The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-08
HENRY CLAY AT CARDS.
Inc treat Statesman Badly FIeeced by q
Senator from Indiana
Boston Budget

Boston Budget.
y, henry Clay was an inveterate gambler, and
1ne oIo card-players at Washington indulge ia
many anecdotes about the manner in which he
So W lose the greater part of his salary as
senator He was noted card shufler He
ou5 1 roIo MS hands four feet asart and fly the
carus from one to the other without e;r,,. lard
talllns; ms 1aVorlte style was to mix the cardS
half deck in each hand, flirting the anas or;.h
thumbs, and mixing them into a perfect nacIr
with one movement. He usually dealt with ono
hand, with scarcely perceptible movement Of
the arm, his long, muscular fingers enabling him
to throw each card to its proper place
One summer Saturday afternoon when +ha
Senate was not in session, Mr. Clay sat down at
Hancocks restaurant to play with Senator
Bright, of Indiana. When dinner time came
they were abo1t even, and when they returned
to the card-table after dinner it was almost
o'clock. Now, Bright" said Mr. Clay, as the
play began, understand that cannot play later
than II o'clock promised to attend church at
Alexandria to- morrow morning and don't want
to go there looking as if had been up all night
The blind was half dollar a dollar TO come
in, and no limit to bets In those days there was
no limit, as there generally is now. All man
could demand was q sight for his money The
cards were cut, and Clay got the first deal
Like most intellectual men. he was not good
poker player, playing for the excitement rather
than for gain; and, as rule, he was so careless
about his bets that he came out loser. He had
passion IOr org DeLS, ana ne rarely Jailed to
straddle the blind or raise the bet after the game
was fairly started. So, if the luck came his way,
he would win heavily as long as 1t lasted. But
he was a great buffer. and bet high whether he
had the cards or not. The men he played with
found this out, of course, and he never came out
OF prolonged game without being 1eeced
For nearly two hours that night Clay had
everything his own way with Bright, holding
king-full Sour times hand running, followed by a
jack-full. Bright tried his best to catch Clay in
h1,1ff hY,N {n
front every time with a hand that nothing but
tours could phase. At 1890 Bright had lost
81. 500, and had borrowed $500 from John Han
cock After that Clay's luck deserted him,
but he failed to recognize it. He continued to
bet as high on a pair of deuces as he had been
betting on an ace-full BY midnight he had lost
all his winnings and 81, 900 besdes-all the cash
he had with him.
Il guess we'd better quit" said Bright, "as
you want to 90 10 church tomorrow"
90 blow the church., replied Clay, ''do you
SUPPOSED want to hear man preach right on
top OF losing 81, 600 at poker! Not much. You
just lend NE $500 and let the game go ON
So the game proceeded. and at daylight Clay
in debt to Bright to the amount of 81, 500,
and that is the way it stood when the game
ended Hancock used to say, when ne told the
story, that Clay lqudated that debt by giving
Bright deed of 800 acres of Kentucky land,
and transferring to him six shares of stock in
Louisville bank.
Clay went to his room that Sunday morning
shortly after daylight to go to bed. But he took
sudden resolution to go to Alexandria anyhow,
and keep his church engagement He went in
the carriage OF friend. Quite a crowd followed
MIN when he Went out to get in his carriage.
There number Of people were presented to Mr..
Clay, among them the rector of the church. The
story that while. he was talking to the rev.
erend gentleman Clay put his hand in his pocket
to pull out his handkerchief and in doing this
pack of cards was suddenly spilled on the
ground. Clay was not the least abashed, but
deliberately gathered up the cards, replaced
them in his pocket, and remarked to the minis
ter and others who were standing there that a
friend had put the cards in his pocket as prac-
teal Joke