The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-19
FIFTEEN HUNDRED.
General FORESTS Desperate Game Of Poker,
Nashville Banner ]

Nashville Bnnner1
Several years ago Gen. Forrest visited the
city and stopped ut the old City Hotel. That
night several gentlemen called to see him.
among them D gentleman now connected with
the Banner The room had been crowded
during the early part OF The night, and Forrest
had received the usual attention bestowed on
him Now however. he was sitting off to
himself and appeared worn and tired out
Our informant wishing to have talk with
him about himself sought him, and entered
into conversation with him:
General" says he, "Ive heard you were o
great poker player In your time"
Yes, says the General, ~ have played
some" and his eyes began to sparkle with
the memory Of old times, and he at once
seemed interes cd in the subject, for be 1t
known that no one was fonder than he In re-
counting his wonderful exploits.
"How much General, was the largest stake
you ever played r.
!" ! once called $4,000 In New Orleans
Ibid you win I"
ooh. yes, / won It."
"What was your hand, General p
1T was three kings"
'But," says he, ''the hardest game / ever
played was Mt Memphis. just after the war
closed, me and my wife went Ito Memphis,
and We stopped at the Worsham House The
next morning we gotour things together, and
/ emptied all my papers out OF my trunk on
the floor, and Mary I'm not certain hls wifes
name was Mary, but that will Do for the tale)
thing to raise money out OF. emptied my
pockets. and Mary emptied bern, and be-
tween us we had seven dollars and thirty
cents. After huntin' over everything we
found that every man who owed mo was
either dead or broke. | hadn't one single
paper on which / could raise cent outen.
After we got through the pile looked at
Mary and Mary looked at me. :, Now ", what's
says She but the Lord will provide. You
sec. Mary was one Of the best women IN the
world. and she had a heap Of faith In her re-
ligion. looked at her right straight long
mighty good woman, ard I'm going tell you
something There's to be q big dinner at -
this evening, and I'm invited. They always
play poker at that house, and you have a.
you are right aboutit BIT things have become
desperate with US, and somehow feel IL you
wouldn't be agin me, but would pray for me,
| could make raise tonight.
"Says she: Bedford, | can't do 1t. It's
wrong for you to 40 it, and I'd heap rather
you wouldn't
"But, Mary says ], 7 never was in such a
fix before. Here we are with no money but
seven dollars and thirty cents. and that won't |
pay our tavern bill: ! can't lose No more than
that, for | III swear | won't bet on q credit Ii
[ lose that, I'll come home; and II win, then
We'll have something to start on Well, ar |
gued and argued with her, but she wouldn't |
say yes. But ut last she says:
"4BedfOrd, ] know your mind Is set on 1t;
| know you are going to bet, whether ! am
willing Or not; 50 ! won't say nothing more
about it,
"But, somehow, felt when | started that
luck was for me- and | jist knowed how it |
would be.
"Well, went some time before dinner, and,
sure enough, they We're at It. They had three
tables-one had quarter ante one half,
and one q dollar and q half. ! wanted my
seven dollars to last as long as | could make
1t, and SO set down TO the quarter table. We