Morning journal and courier., 1882-11-17
Card Stories.


 Card Stories.
 From Chambers Journal.l
 On one occasion, when Washington Irving, Bancroft and Everett were chatting over diplomatic "reminiscences, the last named told how, after he and the Neapolitan ambassador had been presented to her Majesty Queen Victoria, Lord Melbourne intimated that they would be expected to join in game at whist with the Duchess of Kent 'I play but very poor game myself" " said Melbourne lin fact, scarcely understand it but the Duch- ess Is very fond of it." And l." said the Neapolitan to Everett, "am very bad play CT, and should I chance to be your Excellen- cy's partner. I invoke your forbearance ln advance''; to which the American envoy replied that he knew very little of the game himself. As he put it, three digpifed per sonages, clad in the gorgeous attire, were soIemnly going to play game they lmper- fectly understood, and for which none of them cared in the least. Upon reaching the Duchess apartments the ambassadors were formally presented, and then, at her invita- tion, sat down to play. AS soon as the cards were dealt lady in waiting placed herself at the back of the Duchess, and the latter said: "Your Excellencies will excuse me if I rely upon the advice of my friend here, for l must confess that am really very poor player" This was almost too much for Everett's gravity; a gravity undisturbed for the rest of the evening, since he found playing whist under such conditions inex- pressibly dull work.
 Bold as he could be when the game was worth the candle, Lord Beaconsfe1d would never have been tempted to risk so much on the cards; for knowing the weakness of his play, he carefully eschewed anything like high stakes, One evening, at the time when Parliament agitating itself about the Elm press ship of India, Lord Beaconsfield sat down to whist with the Prince of Wales, and asked the latter ''What points, sir ?' ''Oh, l sovereign, if you please" was the answer. Seeing the Premier's look of annoyance, MT. Bernsl Osborne observed: II think, sir, the Premier would rather have croaon pointsl' The Prince, taking the joke and the hint, ai- tered the stakes accordingly.
 Marlborough was not above playing for smaller stakes, though perhaps the Great Captain did not play high out of fear of his how to use it; like the lady whose liege lord contrived that she should not more than sus pect the secret of his bad hours, until, ccm- ing home at six in the morning tired out with attending on o sick friend, :" he dozed at the breakfast table, and solennly passing the | bread said, ''Cut! :" "That's your sick friend, is it ?" exclaimed the wife and what followed may be imagined.
 card hating wife can upon occasion set her scruples aside. Soon after the close of the Secession war, General Forrest and his wife stopped at hotel in Memphis, and upon
  of their wealth amounted to seven dollars and thirty cents. The General, being due that evening at a house where poker was sure to be played, proposed that he should tempt fortune to the full extent of his means, and asked his wife to pray for his success. She would not promise but he felt she was for him, and knew how it would be. Let him tell the rest himself.
 ''They had three tables-one was quarter dollar table, one half and one a dollar and a-half I wanted to make my seven dollars last as long as I could make it, so sat down to the quarter table. By dinner, time had ~on enough to do better; and after we had eaten, sat down to the dollar and g. half table. Sometimes I won, and then again I'd lose, until nigh upon midnight, when had better and it made me cool. I set my hat on the floor, and every time I'd win I'd drop the money in the hat. I sat there until day broke and then took my hat up in both hands, smashed it on my head, and went home. When got to my room. there sat anxious. and though she looked mighty hard at me, she didn't say word. I walked right up to her, emptied my hat right into the lap of her gown and then we sat down and counted it. Just fifteen hundred dollars even, and that gave me a start"
 The wife of Bishop Beadon loved whist well that when the prelate told one of his clergy if he was able to sit up half the night playing whist at the Bath Rooms he must be we'll enough to do duty at home, the in- valided one silenced him with My lord. Mrs Beadon would tell you that late whist acts as tonic or restorative to dyspeptic people with weak nerves" The bishops better-half would have sympathized with Ioldsmith's old lady, who, lying sick unto death, playing cards with the ourate to pass the time away, and, after winning all his money, had just proposed to play for her oh uhe ha
 There have been stranger stakes still In 1735 Henry and James Trotter sat down at the Salmon Inn, Chester le Street. to play 8 game of cards against Robert Thomas and Thomas Ellison, the latter pair stalking five shillings, and the formera child, the son of a MT. and Mrs. Leesh, who gave up their boy to the winners. A traveller m New Zealand, spending night in squatters hut, was in vited to cut in for 8 rubber of whist. AS he took his seat, he inquired: "What points ?" His partner responded in tone significant of surprise at such 8 question: "Why, the usual game, of course-sheep points, and a bullock on the rubber"
 Even the sharpest of sharpers may meet more than his match. Robert Houdin hap pening to saunter into a continental casino where Greek was reaping rare harvest at ecarte looked on quietly until seat became vacant, and then dropped into it. The Greek, dealing dexterously, turned king from the bottom of a pack. When the deal came to hOuuIu, ne ODSerVeu: w nen turn kings from the bottom of the pack, always I do it with one hand instead of two it is quite easy. and much moro elegant. See l here comes his majesty of diamonds" |; and l up came the card. The cheat stared at the conjurer for a moment, and then rushed l from the place, without waiting to possess himself of his hat coat or stakes.
 Another of the fraternity, after winning 1 ten games at ecarte in succession, tried his fortune against new opponent; and still 1 his luck held. He had made four points, and 1 dealing, turned up king and won. My l luck is wonderful" " said he. "Yes," said his l adversary land all the more wonderful since have the four kings of the pack in my l pocket !" and the professor of legerdemain l laid them on the table.
 'T remember" said gentleman who had l travelled in Russia, ''being at ball given by 1 the Empress to the late Emperor, on his 1 birthday. was playing at acarte, when the I Emperor who was wandering about came l behind me to watch the game. My adversa- | ry and I were both at four, and it was my | deal Now said the Emperor, let us see
 whether you can turn up the king. dealt, and then held up the turn up card, observing: l Your orders, sir, have been obeyed.' A dozen times afterward, the Emperor asked
 me how I managed it and he never would | believe that it was mere hazard, and that | I had taken the chance of the card being a l king"
 The Czar was as much astonished at the
 result of his remark as the young gentleman
 who, looking over a pretty girls shoulder
 while she was playing cards, observed /:
 "What lovely hand l'' ''You may have it, if | you want it." murmured she; and all the
 rest of the evening he was wondering what her intentions were.
 Last Saturday while Virgil Buckingham, of
 Seymour, was digging in his cellar for fur
 mace, he unearthed part of skeleton of @
 human being. How it came there is mys
 tery which can never be solved.
 young clothing dealer of Norwich eloped
 from his home on Saturday last. taking all
 there was valuable in it except the partner oi
 bis bosom She does not know where heI