The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-11-19
eMisrellann
Washington Post. r
OLD TIMES IN WASHINGTON.

of the Boys When
Our Statesmen Played Draw PO-
ker-.-Humphrey Marshall and
Thad Stevens.
$50 they all used to take hand at the
cards, did theyw
s'Piedge you my word, we used to run
only during the sessions, and nobody
but member Of Congress could come
into our room. II any citizens applied
we just told 'em that they could get
game in plenty of other places. And |
there was no sneaking around corncrs |
10 those old days, either The nembefs1
walked in natural like, as II It was
home or Sunday School, and sat
around in the windows bowling to their
friends on the street Well, sir, in those
times don't believe there we're more
than half dozen members we didn't
know well in business way, but swear
now as gentleman that not more than
four members of the last Congress ever
came TO our rooms. It's dead, sir /; l tell
you it's dead
"Where do they play now?"
"Play! Pshaw! They get together on
short cards in their room at the hotel
and play on twenty-five cent ante and
Eve dollars limit, and if man loses ten
dollars in the course of night he goes
out next day and puts Grape on his hat
and invites the whole town to the funer-
al Call that play2 Why the man that
wins twenty-five dollars on turn now
thinks his reputation for a gambler is es-
tablshed, and he begins to talk about US
fellows that play. Why. they're scum
they're boys If we can't do better
than that there's only one thing left;
we'll have to turn 10 and eat each other
up"
"How heavy was the old play2'
"Well, hundreds was the usual run,
but we thought nothing of having a
thousand or two up on a turn. There
was old Humphrey Marshall Bob's
eyes began to glisten at the name-"1
swear he was prince. ] never saw an
amateur in my experience of forty years
who would put down as much cold mon
ey out OF his hands as Marshall. Some
fellows, you know, are queer about cards.
There was the other Marshall, he was
different from Humphrey that way. He
laid himself out on piling his stack of
chips up to the ceiling. But Humphrey
would come in and pull the cold cash
out of his clothes and put it all down
on turn He made lots Of money,
lived like lord, and never seemed to
be short Hold up Yes, he was short
once, that's fact" continued Bob, with
deep laugh. "It was about the time
he came from Chilli, where he was Amer.
lean Minister He came into the room
one day and said his wife wanted an adj
dition to the house, and he was going to
give her money to build it with right off
that table, and, by the Lord he did! He
walked off with S4,4o0 on three turns,
and next day began work on his house.
He played just like one Of us--had that
regular clear grit, you know, and cool as
ice all the time"
"Any more rare specimens ?" ~
sOh, couldn't name 'em all now
Everybody played, / tell you, in those
days, and they we're perfect gentlemen
about it. One of the grandest old men
at the business was Thad. Stevens
Thad. played a pretty game, not very
big, but scientific, and then, too. be was
regular about it. Never came across
any one who had bigger soul OF honor
about him than Thad. used to like
him like brother He always played
blue chips, never got excited at all, but
took more solid comfort out Of it than
most any other one I ever saw. Pool
old Thad! l remember well when be
| was on his death bed. The doctors had
been giving out that he was sick of this
, thing and that, and wouldn't let any one
come into his room. He sent for me
4 When I got there the housekeeper sale
2 that she had been positively ordered moi
: TO let any person talk to Mr.. Stephens,
/, but Thad. happened to hear my voice
3 and he called me- Bob said he, these
j, old fools are trying to find some excuse
for killing me off, but it's all nonsense
!, Seventy eight years is my complaint
wanted to see you, old fellow, befor'
! I passed in my chips for the last time,
!. and he died that day, the grandest ant
Q best old fellow we've had here in publ
: life for many day, tell you"
"Some of those foreign fellows use'
. to be game, especially the Russians.
y guess it's in the blood with them; any
how, they all had it in the old days, fror
: Bodisco down. He was queer coor
!, but the most systematic man at th
! game you ever saw. He used to Sc
= aside just so much money tor this littl
, fun. If he was in luck he'd play aheat
!, and sometimes cleared stake, but ger
2 orally he didn't turn up we'll. and whe
y so much was gone he'd push his cha
back from the table and say quietly,
y always the same words: 'Zs appropri
"a ton for zat is all exhaust Then, if
70 didn't feel tired, he looked on for whi
O. before going home. He never went ov'
his limit on the appropriation.