The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-09-11
Gen. Forests Game of Poker.

= 80 wv
city and stopped at the old City Hotel. That
night several gentlemen called to see him,
among them gentleman now connected
with the Banner. The room had been
crowded during the early part of the night,
and Forrest had received the usual Z attention
bestowed on him. Now, however, he was
sitting off by himself, 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, ''l've heard you
were great poker player in your time"
Yes" says the general, II have played
scme,'' and his eye began to sparkle with the
memory OF old times, and he at once seemed
interested in the subject, for be it known
ing his wonderful exploits.
''How much, general, was the largest stake
| you ever played?''
IL once called 200 in New Orleans"
''Did you win?'
! sob, yes won it,
| ''WhaG was your mana, general 8!
sit 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 went to the Worham House. The
next morning we got our things together,
and 1 emptied all Of my papers out Of
my trunk on the floor. and Mary Q'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. l emptied my pockets and Mary
emptied her'n, and between us we had 81 ~.
Alter huntin' over everything we found that
every man who owed me was either dead or
broke. hadn't one single paper on which
I could raise cent out'n.
''After we got through the pile looked at
Mary and Mary looked at me. Now, what's to
be done, Mary?' says 1. q 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 heap of faith in her
religion. looked at her right straight for a
long time, and at last says /: Mary, you are
a mighty good woman, aud Pm going to tell
YOU something. There's to be a big dinner
at this evening, and I'm invited
They always play poker at that house, and
you have always been agin me playin', and
/ reckon YOU are right about it. But things
have become desperate with us, and somehow
| feel if you wouldn't be agin me, would
win tonight"
s'Says She: Bedford, can't do it. It's
wrong for you to do it, and I'D a heap rather
You wouldn't
"sBut Mary saws I, Il never was i'll such
fix before. Here we are with no money
but $3.50. and that won't pay our tavern
DILL. can't lose no more than that for I'll
swear that won't bet on credit. Ii lose
that I'll come home and if Twin, then we
will have something to start on.
swell, | argued and argued with her,
but she wouldn't say yes. But at last she
says:
Bedford, know your mind is set on it,
and know you are going to bet, whether
am willin' or not; so | won't say nothing
more about it,"
she was for me, and jist knew how 'twoulc
be.''
"Well, L went so netime before dinner, and
sure enough they were at it. They had three
tables-one had quarter ante, one half
and one dollar and a half. l wanted my
seven dollars to last as long as could make
it, so sat down to the quarter table. We
bet until dinner, and by that time had
won enough to do better; and after We
had eat. sat down to the dollar and q
half table. Sometimes I won, and then
again I'd lose on until about midnight
and then I had better luck. l know'd Mary
was sitting up and praying: felt like it anc
it made me cool. l set my hat down by my
side on the floor, and every time ia wiz
, I'd drop the money in the hat. We played
i on and I didn't know nothing about how
, much I'd won. | didn't keep any account
, but know'd was winning.
81 thought may be I'd won a hundred dol
lars, or may be two hundred, but didn'
+ know. SCI there until day broke, and thei
9 we went home. l took my hat up in boil
q hands and mashed it on my head and wen
;, home without taking it off. When got t.
u nv room there sat Mary in her gown, AM
d the bed wasn't mashed. She'd set up al
: night waiting for me. She seemed tired an
= anxious, and though she looked mighty har
' at me she didn't say a word. walked RICH
u up to her, and pulled off my hat with bot
It hands emptied it all right in the lap OF he
d gown. And then we sat down and counter
t.
ssHow much was there, general?"
a ssJust fifteen hundred dollars event.
n s'And that added the general, as l.
le walked off, 'sgive me q start