Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-09-19
TWO HEAVY HANDS.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Statc.I


ty lived in Jerusalem, Southampton county.
His father kept the hotel right across the
road from the court house. This hotel was
a great place in the days of the elder Ma
hone. and many persons ieasted there.
Whether the old man dealt out TO his many
customers beef tough as the record of his
son is question that is argued on the court
green at every Southampton court. Stories
have been handed down traditionary fashion
relative TO old man Mahone's hotel quali6-
cations, and the young men OF southampton
can tell them dramatically.
Perambulating about the court green l
met up with an old man who knew Gen.
Malone in his boyhood days. He was an
eccentric old fellow, and is said to have
originated nine.tenths of the personal
sketches of the little republican boss. This
old fellow had tossed the ball, sailed the
kite, shot the marble and had engaged in
many other sports with Malone. including
the well-known game of poker. AT this
game Malone even in his younger days was
considered an adept 1t is said his princi-
pal game was "bluffing," and that he could
'selevate q man" 500 and do it, too, on
nothing but pair Of deuces.
Besides possessing nerve he was consd-
cred tricky, and the lovers of the game were
afraid Of him. Whoever could beat Malone
at poker was regarded good player and
most skillful fellow at manipulating the
pasteboard. This old Southamptonian just
referred to won these laurels, and it is
amusing to hear him tell about it. Said he:
Il think it was at the September court in
1S49, or probably year or two before, that
the biggest sort of game was played.
There were six fellows in the game, includ-
ing Malone and myself One of the play
ers, afterward learned, was pal of Ma
homes and sat to the left of him. l had
sold a fine mare and two COWS two days be
fore court. and had when l sat down to the
table two hundred and thirty dollars.
wanted two hundred more, and | went into
the game with the intention of jumping
whenever that amount came my way. L
played along in toleraDlc fair luck for an
hour or more winning one hundred and
sixty dollars. At this point things took
change and luck came to me with a sweep.
| was to the right of Malone, and he was
the dealer His young pal as told you,
was TO the left The blind was fifty cents
up and good with the privilege of a raise.
hasi three-ace full on the first deal, and when
/ picked up my hand / knew something
was wrong However, raised the blind
$40, that being the limit, and TO my surprise
the blind man raised it tanother twenty. /
stuck, aud the cards were called for The
blind man drew one card, and knew then
he had fours. How many will you take?'
asked Malone "Give me two replied !;
for something seemed to tell me that it
would take another ace to save me- and
wanted all the chances. Manone dealt one
card 10 the blind man and as he was about
to deal two to me the deck accidentally fell
out of his hand upon the discards. | called
for a new deal but it was denied me, and a
majority said must take my cards from the
whole pack, excepting of course, the hand
that was out. Malone gave the cards Il
good shuttle and then dealt me my two.
picked them up, and the first rne that
caught my eye was the ace of diamonds, the
very card | wanted. Your bet,' Malone
said as he turned to me with a satisfactory
grin. well, ] will bet five dollars L see
that five and raise it twenty said the blind
man. L see that twenty and raise you
twenty more We had several passes of this
scrt, aud when there were about two hun
dred dollars up on the table, most of it be-
ing in gold. Mahone's pal said 'Pard-
ncr. woud like to raise you seventy-fvc dol
lars, but amt got the money. Can l owe IL 10
you? will pay it if you win told him to go
ahead. He went ahead and jumped the limit
thirty dollars. called him and he threw down
four kings aud the jack of clubs, and asked me if
I could beat it. Certainly can: and as I told
him this quietly laid down my hand, exposing
TO his gaze four aces and deuce. he had thrown
away the ace caught for I saw it as it fell upon
the dscards. l quietly took the money, saying
as pulled it in, Buck (the nickname VIC gave
Mahonel this is the only Crediting hand you ever
dealt me- He smiled sickly smile, and his
pal was the worst beat man You ever saw. l
stopped with one hundred and eighty dollars
more than wanted. The game ended after this
deal The boys were afraid to play any longer
with me. because beat Malone well rs tha fell
low who went upon the blind. ! did the square
thing the old Southamptonian said, as he hob
bled of to gather fresh inspiration at y country
store down the road where they sold the best sort
OF Southampton brandy; "and if Malone has a
good memory think he still recollects that men,
orablc game of poker we boys played in the old