Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-07-02
CARD PLAYING STATESMEN.

How Henry Clay Won a Fine Picture
From Albert Galatia at Ghent-
Stories of Pierce, Adams, CaIk1ns,
Senator Beck and Senator Jones
The president is quoted as having
his 1avorlte game. General Garfield
was fond of euchre and whist. and
there are a score of men now in the
United States senate who understand
the most subtle intricacies of poker.
Daniel Webster was famous hand
at euchre. General Scots liked noth>
ing better than a night at the whist
table, and Frank Pierce knew how to
play cards and liked them. In the
days Of Pierce the presidents were
more democratic than they are now.
They walked about the town and paid
visits to their friends in their rooms.
An old stager, writes Washington
correspondent to the Cleveland Lead.
er, whose white hair was black while
President Pierce occupied the White
House, gave an illustration Of this
recently. Said he:
SIT was on hot July evening away
back In the ffties. Two senators and
myself were seated with Our coats off
Ill the rooms of Senator Clemens, of
Alabama, having a quiet game of
poker. 1t was game of cent ante,
and the coins were lying on the table,
when a gentle knock was heard al
the door. Senator Clemens yelled out
in asSenatorial tone Come in !" and
the door opened and in walked Fran K
Pierce, then president of the United
States. As we saw him we all pushed
our chairs back from the table and
arose to put on our coats as mark OF
respect, but President Pierce said
Don't disturb yourselves, gentlemen.
have just come in to make a call
upon my friend, Mr. Clemens, and /
do not want to interrupt your game
No one stirred, and Mr.. Pierce sal
down and chatted few moments
with us, and then rose to go. As he
left the room he asked some questions
as to how the game was gong, apd
said: i am very fond of cards my
self, and [ wish could stop and take
hand with you. but I have other
engagements, and it will not be pos,
sible.' With this he left. Such an
action ia this day would be remarked
upon all over the country. In 1850
1t was accepted as matter Of course. D
''Poker Bob Schenck" still lives in
Washington, and the title, which he
got from his little pamphlet, published
In England while he was the Ameri-
can minister there, still sticks to him.
1t is a very unjust title, and Mr..
Schenck owes its origin to a noted
English duchess rather than to him
self
He met this woman, I am told, at
one of the queens receptions, and fell
into conversation with her about
cards. During this talk he described
to her the beauties of poker in such a
way that she became intensely inter
ested, and begged him to write her out
a set Of rules and directions for play
ing the great American game. This
Mr.. Schenck very kindly did. The
duchess learned to play poker, and as
1t wove its fascinating tolls about her
she wanted her friends to learn also.
For convenience she had Mr..
Sehenck's letter printed in a neat
pamphlet and distributed among her
friends of the court circle. A NAL
icious scribbler heard of the fact, and
telegraphed to the American news
papers that our foreign minister had
published book on poker playing.
They took it for gospel, and dubbed
him poker Bob" and the name, as
usual, sticks.
Senator Beck, of Kentucky, is one
of the best story tellers in congress.
He went to school, as boy, at a school
near Ashland, the residence of Henry
Clay, and he described the other night
visit which number Of the college
boys once made on the old statesman.
LAS Mr.. Clay rose to meet US his face
shone with smiles, and every bow 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 engravings, hanging upon the
walls IN different parts Of the room.
We finally decided upon one, the pic
ture of woman holding bowl of
steaming mush in her hand as the
finest one in the collection. AS we
did so Mr.. Clay laughed and said
Yes boys, I think you have picked
out my best picture, and as you have
done SO | must tell its history. got
that picture at Client, and in cur
ious 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
Pictare, pointing to an inferior en-
craving on the other side Of the rom,
and Gallatin got this. Now Gallatin
knew very little about art, and I did
not know very much, but I could see
at a glance that his picture was far
better than mine, and that 7 should
be laughed at If we took the pictures
home, and comparisons were made. I
saw that must get hold of GaIIatin s
picture, and | said to hia: Mr.. Gal
latin, these two pictures were made
to match each other, and the man who
has one ought to have both. Now. I
will tell you what I will do. [ will
put my picture against yours and we
will play game Of cards for them.
The man who wins shall take both