Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-06-06
NOTED W1zEISp PLAYERS.


NOTED W HEST PLAYERS.
characteristics Of Famous Men Who In
dnIge in the Game.
I suppose the greatest whist quartette
in Washington for many years was that
made mp of Garfield, Frye, Randall and
"Alec" Stephens, writes a Washington
correspondent. The House Committee
on rules, Of which they were members,
met at Long Branch in the summer o.
1878. They began playing there.
Frye and Stevens against Garfield and
Randall. Stephens played a wonder
f,ll game. Bolstcred up with pillows
in his chair he would sit by the hour
! without becoming wearied. After the
first two or three turns he had an I'M
failing power Of telling where the
cards we're held. He hated to
have partner, for it dis
t,lrbed his calculations, but with Frye
lie was always content and serene.
Frye is a strong, impulsiye player. When
winning his face beams like child's
but once behind it becomes q serious af-
fair. Then he is uneasy and restless
until a few lucky deals put him ahead
again. Stephens and Frye were
in excellent contrast, for the former
never apparently took the slightest in
verest save as his eyes lighted up at a
:emarkably strong suit. Garfield never
concealed anything. His plays were
always open. Only once did he ever
try leading from a SNEAK" The look
that met him from Stephens YVES such
that it was never known to happen
again. Randall in whist as everywhere
else is cold and calculating. He does
not play a scientific game, but we'll
sustained one, and is a safe partner
You can see that the four are pretty
we'll balanced. But Frye and Stephens
won. Frye was fortunate and Ste
phens skilful. Day after day they kept
ahead. Afterwards, when the four re-
turned to Washington, the games We're
kept up. Twice a week regularly the
others would go down to Stephens old
fashioned parlor ut the National hotel
and there play exactly up to midnight.
OF course they had varying fortune,
but in the long run the first runners
came out ahead The morning after
ward members would always ask them
as they appeared at the capitol how the
games of the night before resulted.
Every winter up to the time Garfield
was nominated for the presidency, the
four kept at it, butt then it WAS broken
off, with the intention of resunling af
ter he was once fairly seated in the
white house. But he was shot so soon
that the plan came to nothing. Ste
phens wanted to keep on and
to fill Garfeld's place. Harry
Smith, the journal clerk of the
house; was taken. Very soon.
after Stephens was elected governor of
Georgia and went away, never to come
back With his departure the series
dropped, he and Frye still ahead. Last
winter several senators, including
Messrs. Hoar, Sherman, Morrill,, War
ner Miller, Aldrich and others, made
up club and played often, but it is
| not continued. Sherman is one of the
best players in the senate. Ben Har-
| rison is reputed to be one, but I never
heard Of his playing. Senator Bayard
likes to take hand, but he has not the
book knowledge that some of his broth
er senators boast Of. But the critical
scientists on this subject are net Sc
numerous as they were in the senate
q few years ago, when half the MEM
bers were noted hands. No man ever
loved the game more than old Judge
| Thurman. With his old red bandana
on. the table to dry his face with, he
was alternately in the highest
state Of exultation L 4 !; and Il de-
spair. At times Nine. ID Thur
man would find It necessary to take a
seat BY his side with her quiet, Don't
grow excited, Allen" to keep her hus-
band in his chair One night the Judge
was playing at an evening party, having
. most charming young laby for a part
ner. The game waxed fast and furious.
| "a throng Of idlers were looking on as the
deciding game was being played. Both
sides had six points and needed but one
TO get ont. At che critical moment the
young lady made q n1isplay, which lost
the game, H was evident as soon as the
card reached the table. Unable to con-
troll himself, the Judge brought his
hand down on the table with q crash
that stopped further proceed and
blurted out, s r z IN q way that
made the poor girl tremble, 70. him il
was proclamation that any one should
play whist badly rchange