The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-17

rudlment5 OF the game. ne VIII tiJ ~,
when he knows there are threes out agalnst
| him, and he never does more than call ifhe
happens to hold fours. So 1t is next to lmpos-
o,ble for him to be very successful. no matter
.)w much fortune may favor / N He and
John A. Green, the latter the most pompous
| colored gentleman In the Legislature, manage
to dispose of their entire winter earnings
aronnd the green cloth. Green Is a bullet
headed darkey. 1t is said that he can neither
read nor write. His infatuation for poker, as
expounded by Uncle Joe Crews, has cost him
many a hard-earned bride. He is q legislator,
and belongs to the class of which Uncle Joe
and John Dennis are the acknowledged lead
ers1the class who reside in Columbia the year
round, and are never seen among their con
stituents.
Il NATr1Esr coLonED POKER PLAYER
in all Is W. q. PurvIs, formerly OF Philadelphia,
the honored member from Lexington. PUT
Wis was defeated at the last election, but
makes the state capital his headquarters,
where he is known as an active lobbyman.
He is very black, and shows his Northern
training. BE drives q handsome horse and
buggy, and, like the President OF the United
States, he may be seen with a hne cigar IN ms
mouth at all hours. He Is generally success
full at poker, although this past winter MS
losses have been pretty heavy.
Tom Jones, another very black poker player,
Is an importation from your city. He ID q
member from Charleston County. Jones is a
smooth-faced fellow, and impresses one with
the air of a millionaire as he sails into Hardy
Solomou's bank for discounts, arm in arm With
his particular friend, General Whipper. AS o
poker player Jones is up to the average, al
though by no means o match Tor Ben Byae, or
the king Of all players, Uncle Joe Crews.
Either one of these gentlemen would make
the dusky Jones look sick Il they set about 1t
in earnest. They are lenient with him, now,
ever, for Jones, they say, is a good fellow, ana
besides he has O wife to support. When 1t
porting families Uncle Joe always refuses. He
has a noble heart, and would no more bring
suffering upon any one than he would rake
down q pot with a pair OF deuces.
TIE MOST INFATUATED POKER PLAYER
in Columbia Is Major Samuel Dickersop,
of the South Carolina National Guard.
The major cannot be called a legislator,
for he is not actually q member OF
either House; but it cannot be denied
that his well-known principles, freely ex-
pressed on all occasions. have had much to do
in shaping the wise aud bene6cent legislation
which has SO justly characterized the past ses.
sion. The major Is devoted worshipper OF
the little game, but he is also a patriot, and
hence he Is always poor. Every dollar that
he can raise land the majors dollars are not
plentiful) is cast into the game OF draw-pokeT.
He is not skilful. He does not even under
stand the game; but if fifty cents can be raised
anywhere the major invests, and always, as 1t
turns out. TO his disadvantage The majors
singular. iniatuation Is fast telling upon his
reputation. He is rapidly losing the respect
Of the citizens of Columbia. They pass him
by without noticing him, when those who
should be his best friends do naught but sheer
and soofr. Even his most marked character
istic-his or ltorv.is used against him as one
of irony's keenest weapons. A vile carpet
Dagger named Tim Hurley delights TO use this
shaft and some Of the majors very best efforts
are misinterpreted and misquoled by Hurley
in the most shocking manner. One OF Hur-
ley's, perversions OF the truth in this respect Is
worthy Of record, not perhaps to Illustrate
Major DickersoD's poverty 80 much as to show
the heartlesspess that prompts the recital of
the sadstory. The major had spent
WHOLE NIGHT AT A POKER TABLE,
and had lost every. cent he had in the world
one dollar and fifty cents. Coming down
Richardson street next morning he met
Hurley. The major looked detected and hay
gard. His eye was wild and rolling. He was
evidently Matching o scheme to raise the wind.
Noticing BIB singular manner, Hurley said:.
siSam, what's the matter 2"
Now the major Is nothing If not sensation.
He is always dramatic a%nd.poelic, even IN all
~versity, and In bis moments OF despair his burn
ing eloauence never torsakes him. The major
stopped short and looked al Hurley. Eis eX-
pressive eye rolled In its widest manner.
Taking Tim by the arm with a grip Like a vice
he said In q deep, resonant voice:
''Sir. have you daughters :"
Somewhat astonished. Tim said he had.
"How old IRE they ~ the major asked.
s'Quite young" responded Tim.
$50 have I daughters, sir, and they are fair
and comely u look upon. | want to ask you,
sir, as a father, how you would like to see
your young and blooming offspring trembling
upon the brink of a moral preclpice? How
would you. like to see their purity and inno>
cence endangered. and have them driven TO
despair by the cravings OF hunger, and made
to suffer physical pain for lack OF protection
from the cold, carping winds Of winter -"
Tim said those were things he wouldn't like.
Here the major grew more confidential, and
sided up closer 10 Tim.
''Sir, 1 tell you this. My daughters are In
danger. Even now the tempter Is lurking
near, almost ready to grasp his victims; and,
sir, II l do not raise SIS by G O'Clock this eve
ming, I fear it will be too late. l. that small
amount is not lent me by some one OF my
friends, I certainly will not be answerable for
the consequences. Will you, sir, loan Inc The
small sum Of IS" F,
sBeen playing poker again, haven't you.
Sam p asked Tim, in his sharp, quick way.
" cannot tell q lie. Mr.. Hurley, Will not.
deny that / have dallied with the tickle god
dess," responded the major, 'but promise
yOu-'
' ''Oh, never mind promises, San. Here
and he handed the major S.. take this, and
save your daughters from the horrible fate
that awaits them" And Tins little eyes fairly
danced with fun as he walked of. :.
The next seen of Major Sam was his dark
form disappearing In a little ~alleyway that led
TO Firms mansion, and doubtless ere another
hour had passed Tins SIS had been slowed
away into the capacious wallet of Uncle Joe
Crews, ~; -:
THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT
Of Columbia is also we'll represented in this
poker carnival. Alderman Mlnock Is an accom-
plished player. but the Alderman is a little like
Major Sam Dickprson- in one reSpect-he has
very little money to play with. Alderman Hayne
does better. Hayne Is q man oil some means,
and he loves the game Of poker dearly. Uncle
Joe always like 10 see Alderman Rayne enter.
the Groom. Both these men are negroes. i But
few white men, with the exception OF Uncle
Joe, ever care 10 mix with their colored
brethren at the poker table.
Speaker Moses, it is said, frequently takes a
little hand at Firms; but, as | have said before,
Moses lost all his money on his horse race,
and when The Governor vetoed The appropri-
hill, he failed to get 1t back again. So
his poker playing will probably DO deferred
till the machine goes to work in November.
The game at Finn's Is very slack now.
Money IS scarce. Country members dare not
90 to their homes, aud are etalned In Column
bia at more or less expense, and haven't The
money to venture on the green: Finn doesn't
trust, ami Hardy Solomon gives no more dis