Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-20
A Good Poker Story.

DON'T know just whyI am reminded of a
good poker story while speaking of Wilkins
and Hatton, unless it is because it has been
frequently printed by more enterprising cor
respondents than I, that they are both excel
lent players, of course only in their own social
circles. Wilkins is said to be a terror, among
his Congressional friends and it is related Of
Hatton that in his days as Assistant Postmas-
ter ne used to go to the White House and
"clean out" President Arthur and Postmaster
General Gresham in the highest style of the
art. Well, the other evening called to see =
Congressman by appointment. He was absent
but had left word that should be sent to the
rooms OF another statesman. Going there
found one of the contest little Congressional
poker parties of five that could be arranged from
both Houses. 1t is due to the Senate to say that
it was represented by one of its most eloquent
orators. The Representative whom 1 was seek
sat for a while looking at the game. The
Representative referred to sat to the left of
the Senator, and had been having awful luck
He rarely caught pair, still more rarely
"helped" pair, and as sure as he did some
other player tapped him: Shortly after my
entrance all passed out" and there was
lack pot" and it was good fat one I assure
three deals, and then it came the Senator's
turn to shake up the pasteboards. The Repre-
sentative was so disgusted with his hands that,
il being his first SAY" exclaimed: 'pll pass
The next man opened the pot for the amount
on the table, Each one in turn stayed in until
it came to the Representative, who had not un-
til then picked up his hand. He studied the
haDd moment and said in a dIscontented
tone: "Wel, I'll stay, and take one card" The
opener took one card, two others took three
cards. and the dealer, the Senator, took one.
The opener made big bet. The three-card
men dropped out. The Senator saw the
opener and raised him a hundred. The Repre-
sentative called" The opener saw the hun
dred and raised two hundred. The Senator
hnndrad VI
astonishment of everybody the Representative
that laid down a one thousand dollar bill, say
ing II want that pot, and guess thousand
dollars will take ith
1t is needless to say there was a "devil of
thinking" just then, but the opener soon called,
and the Senator followed suit, each yet believ-
ing that the Representative was bluffing. But
when the hands were laid down there was q
howl. The opener had split pair of Jacks and
made an ace high flush. The Senator had
made a king full, and the Representative
showed up four aces which he had passed
blind. Probably there is not upon record
luckier blind pass in a big jack pot asked
the Representative afterwards why he did not
raise on his first bet. why" said he, "iidn't
you see the other fellows were watching each
other ? They never thought of me. 1 knew If
them, and then intended to come in with
big bet which would look like bluff. Youse
after the second bet of R. and the Senator
there was not only enough in the pot to justify
a big bluff but the two had in so much money
they could not get away from it. But tell you
when picked up that blind hand and saw four
aces pat in it could hardly believe my eyes"