The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1879-09-17
FIFTEEN HUNDRED.

| General Forrest Desperate Game Of Draw -Pokef
Nashville BaRner
Several years ago General Forrest Wis.
tied the city and stopped at the old City
| Hotel. That night several gentlemen
called to see him, among them gen.
tleman connected with the Banner. The
room had been crowded during the early
part of the night, and Forrest had re-
ceived the usual attention bestowed on
him. Now, however, he was sitting off
to himself, and appeared worn and tired
out. Our informant wishing to have q
talk With him about himself, sought him,
and entered into conversation with
him:
General" SAYS ne, "I've heard you
were great pOker-player in your time. !"
eyes," says the General, 81 have
played Bofne'' 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 reeounting his won
derful exploits. -,
"How much, General, WAS the largest
stake you ever played ?'
81 once called $4,000 in New Or
leans"
"Did tot win Z"
"Oh, yes I won it."
"What was your hand, General?"
cit was three kings"
'But," said he, "the hardest game /
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 morn
ing we got our things together, and
emptied all my papers out on the floor,
and Mary (I'm not certain his Wiie's
name was Mary, but that will dc 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 seven
dollars and thirty cents. After huntin'
over everything, we found that ev ~
man who owed me was either dead or
broke. hadn't one single paper on which
/ could raise q cent 0uten. After we
got through the pile, l looked at
Mary and Mary looked at me. Now,
what's to be done, Mary =? says 1. 4
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 long time, and at
last says l, Mary, you are mighty
good woman, and Pm going to tell you
something. There's to be big dinner
at - this evening, and Pm invited.
They always play poker at that house,
and you have always been agin me play
ing, 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 fray for me,
could make a 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
"'But, Mary says I, 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. can't lose no more than that, for
I'll swear | won't bet on q credit. If l
lose that, Pll 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, / know your mind is set on
t, and l know you are going to bet,
whether Pm Willin' or not; so [ won
say nothing more about it.
!" But, somehow, felt when / started
that she was for me, and I jist knowed
how 'twould be.
Well, / went some time before dim
ner, and sure enough, they were at it.
They had three tables--One had q quar-
ter ante, one hall, one dollar and a
half. / wanted my seven dollars to last
as long as / could make it, and 50 | set
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 dollarzandsas
halt table. Sometimes l won, and then
again I'd lose on until nigh about midi
night, and then / had better luck /
know'd Mary was setting up praying !;
and felt like it and it made me feel
cool. set my hat down by me 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. I didn't keep any
count, but / know'd / was winning. I
thought may be I'd won a hundred dolls
lars, or may be two hundred dollars, but
didn't know. / set there until day
broke, and then we went home. / took
my hat up with beth hands and smashed
! it on my head and went home 50 willis