The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-05-31
COLUMBIA, s. C. April G.

find that relaxation from the cares
Of State is found in the enticing
game Of poker. Your genuine
Black legislator, such as is found
only in South Carolina, can no
more abstain from cards than he
can from plumber, and the consc.
qucncc is, that in the interim OF
his Legislative functions, nearly all
that he steals from day to day is
swallowed up in the straights,
flashes, and fulI-hands held by
cooler and less aspiring coiorcd
citizens Of the body polite.
Recognizing this weakness on
the part Of our colored citizens,
several shrewd and cntcrpriSing
professionals have opened places
where nightly gather Columbia $
dusky lawmakers to indulge their
bent, even to the last shinplastcr
or Hardy SoIomon's latest en-
dorscment.
The South Carolina Legislature
plays poker almos: to ! man. .!
course, in it are some who excel
IN skill and are successful in pock-
ct; but the majority have but a
poor knowledge Of the game, and
are generally losses.
TIE CHAMPION pOKEElsT
left Columbia when Jim Raney
went to Congress. Jim was said
to lave been the most skilltnl
manipulation Of tic cards in the
Legislature, when he sat in that
BODY, He could sit down with
Whipper, Frank Moses, Ben Byas,
and that crowd, and in less than
no time clean out the whole party.
There was much sorrow felt by
Finn, who keeps the crack place
in Columbia, when Raincy left,
for the reason tina! he and Raincy
nearly always played together for
the benefit Of the bank, and when
they sat down together generally
succeeded in making the bank ac-
count heavy. R;,incy's greatest
and strongest hold is in straddilng
blinds. No matter how high tie
latter is. or how much it costs to
get in, if Ruincy' has the edge, he
is almost sure to straddlc. Some
times, when he has put in SO in
the way of q straddlc. he turns np
ace high, and prefers to lose the
money rather than draw but Of
tcncr he gets good hands, and is
enabled to run up 4 big pot.
Whippcr, Ben Byas, and such
men, who do not always have
money enough to sec the straddic,
arc frightened off, and jim quietly
rakcs in the chips. Rainey had
more nerve than any other coloretl
player around the State House,
and that Of course helped him out.
The negroes generally were afraid
Of him, and, with few exceptions,
would rise and leave the table
when he called for fifty dollars
worth of chips.
HOW UNCLE JOSEPH DOES 1T.
There is one player, however.
in Columbia that was never afraid
Of Raincy when the latter played
here. On the contrary, Ralncy
rather dreaded to encounter him.
This is q white man, who plays
very frequently with the negroes.
His name is Uncle Joe Crcws.-
Uncle Joe is l giant among the
poker players, not so much be-
cause Of his skill in handling
cards, but on account Of the
shrewd, foxy way iii which he
does his betting. Like All Sin,
':ITc smiles as he sits at the table.
With a smile that is childlikc and bland
Uncle Joc's smooth, unrutllcd
countcnancc remains rs placid as
an April sun; and fairly beams
with innocence as he throws down
/ his "fulI'' or four Of L kind. and
modcstlv railcs down the pile
Uncle .Joc's forte is in leading on
the bcttcrs. When the cards arc
dealt and the pot is made M for
the draw, he will perhaps draw
one card. and IS he picks it NJ
Just the slightest shade Of di<ap
pointment passes over his countc'
nance. The other players notice
it. and mentally calculate, "lncic
Joseph drew to q flush and dIdn
fill. Believing Uncle Joe to be
out Of the game, they proceed
with the bets. 1t is Uncle Joe
edge. The man next him chips
Tie next one rises it s.. Tho
next $40. The game becomes cx
citing, while Uncle Joseph 10 looks
on quito ''pcnsivc and childlike:
1t finally comes his turn. He
secs the pot and raises it $50
CONSERVATION sits upon every col
orcd countenance. Wbipper turns
ashy his last cent is in the pool
and he holds three queens. He
was certain Of winning. CncI(
Joseph, with Il pcnSlvc smlIc
looks around the table for rcspon
scs TO his conp Il rtat. i deac
.,;,cn: cusurs. hEl finally some
G;lrLl.."- who thinks 40 knows Z
: thing CT two says: