Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-05-15
WASHINGTON JACK-POTS.
Big Games Of Draw Poker In
Which Congressman Indulge.
A Craze for the Seductive Emerald
Ba'ze Which Has Extended to the
Fair Ones.

Congressional poker parties are "all tn,
rage" says correspondent of the Boston
Globe. 1t is just the thing for a Congress
man to invite coterie of choice friends I,
his home on an off night to pass few hour.
in the back parlor or library at this fascinat
ing game.
The average party is five and never more
than seven. A party exceeding six CANNOT
conveniently play at the same game of DO
ker. So the old poker player takes care tina,
he does not invite too big crowd.
In these back parlors and Libraries, with q
decanter of whisky and any amount OF
Hathorn water, seltZer and soda at hand, as
we'll as choice cigars, many registering
night is passed in the happy forgetfulnes.
of the onerOus legislative duties that will
dawn with the morrow.
II have been playing S2-limit poker all
this Winter" said Southern Congressman
'say one or two nights each week, and ]
find that am about even with the game.
play only for pastime, and make no bad
spurts such as are common with men anx.
ious to win or to retrieve bad luck"
twenty-five cents, thus reducing the hurtfuI
possibilities of the diversion to the mini
mum NOTCH. But there are few Senators
and members who would scorn to play at
any game of raw-poker that had a limit.
And these are the games which you know
exactly how much it will cost you 10 come
in, but not how much will it cost you to get
out.
There is man." said q WELL known Con-
greSsiOnal attache, pointing to q Western
member, "who won $40, 0c0 at poker since
the present session began. L. he keeps on
in good luck he will have over 100000 be-
fore the session ends, ard when he goes
home his constituents will say he has been
bribed.
he came here worth nothing, and, of
course, when he gets back, buys a fine house
and begins to drive fast horses, it will look
suspicious. But happen to know that he
won his money at poker. / was present at
game in Senator's house one night and
saw him win $4,000 on one hand. There
were six gentlemen playing. and all we're in
and all had big hands. One had a nine-fuII,
another fOur-full, another three aces, an
other three kings, and another a seven.full.
It was $40 ante and $40 to come in: but
the first man straddled the blind, making it
$40 to come in. As all took cards, there
were $40 in the pot to begin with. The
first man bet $500. The man to his left
simply called 1t, but the next man raised il
$500. This put the bet to $500, and the next
called it.
when it got to the Western gambler, who
dealt, he raised it to $1,000. This scared ey.
erybody cut except another Western mar,
distinguished railroad lawyer. The law |
yer saw the Congress sman's $1,000 and went |
81, 600 better, stopping to take check-book |
out OF his coat pocket and draw a sight |
check for the amount The Congressman |
saw this and went S2,500 better.
The lawyer then began to think. He
looked at the Congressman sharply and long
to study his countenance to see if he could
form an idea of the hand he sat upon. Then
he laid his cards down, cOolly took out his
check-bO0k, wrote check for 1880 and
called the Congressman.
''SubtracIing the $40 he had put into the
blind and the bets he had made himself
there were exactly So 100 in the pot which
the Congressmxn's winnings on
that hand.
''This railroad lawyer, who is exceedingly
well known East and West, went to New
York the next day, and afterward heard
that he lost $40 600 one night at poker in a
room in hotel there"
last winter with winning enough money at
poker to pay of $50, 900 mortgage with in
terest on his plantation, and to replace his
Old mules, plOws, wagons and farm imple-
ments generally with new ones. He would
not play except at unlimited games, and he
played with dash and bOldness that dis
mayed his opponents. Luck attended him
until the very shank end of the session.
Finally 1t turned, but too late for the los
ers TO get much of their money back. The
Soufherner went home $50, 600 better of than
ne came.
lined to the men who habitate In Washing
ton: The LADIES are as much carried away
as their husbands, and, while the ''progres.
Sive euchere party'' has its mild and con-
sentative adherents, poker parties" in
which ladies freely and enthusiastically par
Iicipate, have become, in large measure,
IA indispensably fashionable adjunct to the
variety of entertainments In bOn-ton resi-
fences.
Many ladies keep an 0rnamentally bound
volume Of H0yle In their bcudoirs, and can
POINT you to the very page and line where
ne great authority says straight Hush
beats four aces. Others only keep Hoyle
or style, but never read it.
Il never read Hoyle," Ianguidly said
charming lady of some fifty. Summers, as
he bore heavily upon cushioned sofa at a
ecent reception. my husband, the Sena-
or, has forgotten more about poker than
dOyle ever knew. and depend entirely up
N mis- judgment. Excuse the phrase, but
lssure you the Senator is very flip. OF
course he is too honorable TO take advan-
age Of bis dextenty in game with gentle
neu, but la me, he could If he was mean
nOugh. And do believe there are some
gentlemen mean enough to play sly trick
When they get a chance"
Reference is made only to gambling as a
fashionable amusement in Washington.
outside of this poker is the recognized game
verywhere. Every leading hotel has its
Is spare apartment that
uests may utilize for the game. Besides