40Ron Scheerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-30733229050338460862012-08-22T17:07:10.955-07:002012-08-22T17:07:10.955-07:00Wow. Straggle off for a couple weeks and a fellar ...Wow. Straggle off for a couple weeks and a fellar comes back to a whole bunch of fine blog posts. It'll take me 'til Friday to get caught up. Thanks for another swell batch of jargon. We used straggle and straggler all the time back on the farm.Richard Proschhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08314680709014254183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-90602751993143535052012-08-20T09:53:44.579-07:002012-08-20T09:53:44.579-07:00Thanks, JR, for elaborating on this subject. I'...Thanks, JR, for elaborating on this subject. I've found that many faro and poker terms were used metaphorically as well as literally. Here's the context for "turn a split": Texas Thompson, who has troubles with his wife, says, "She ain't lottin' much on me nohow, an' if the correspondence between us gets much more fitful, she's goin' p'intin' out for a divorce. This deal's liable to turn a split for me in my domestic affairs."Ron Scheerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15357501069513854664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-35385863169876610992012-08-20T09:11:54.108-07:002012-08-20T09:11:54.108-07:00"Keep case" is also a faro term. It doe..."Keep case" is also a faro term. It does mean to keep track of cards, specifically by using the faro "casekeeper" (also called simply the "case"), an abacus-like frame with a sliding bead or button for each card in the deck). The progress of a faro game could be tracked by watching the casekeeper, as it ticked off cards already played (by denimination only; suits are irrelevant in faro).<br /><br />For further confusion, the person operating the device was also known as the casekeeper. It was not unheard of for a player at a table to act in this capacity ("keep case"), so when Lewis' character says that he's “doin’ business at the table...an’ keepin’ likewise case on the game,” he probably means literally that he's operating the casekeeper while also placing bets as a player.J.R. Sandershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10511603727123441740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-56409155119518200702012-08-20T08:57:11.126-07:002012-08-20T08:57:11.126-07:00I'd guess that the use of "turn a split&q...I'd guess that the use of "turn a split" in Wolfville is a reference to the game of faro, in which if the dealer turns up a "split" (meaning both the bank card and player's card in a turn are the same denomination), the bank takes half of any bet on that card. Thus the player neither wins nor loses the turn, but loses some money.J.R. Sandershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10511603727123441740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-46501715590169340712012-08-13T11:13:47.509-07:002012-08-13T11:13:47.509-07:00Some of these are hilarious, just like the book Wo...Some of these are hilarious, just like the book Wolfville.Oscar Casehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10328166606910469945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3434602314756730550.post-55968686129318688082012-08-13T08:04:06.080-07:002012-08-13T08:04:06.080-07:00I've heard Injun used that way. I think we use...I've heard Injun used that way. I think we used it as a kid that way. Some of the others too. Apple Crump sure sounds familiar.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.com