Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1879-09-04
[" WHAT GIN ME- A START.'
Gen. Forests Account of a Desperate
Game Of Poker.

them a gentleman now connected
with the Banner. The room hac
been crowded during the early par
of the night, and Forrest had receiv'
ed TIE usual attention bestowed or
him. Now, however, he was sitting
off to himself, and appeared worr
and tired ont. Our informant, wish
ing 10 nave a talk with him about
himself, sought him and entered int
conversation with him.
General" says he, 1--we .hearc
you were a great poker player in your
time ?"
Yes" says the General, "I have
played some," and his eyes began tc
sparkle with the memory of oldtimes
and he at once seemed interested ir
the subject, for be It known that nc
M was fonder than he in recounting
his wonderful exploits.
"HoW much, General, was the
largest stake you ever played ?"
81 once called $4S. 600 in New
Orleans"
did you VIM"
"Oh, yesl I won it."
"What vas your hand, General?
1t was three kings"
"But,' says he, =" the hardest game
ever played was at Memphis. Just
after the war closed. me and my wife
went to Memphis, and we stopped at
the Worsham House. The next
morning we got Jul things together,
and | emptied all my papers out OF
my trunk on the floor, and Mary
(I'm not certain his wife's name was
Mary, but that will do for the tale)
went over and over them, hunting
for something to raise money out of.
1 emptied my pockets, and Mary
emptied her'n, and between us we
had seven dollars and thirty cents.
After huntin' over everything, we
found that every man who owed me
was either dead or broke. I hadn't
one single paper on which 1 could
raise a cent outen. After we got
through the pile, I looked at Mary
and Mary looked at me. Now what's
to be done, Nary says I. i don't
says she, but the Lord will
provide. You see, Mary was one Of
the best women in the world, and she
had a heap of faith in her religion.
| looked at her right straight a long
and at last says L, Mary, you
are a mighty coed woman, and I'm
gong to tell you something. There's
to be a big dinner at - this even
ing, and I'm invited. They always
play poker at that house, and you
have always been agin Inc playing,
and [ reckon you are right about it.
But things have become desperate
with ~, and somehow l feel if you
wouldn't be agin NE, but would pray
for me, l could make II raise to.
"Says she: Bedford, I can't do
it. It's wrong for yon TO do it,
and I'd heap rather you wouldn't
but, Mary says l. I never was
in such a fix before. Here we are
with no money but seven dollars and
cents, and that won't pay our
tavern bill. | cant lose no more
than that, for Ill swear | won't bet
on a credit. If l lose that, III come
and if I win, then we'll have
something to start on Well, l ar
and argued with her, but she
wouldn't say yes. But at last she
says:
"'Bedford, I know your mind is
set on it, and I know you are going
to bet, whether I'm willin' or not ;
so | won't say Lothing ore about
IT,
"But, somehow, I felt when / start
ed that she was for me, and l iist
1nowed how 'twould be.
"Well, l went some time before
and, sure enough, they were
1t it. They had three tables-one
lad a quarter ante, n a halt and
me a dollar and q half. I wanted
ny seven dollars to last as long as |
make it, and so 1 set down to
he quarter table. We bet on until
aid ny that time 1 had won
to do better and, after We
lad eat, | sat down to the dollar and
half table. Sometimes / won, and
hen again Id lose on until nigh
bout midnight, and then I had bet
er luck. I know'd Mary was set
ing up and praying; I felt like it
it made me cool. [ set my hat
by my side on the floor, and e.
ime Id win Id drop the money
n the hat. We played on and II
lidn't know nothing abont how much
d won: ! didn't keep any count,
jmIknow'd l was winning. l thought
nay be Id won a hundred dollars,
r may be two hundred, but I didn't
now. l sat there until day broke,
nd then we went home. took nv