The Osceola times., 1884-11-29
CALICO KINGS PLAY FOOL.
Claim and Three Other Monsrchs After
the Fifteen Ball.

Fourteen millions is a pretty large
sum to be represented around pool ta-
BILE, isn't it?" ssked boarder in the
Mansion House, Brooklyn, of a Journal
reporter last evening.
The inquiry having been answered in
the affirmative, the assertion was made
that four gentlemen had dallied with
the deceptiveivory spheres in the billiard
room of the aristocraiic hotel on Brook
lyn Heights, which is frequented by
most of the wealthy men who find their
homes in that rather exclusive section
of the city cheerless.
"If the game was remarkable on ac-
O. unit of the wealth of the parties who
were engaged in it, ii was quite as con-
spicuous for the entire lack of skill ex-
hibited by the players" the speaker
added. "One of the men who smashed
the balls about as if he thought physical
force would make up for skill, was the
most wealthy dry goods merchan; of
New York, whose house is On Brooklyn
Heights. Another was his partner, and
the other two-it was four handed
game-were friends of the Calico King,
whose wealth equaled his"
at was amusing to watch them wait
for the pockets to swell when they made
a shot," chimed in an eye witness of the
game. "You would have thought that
they expected the little green bag to
jump up and collar the balls. The fif-
teen ball was the choice of all four, and
when they got through hammering at it
there We're so many dents in It that it
had to be sent away to get rounded over.
1t took the four millionaires two hours
to clear the board, and when the game
was over not one of the players knew
which count was his own. One of them
used his cue AZ if he thought it was a
fishing pole; another evidently regarded
his as yard stick; the third held his
cue as gingerly as if it were loaded with
electricity, while the fourth caught hold
of his half way up in order that he
might gain all the power over it that he
could.
What was the game for? Well, it
wasn't for love, you can bet, for there
was plenty of wranging. The eldergen
tleman of the party, who threw away his
white hat after making two or three
wild shots, was the first to get excited.
Where will hit the bal?' he asked
the attendant, all the time making faces
at the ball that was square over pocket.
Hit it in the same place that you
mi' sed the other suggested his partner.
"'lf | do III break it, replied the old
gentleman.
The fact is," remarked the man who
had watched the wonderful game, "if
those four players would only consent to
give an exhibition game of how easy it
is not to pocket pool balls I'd be willing
to put up the money to hire hall for
them. If the holes had been running
abou, instead of the bail the game could
not have lasted longer"
"But you haven't told me who the
players were" suggested the reporter.
No? Well, the eldest gentleman. Who
threw his hat off in disgust when the
thirteen ball caromed on the edge of the
pocket, worked into it and declined to
drop, was pointed out to me as Mr.. II.
b. Clafin, the merchant prince; the 9TH
er gray haired man who grumbled when
his ball went into the hole without
touching what he shot at in front of it
was said to be Mr.. Leeds, Mr.. Claflin's
partner in business, and the two other
players were milionaires engaged in
business in New York. Ifany one of
the four would give me 500 I'd teach
them how to play pool and I'd give any
oEe of them 800 ifhe would teach me
how to play per centages as well as he
has done"
81 don't know anything about Mr..
Claflin having played match game of
pool said the proprietor of the Mansion
House, with avery suggestive smile uron
his face; "Mr. Clatlin often comes in
here"
Il don't give away the business of the
house." the keeper Of the billiard room
in the hotel waiily remarked; "there's
lots of gentlemen who come here to have
a little fun that don't want everybody to
know their doings. n. Y. Journal.