Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-09-04
FIFTEEN HUNDRED.
GENERAL FORESTS DESPERATE GAME OF
POKER.

| POKER.
Several years ago Gen. Forrest visited the
city and stopped at the old City Hotel
That night several gentleman called to see
him, among them gentleman now connected
with the Banner. The room had been crowd:
ed during the early part of the night, and
Forrest had received the usual attention be.
slowed on him. Now, however, he was sit.
ting off to himself and appeared worn and
tired out. Our informant wishing to have a
talk with him about himself, sought him, and
entered into conversation with him:
General" says he, "Pve heard you were a
great poker.player in your time"
EYES," says the General, 81 have played
some," 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
wonderful exploits.
Chow much, General, was the largest stake
you ever played?'
II once called $4,000 in New Orleans"
"Did you VIM
"Oh, yes! I won it."
|~~-"What was your hand, General ?"
ut was three kings"
"But," says he, "the hardest game 1 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 our things together, and
I 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 some
thing to raise money out Of l emptied my
pockets, and Mary emptied her'n and between
US we had seven dollars and thirty cents. At
ter huhtin' over everything, we found that
every man who owed me was either dead or
broke I hadn't one single paper on which l
could raise a cent outen. After we got
through the pile, looked at Msry and Ma.
ry looked at me. Now what's to be done,
Mary ? says I. Il don 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. l looked
at her right straight long time, and at last
says I, Mary, you, are mighty good wo'
man, and I'm going to.tell you something.
There's to be a big dinner at this even.
ing, and I'm invited They always play po.
ker at their house, and you have always been
agin me playing, and I reckon you are right
about it. But things have become desperate
with US, and somehow feel if you wouldn' t
be agin me, but would pray for me, 1 could
make raise tonight ..
"Says she: Bedford, I can't do it. It's
wrong for you to do it, and I'd heap rather
you wouldn't
"But Mary says 1, 4 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. l can't loose no more
than that, for I'll swear won't bet on q cred
it. If | lose that Ill come home; and if /
win, then we'll have something to start on
Well, I 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 l know you are going to bet, whether
I'm willin' or not; 80 won't say nothing
more about it. ...
"But, somehow, I felt when I started that
she was for me, and just knowed how 'twould
be-
"Well, I went some time before dinner,
and, sure enough, they we're at it. They had
three tables-one had quarter ante, one a
half and one dollar and half wanted
my seven dollars to last as long as 1 could
make it, and so sat down to the quarter table.
We bet on until dinner, and by that time I
had won enough to do better and after we
had eat, sat down to the dollar and half
table. Sometimes won, and then again I'd
lose on until nigh about midnight, and then |
had better luck. I know'd Mary was setting
up and praying; felt like it and it made me
cool l set my hat down by my side on the
floor, and every time I'd win I'd drop the
money in the hat We played on and l
didn't know nothing about how much I'd
won. didn't keep any count, but know'd
1 was winning. l thought may be I'd won
hundred dollars, or may be two hundred, but
1 didn't know. set there until day broke,
and then we went home. I took my hat up
in both hands and mashed it on my head and
went home so without taking it off: When l
got to my room there sat Mary in her gown,
and the bed wasn't mashed. Shed set up all
night waiting for me. She seemed tired and
anxious, and though she looked mighty hard
at me, she didn't say word. l walked right
up to her, and pulling off my hat with both
hands l emptied it all right in the lap of her
gown And then we sat down and counted il"
"How much was there, General 2?
Fifteen hundred dollars even."
"And that" added the General, as he walk
ed off, "gin me star" ."-NashviNe Banner.