Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-04-03
Eminent Whist Players
NOTED WHIST oUARTETTE-sTEPHKNS, GARFIELD

RANDALL AND FRSE
Washington correspondent OF the Troy Times
says the greatest whist Quartette In Washington
for many years was that made up OF Garfield, Frye,
Randall ana Alexander Il. Stephens. The House
committee on rules, OF which they were members.
met at Long Branch in the summer OF 1873. They
began playing there-Frye and stephens against
Garfield and Randall Stephans played wonder
fuI game. Bolstered up with pillows In
his chair, he would sit by the hour without
becoming wearted- After the first two or three
where the au cards Were held "e u mated is
have poor partner, for 1t disturbed his calcula-
lions, but with Frye he was always content and
serene Frye is q strong, fmpusive player. When
winning his face beams like childs. but once be-
hind and IL becomes serious affair. Then he Is
uneasy and restless until few lucky deals put him
ahead again. stephens and Frye were in excellent
contrast, for the former never apparently took the
slightest interest, save as his eyes lighted up occa-
sonally at a remarkably strong suit GARFIELD
open. Only once did he ever try leading from a
''sneak-" The look that met him from Stephens
pen again. Randall. in whist. as " every very
where else, is cold aud calculating. lie
does not play scientific game, but well-Sus-
see that the four are pretty well balanced But
Frye and Stephens won. Frye was fortunate and
stephens sk1llful. Day after day they kept ahead.
Afterward, when the four returned TO Washington,
the games were kept up. Twice week regularly
the others would go down to stephens old-fashioned
paflOr at the National n0tel, ana there play exactly
up to midnight or course they had varying fortune
but in the long the first winners came out ahead
The morning afterward 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 pres
1dency the four kept at II. but then IL broken
of. with the intention or reSuming after he was
once fairly seated in the White House. But he was
shot 80 soon that the plan came TO nothing.
stephens wanted to keep on and to I'LL Garfield s
place. Harry smith. the journal clerk. or the
House. was taken Very soon afterward Stephens
was elected governor OF Georgia, and went away,
never TO come back. With his departure the
series dropped, he and Frye stin ahead Last
winter several Senators, including Messrs.
Hoar, Frye, sherman, Morrill,, Warner Miller,
Aldr1ch ana Others, made up a club and
played often, but II Is not continued. Sherman is
one OF the best players in the senate Senator
Bayard likes TO take hand. but he has not the
book knowledge that some OF his brother Senators
boast Of But the critical scientists on this SUBJ
1ect are not numerous they were In the Senate
a few years ago, when half the members were
noted hands. No man ever loved the game more
than Judge Thurman. With his old red bandana
on the table to dry his face with, he alternately
in the higeSt state OF exultation and despair. At
times Nine. Thurman would find it necessary TO
take seat by his side with her quiet "Dont grow
excited, Allen" TO keep her husband In his chair.