Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-07-28
The Story Of Game Of Cards Played
by Bismarck. Count Nesselr0de and a
French Consul.
Prom Appletons' journal.


French Consul.
From Appletons' Journal.
One hot afternoon in the month of Au-
guo. 67, three men sat around table in
a private paror at the hotel Darmstadt. at
E S, Germany, taking such comfort as
they could derive from the juice of Rhenish
grape and pack of cards. The most con-
spicuous figure of the group was large
man with bald head, grayish blue eyes, a
heavy light-colored moustache, airs about
him that woCld have done honor to the
imperial purple. This parsonage had even
then achieved some fame, and was tolera-
bly, well known to reading people by the
name of Bismarck. Next to him sat an
other bald-headed individual. inferior to
Bismarck in stature, with border of black
hair about the base of his skull that looked
like the rim of an old felt hat (ruthlessly
robbed of its CROWN, condemned TO remain
there as permanent fixture, Daring
the Crimean war the father of this man dgss
ured at the Cabinet councils in st. Peters
burg as Count Nesselrodo, but the son was
only known as clever gamester and an
habitue of the fashionable European water
ing places. The third member of the par
ty was little fellow $50 little that his feet
scarcely touched the foor), with dark,
piercing eyes, swarthy skin and vivacity
enough for half dozen ordinary men. At
the time of which we speak he was the
French Consul at Stuttgart. All OF them
had been partaking freely OF wine, and
each in turn shuf1led the cards with a vim
that the generous grape imparts even to
the most phlegmstia temperament. The
Frenchman, in the interludes Of the play,
kept up running fire of conversation,
skipping from topic to topic with facility
which only Frenchmen enjoy, until, warm
ing as he went on, he ventured the declar-
alton that France would one day mark n ar
boundary by the Rhine from Basel to the
sea.
"A hundred fredericks to fifty" exclaim
ed Nesselrode, "that she won't"
Done" replied the Frenchman, land
let the game be the tort1ne-teller. "
They shutfled the cards, and the French
man lost.
"Another wager!" said NesselroIe, with
glance at Bismarck, who eyed his two
companions calmly, though never uttering
single word. Another wager! Two
hundred and fifty that within five years
France and Prussia measure swords, and
that France YIELDS Alsace and the whole
disputed border"
"Cest impoSsi6le! excitedly responded
the Consul.
Again the cards were shuff1ed At the
fourth play Bismarck and the Frenchman
had each taken two tricks. II was the
Russians lead He threw the queen of
clubs upon the table.
'Kingw shouted the Frenchman in tri-
umph, rs he covered Nesselrode's card,
and extended his hand to seize the prize.
"Not so fast. coolly remarked the Prus.
sian Premier, II believe the game is mine;
and casting the ace, he leaned back in his
chair and laughed heartily
Mon Dhut" shouted the disoomftted
player 'but cards always were liars" and
unable to conceal the chagrin and excite
ment that overmastered him, he rose from
the table and quilted the room.
Three years have scacrely elapsed since the
incident here narrated IAN incident which
Nesselrode told with hearty satisfaction in
the Ems cafes that summer), aud, now The
big cloud of war that mas lowered over Eu-
rope has burst, the result may prove that
the cards were not such liars after all.