The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-08-28
GIN. FORESTS GAME OF POKER.
4 Thrilling StOry-Did his Wife Pray
While he was Playing.

Several years ago Gen. Forrest visi-
ted the city and stopped ut the old City
Hotel. That night several gentlemen
called to see him, among them a gen
tleman now connected with the Ban
ner. The room had been crowded dur
ing the early part of the night, and
Forrest had received the usual atten-
ton bestowed on him. Now, however
he was sitting off to himself, and APP
peared Worn and tired out. Our in
formant, wishing to have talk with
him about himself, sought him, and
entered into conversation with him:
General" says he, "Ive heard you
were a great poker payer in your
time"
YES" 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 III recounting
his wonderful exploits.
How much, General. was the larg-
est stake you ever played ?"
Il once called SIS, 900 in New
Orleans"
"Did you VIM"
go, yes! | won it."
"What was your hand, General?"
1t was three kings"
"But," says he, the hardest game
l ever played was at Memphis. Just
after the war closed my wife and l
went to Memphis, and we stopped at
the Worsham House. The next
morning we got our things together,
and l emptied all my papers out of my
trunk on the floor, and Mary Pm 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 Iemptied my
pockets and Mary emptied her'n, and
between us we had seven dollars and
thirty cents. After huntin' over every
thing, we found that every man who
owed me was either dead or broke. |
hadn't one single paper on which l
got through the pile looked at Mary
and Mary looked at me. Now what's
to be done, Mary? says 1. / 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. l
looked at her right straight long time
and at last says; Mary, you are a
mighty good woman, and Pm going to
tell you something. There's to be a
big dinner at-this evening, and Pm
invited. They always play poker at
that house, and you have always been
agin me playing, and | reckon you are
right about it. But things have be-
come desperate with us, and somehow
l feel if you wouldn't be agin me, but
would pray for me, could make a
raise tonight
''Says she, Bedford, 1 can't do it.
It's wrong for you to do it, and I'd
heap rather you wouldn't"
"'But, Mar says l, Il never was in
such fix before. Here we are'with
no money but $3.50, and that wouldn't
pay our tavern bill. | cant lose no
more than that, for I'll swear l won't
bet on credit. If lose that, I'll come
home, and if | win, then, we'll
have something to start on Well, l
argued and argued with her, but she
wouldn't say yes. But at last she
says:
Bedford, l know your mind is set
on it, and l know you are going to bet
whether I'm wIllin' or not so l won't
say nothing more about it.
But, somehow, l felt when | start
ed that she was for me, and l list
knowed how 'twould be.
"Well l went some time before
dinner, and, sure enough, they were
at it. They had three tables-one had
a quarter ante, one half, and one a
dollar and half I wanted my seven
dollars to hast as long as l could make