The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-08-30
GEN. FORESTS GAME OF POKER,
How His Wife Helped to Pray Him
Through.
From the Nashville Banner. !

Through.
From the Nashville Banner.l
[. Several years ago General Forres
visited the city and stopped at tn
old City Hotel. That night severa
gentlemen called to see him, anon
them gentleman Tow connects
!. with the BANNER. The room ha
been crowded during the early par
Of the night, and Forrest had receiy
cd the usual attention bestowed OF
him. Now, however, he was sittin)
off by himself, and appeared wori
and tired out. Our informant wisn
log to have q talk with him abOu
himself, sought him and entered int,
conversation with him.
General" says he, 1--WE heart
: you we're g great poker player II
"Yes," says the general, II have
played some" and bis eyes began t
sparkle with the memory OF old
times, and he at once seemed inter.
ested in the subject, for be it known
W. ~ Nv OAo WOO AOuucA ludu 10 u
re:counting bic wonderful exploits.
How much, general, was the larg.
est stake you ever played 2"
II once called $4,000 in New Or.
leans"
did you VIM"
ION, yes won it,"
What was your hand, general"
IL WAa three kinUa
|. But" saws he, the hardest game
ever played was at Memphis. Just
after the war closed, me aud my wife
went to Memphis, and We stopped at
the Worsham House. The next
morning We got our things together.
and I emptied oil my papers out OF
my trunk on tho door, and Mary
I'm not certain HE wiie's name was
Mary. but that will do for the tale)
went over and over them, hunting
for something to raise money out OF.
emptied my pockets and Mary
emp'ied bern, and between US We
bad 81 30. 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 I
could raise . cent Outen. After W.
got through the pile I looked at Mary
and Mary looked ut me. Now what's
to be done, Mary ? ssys l. L don't
k0ow. cay she, but the Lord will
pr0vt ie.' You zee, Mary was one Of
the best women In the world. and
abe had . heap Of faith In her reli.
g1on. Hooked at her right straight
eOr l0ng time, and ct last says I,
Mary, You are . mighty good w.
man. and I'm going TO tell YOU come.
thing. There's to be q big dinner
At this evening, and I'm iDvi.
ted. They always play poker at that
house, and you have always been
agin me play ing, and l reckon you
are right about lt. But thugs have
become desperate with Us, and some.
how feel II you wouldn't be agin |
me, but would pray for me, I could
make raise to. aight.'
''Ssys she: Bedford, I can't do it. |
Ito wrong for you to do It, and I'd q |
neap rather you woul ih't.
"'But. Mary says I, I never vac
In such y tx before, H-re We are
With no money but 81 80, and that
won't pay our tavern bill. I can:
lose no more than that, for I'll swear
that won't bot on q credit. II I lose
that I'll come home; aud II I via,
then we'll have something to start
on. Well, argued and argued With
her, but she wouldn't cay zee. But
1T last che says:
Bedford. ! know your mind is
ct on 1t, anu / koow you are going
TO bet, whether ! am Willin' or not;
90 l won't cay nothing more about
'Dut, somehow. I felt when I start.
ed that che was for me. and I jtst
knowed how 'twould be.
well. / went some time before
dinner, and, sure enough, they were
1t 1t. They had three tables-one
had q quarter ante, one q half, and
one q dollar and q halt. I wanted
my seven dollars to last as long as 1
could make 1t, 90 I Get down to the
quarter table. We bet on until din.
uer. and BY that time ! had won
enough TO do better; and after We
had eat, I sat down TO the dollar. and.
a-half table. S0metimes I won, and
then again I'd lose on until nigh
about midnight, and then I had bet.
ter luck. I kn0W'd Mary was setting
up and praying; I felt Ike It, and Il
made me cool. I set my hat down
BY my side on tho floor, and every
time I'd Win i drop the money 10
the hat. We played on, and I didn't
know nothing about how much I'd
won. ! didn't keep any count, but I
know'd !! was winning: l thought
may be I'd Won q hundred dollars,
or may be two hundred, but I dido't
know. I Get there until day broke.
and then We went home, ! took my
hat up In both hands and mashed It
% my head and went home without
taking 1t OF. When ! got to my
room there sat Mary 10 her gown.
md tho bed wasn't mashed. Shed .
vet up oil night waiting for me. She
Deemed tired and anxious, and though
!he looked mighty hard ct me she {
didn't cay Q WOr1. I walked right {
up to her, and pulling OF my 6stI
With both hands tempted It eli right
10 the lap OF her gown. And then
Ne Get down and counted It," Il
How much was there, general"
"Juet fifteen hondred dolls1
Dven."
And that" sdded tho general. - :
b walked Oh, give No . stast. - /: