St. Landry democrat., 1879-08-30

tCcs sCi ttt CHI > l1o ttil. L DilcSJ NlSilct
the city and stopped at the old Cit,
Hotel. That night several gentlemen
called to SEQ him, among them IL gen
tlemen now connected With the Banllcr
! The room had been crowded durin!
the early part of the night, and Furrcs
had received the usual attention bes
| toWed on him. Now, however, he was
sitting off to himself, and appeared worl
and tired out. Our informant wishing
to have a talk with him about himself
| sought him, and entered into cOnvcrsa
ton with him:
"Genelal," says he, "Fve heard yol
were a great poker player in your
| time.D
"lcs,' says the General, a have
! played some and his eyes began tt
sparkle with the memory Of old times
and he at once seemed interested on tic
subject, for be it known that no one
was fonder than he i'll rccounting his
wonderful exploits.
How much, General, was the largest
stake you ever played ?"
" ! once called S48 900 in New Orleans
"Did You win ~
"Oh, yes, | won it,"
" What was Your hand, General ?"
g 1t was three kings"
b"!' on ~ hS, inc HdluCSb game
eyer played was 1T Memphis. just aftcl
the war closed, me and my wife went
to Memphis, and We stopped ut the
Worsham House. The next morning
VIC got our things together, and [
emptled all my papers out Of my trunk
OF the floor, and Mary U'm not certain
his Wifc's name was Mary, but that will
do for the tale) went over and over
them, hunting for something to raise
money out. | empticd my pockets, and
Mary cmptlcd llcrn, and between us We
had seven dollars and thirty cents.
Alter huntln' over everything we found
that every man Who owed me was
either dead or broke. | hadn't one
single paper on which | could raise 4,
cent onten. After we got through the
pile [ looked at Mary and Mary looked
at me-. Now what's to be done, Marye"
says |. | 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 re-
llgion. | looked at her right straight a
long time, and at last says |, Mary, you
are a mighty good woman, and I'm
going tell you something. There's to
be Il big dinner lt---this evening,
and I'm invited. They always play
poker at that house, and you have al
ways been again my playing, and |
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, could
make raise tonight
Says she: Bedford, ! can't do it.
It's wrong for you to do it, and I'd heap
rather you WOuldn't.n
But, Mary says I, | never was in
such 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 lose no more than that, for
LII swear won't bet on a credit. If |
lose that, III come home and il win
then we'll have something to start on
Well, [ 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; know you are going to bet,
whether | am willing or not SO won't
say nothing more about it."
" But, somehow, felt when started
that luck was for me, and jist knowed
how it would be-"
Well, went some time before din
ncr, and, sure enough, they We're at it.
They had three tabies-one had a quar-
ter ante, one a half, and one a dollar
md Il half. | wanted my seven dollars
to last as long us | could make it, and
SO set down to the quarter table. We
bet on until dinner, and by that time | |
lad won enough to do better, and, after
we had eat, | sat down to the dollar and |
! half table. Sometimes | won, and |
hen again I'd lose, until about mid.
light, and then | had better luck. I |
>noW,d Mary was setting up and pray
ng; | felt like it, and it made me cool. |
,, set my hat down by my side on the |
toor, and every time I'd win I'd droD |
he money in the hat. We played on,
md didn't know nothing about how
much I'd won. [ didn't keep any connt.
)ut | know'd | was winning. | thought
maybe Id won 800, or maybe 5000. but
didn't know. | was there until dav
'roke, and then we went home. took
ny hat up in both hands and pushed
on my head and went home Withont
akin aaklns s:it it Of: IT,, When got to my room
'ed wasn't mashed. Shed set up all
light waiting for me. She seemed tired
nd anxious, and though she looked
Mighty hard at me she didn't say q
'ord. l walked right up to her, and
ulling off my hat with both hands
Wptied it all right in the lap of her
own, and then we sat down and
ounted it."
" How much was there, General?"
"Just $500 even.n
"And that" added the General, as he
,alked oft, " gimme a start"