The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-09-25
Gen. FORESTS Game Of Poker.

tel That night several gentlemen
called to see him, among them a gentle
man now connected with the Banner
The room he'd been crowded during the
early part OF the night, and Forrest had
received the usual attention bestowed
on lin. Now, however, Re was sitting
off to himself, and appeared worn and
tired out. Our informant, wishing to
have u talk with him about himself,
sought him, and entered into conversa-
ton with him;
General" said he. "Tve heard You
were great poker player in your time.
Eyes" says the General, 81 have
played somc," and his eyes began
to sparkle with the memory of old times,
and he at once seemed interested IN the
subject, for be it known that no one was
fonder than he in recounting his wonder
ful exploits
GLOW much, General, was the largest
stake you ever played y
II once called s 1000 in New Orleans.
"Did you win ?!
ooh, yes won it,
"What was your hand, General p
"it was three kings"
"But," says he, "thc hardest game
ever played was at Memphis. just
after the wa closed, my wife and |
went to Memphis, and we stopped at
the Worsham House. The next morn
ing we got our things together, and |
emptied all my papers out of my trunk
on the floor, and Mary Qm not certain
his wifes name was Mary, but that will
do for the tale), went over and over
them, hunting for something to raise
money out of. l 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. l hadn't one single pa
per on which | could raise cent outen.
After we got through the pile looked
at Mary and Mary looked at me.
Now, what's to be done, Mary says |.
Il don't know 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 long time,
and at last says I. you're mighty
good woman, and I'm going to tell You
something. There's to be a big dinner
at -- this evening, and I'm invited.
They always play poker az that house,
and YOU have always been agin me play
ing, and | reckon your right about it.
But things have become desperate with
us, and somehow | feel il you wouldn't
be agin me, but woald pray for me,
could make u raise to night
Says she, Bradford, l can't do it.
It's wrong for YOU to do it, and Ill heap
rather you wouldn't
".But, MARY SAYS I, s! was never in
such fix before. Hcre we are with no
money but s. 80, and flat wouldn't
pay our tavern bill. | can't lose no
mole than that, and III swear | won't
bet ON credit If lose that Ill come
home, and if | win, then we'll have
something to start on Wen, I argued
and argued with her, but she wouldn't
say yes. But at last she says
"'Bradford, | know your mind j. set
on ii, and | know you are going to bet,
whether I'm willing or not; 50 won't
say anything more about IT,
But, somehow, felt when started
that she was for me, and jist lnowcl
how 'twould bc
"Wcll, | went some time before din.
rer, and, sure enough, they were at it.
They had three tables-one had quar-
ter ante, one Il half, and one a dollar
and half | wanted my en- dollars
to last as hong IS | could make it, and
so | set down to the quarter table. We
be- ON until dinner and by that time |
had won enough to do better; and, after
We lad eat, sat down to the dollar
and-a- half table. Sometimes won, and
then again Ill lose on until nigh mid
night, and then | had better luck.
knowed Mary was setting up and pray
ing; felt like it, and it made me cool.
set my hat down by my side on the
floor, and every time I'd win Id drop
the money in the hat. We played on,
and | didn't know anything ABOUT how
much Id won. didn't keep count, but
| knowed was winning. | thought
may be Id won hundred dollars, or
may be two hundred, didn't know,
set there until day broke, and then we
went home. took my hat up i'll both
hands and mashed it on my head, and