The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-07-24
GREAT CARD PLAYERS.
STATESMEN WHO WERE FOND OF PUN
How Henry Clay Won "A Fine Picture
from Abort Ganatin-storIcs of
Adams, CnIkins, and Others.

'u the L nited States Senate who uuder
stand the most subtle iutricacies Of poker
Daniel " Nebster was n famous hand at
euchre General scott liked nothing bet
te. than night at the whist table. aud
Frank Pierce knew how to ,sl.ly- cs.s.i. and
liked thom. In the days OF Pierce the
Presidents were moro demnc. ATTIC than
they W row. Th-y WI, l.cd about tlsc
town ard paid visits to their fricuds iE
tEolg rooms. yhe N..si..uZrou CORE,
rose. nt OF tho Cleyc3nnJ Leader XIX.
SOM interesting gossip on the sub .c.t
t"Ser 90 s-AcscI' still liv.s I'll
sasaE-on. ana the tile, which is Ut
fIom Ai, little pamph' ct published in I.u-,
land w.-l.r be Nvs,s the American Minister
there. -tiii sti k 10 him. II j. a very un
just ttl., and sir. Schencl, owes IFS origin
to a noted -Lg.ish Duchess rather than
himsoif.
He met this woman, I am told. at one
OF the Queens receptions, and fell into
conversation with her about cards. Dur
ing his talk hc described to her the beau
ties Of poker in such n way that she be
Camo Intensely Interested, and begged
him TO write her out set Of rules and di-
rections for playing the great American
game. This Mr.. Scheuck very kindly
aid. The Duchess learned to play poker
and as il woVe its fascinating tolls about
her sho wantcd her friends TO learn Hl4o.
For convenience she had MIR. =, heack's
letter printed in a neat pamphlet aud dis
tributcd among her friends Of thu court
ci lie. malicious scribbler heard OF
the fact, and tclegraphed to the American
newspapers that our Foreign Minister
had publ shed p book on poker-playiug
They took it for go~pcl and dubbed him
" Poker Bob, AMI the name, as usual,
sticks
Senator Beck, of Kentucky. is one OF
the best story-tcllers in Congress. He
won't to school - a boy at a school near
Ashland the residence OF Henry Clay.
and he described the other might i visit
which a number OF the college boys once
made on the old statesman. AS MIR
Clay rose to meet rs hi, face shoue with
smiles and every hoy in the party was
straightway his friend. IN the course Of
the talk he asked Us what We thought of .
his pictures. There were a number.
some paintings, and some eugraviu-,s.
hanging upon the walls in
different parts Of the room. We
finally decided Uron one, picture of a
woman holding bowl Of steam.nS mush
in her hand rs the finest one in tie col
lection. As we did So Mr.. Clay laughed
and said: Yes. boys l think you have
picked out my best picture, and as you
have done so | must tell its history l
got that picture at Client, and in curious
way. Albert Gallatin, John Quincy
Adams and myself were there making the
treaty, and Mr.. Gallatin and myself took
chances in a picture rattle. My prize
turned out to be that picture, pointing to
an inferior engraving on the other side Of
the room, and Gallatin got this Now
Gallatin knew very little about art, and l
L.. d, N...+
glance that his picture was far better than
mine. and that should be laughed at II
we took the pictures homo and comDari-
sons were made. 1 saw that l must get
hold of Gallatin's picture, and I said to
him Mr.. Gallatin, these two pictures
were made to match each other and the
man who has one ought to have both.
Now, will tell yOu what | will do. l will
put my picture against yours and we VIII
play game OF cards for them. The man
who wins shall take both pictures and
you may name the game.
"' Mr.. GaIlatin thought a moment, con
sented, and said seven up and" con
tinued Senator Beck, " l can hear Henry
Clay's hearty laugh now and see his
smile OF intense merriment as he con
cluded, AS soon as Gallatin said seven
up knew l had him. He knew but little
about cards, and l was one of she best
seven-up players in Kentucky. The re-
suit was as l had anticipated, and l got
the picture" "
Thenext story was told By Congressman
Calkins. Said he: Il heard a curious
story OF Clay while l was campaigning
in the southern part of Ohio. II was told
me at a little Ohio town, the name of
which I do not now remember. Clay was
accustomed to stop over Al this town on
his way to Washington, and one night
while he was there he became engaged in
game of poker with several men about
the hotel to pass away the time A pro-
fessional gambler got into the party,
and cheated for some time without dis
covery. At last he laid down three aces
when Clay had two in his hand Clay
had been accustomed to playing with
gentlemen, and one of the poker party,
who told me the story, said that his anger
at this moment was terrible. He slowly
drew himself out of his seat and rose up
ward until he seemed about seventeen
feet high. He drew his pistol and the
man made for the door. Clay did not
follow him, but he expressed his indig-
nation by walking round to his chair and
shooting a hole through its center. The
gambler left the town instanter."
Another story about Clay, so well au-
thenticated that it comes to me almost di-
rectly from Henry Clays mouth, relates
an adventure of his with old Throckmor
ton a noted hotelkeeper at Louisville in
Clay's day Throckmorton was one Of
Mr.. Clay's most Intimate Kentucky
friends. In their latter days the two were
almost inseparable, and they often Joined
hands over the whist table. Throckmor-
ton was a fine whist player, aud nothing
irritated him more than to have his game
interrupted or spoiled by talking. Throck-
morton generally beat Clay, but Clay got
ahead of him at n whist party in Louis
vile, when he and Throckmorton were
partners. The stakes were nominal-Sl a
game, ! think-and as soon as the party
sat down at the table Clay began to tell
stories. The result was that he paid no
attention TO his hand, and through his
blunders trick after trick was lost
Throckmorton protested from time to
time finally saying Really, Mr.. Clay,
for man of your ability, education and
reputation. you are the poorest whist
player / have ever known The play
continued the same way, and Throck-
morton grew more and more angry. At
last Clay said: You are making more
fuss by your objecting than 1 am ny my
stories. Now" and here he pulled ont a
SO gold piece. I'VE will each lay SO on
the table, and the man who talks first shall
lose his money"
To this Throckmorton consented, and
the $50 were laid beside the stakes OF - a
side in the middle of the table. Clay then
began to play worse than ever. He
trumped Throckmorton's ace and threw