Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-10-10
THE GREAT NORTH AMERICAN GAME.
sour Poker SGT Fairly Runs the United
states sdnate."


states sdnate."
There is curious free-masonry In
poker. Old players say that man
who can play really well never goes
into any other form of gambling.
Down at Washington the other day one
of the members of the Senatorial poker
coterie. which is very select, told the
writer that there was no companion
ship like that of poker. ''Do you
know" remarked he. ''that our poker
set fairly runs the United States Sem
atep Well. that is the fact. We know
and trust each other as we know and
trust none of our other colleagues. We
are always ready to do anything for
one another that is at all reasonable.
"When a member of the poker sci
wants something done all he has to do
is to pass the word among the others,
and the first thing you know way is
found in which to accomplish the pur.
pose in view. 1t is reasonable and
proper thing, too, this influence of
poker on legislation. There is nothing
like poker for getting ut mans
character. The coward the cheat, the
migrate, the grasping, selfish man
will show himself in his true col.
ors as sure rs guns if he plays poker.
Sit down with Il man for an hour OF
two in little poker game and when
you get up you know that man like o
book. You are ready either to dror
him or back him rs a man."
Some years ago." interpoSed n.
Y. business man, II was in charge OF
the credit department of q prominent
mercantile house in which / was o
partner. A country merchant came
up to town and wanted time on large
bill of goods. We did not know him
very well and so | said he would have
to wait few hours till could make
some inquiries about him. went
down to Bradstrcet's and asked for the
rating of my man. 1t was not very
good. Then l wanted to know what
the matter was and they said nothing
except that he gambled. Well. how
does he gambler | inquired. He
plays poker habitually with some of the
other businessmen of the town. ANY.
thing else? Nothing that wo know
Of
so / went back to the store, and
when the country merchant came in
put on my sternest look and said to
kim: Sir how dare you come here
and ask for credit when you are ad
dicted to such wicked practices as you
arep 'Whatg he gasped. Do you
mean to say, | went on, that you do
not gamble two or three times week
at your home?' OF course / do he
replied; once or twice week some
friends and l get together and play
poker. 5'limit, that's all
""Now that you have confessed your
SIM l said. there is one thing more
want to know. Are you good
poker player? Do you manage to
win rs much AS you lose. or are YOU o
suckers? Well he said, Il generally
make the boys hump to take care OF
themselves. Then. added, YOU can
have the credit which YOU want at this
store. Mind you. l do not approve
gambling and | guess it must be bad
business but if you are able to keep up
your end we are not afraid of you as
debtor. Well ship your goods in two
or three days That night sat in u
little game with our country customer
ut my house. | had become interested
| III illil anu w W SCI NndN SUI vi
chap he was. Well. in tiye-dollar
game he won more than enough to pay
his expenses up to town aud back. aud
displayed one of the most magnificent
nerves have ever seen.
When he went away | told him to
draw on us for anything he wanted, as
his credit was unlimited. / knew a
man who could play poker as he did
would make his way in the world. He
is now one of the wealthiest merchants
in the State of Iowa and IA leading man
Of his section. prominent in the church
md all public enterprises. l wish he
would come down to Congress. l
would like to get even on that last
game"
One of the Senatorial poker play
ers is Senator Vest of Missouri, though
It is hardly fair to mention names In
this instance. Vest is Il bright, snappy
man. very popular among his as.
sociates. and every one of them is glad
to hear that the Missouri statesman has
recently struck it rich.
Two years ago he was worth proba-
bly, $4,000 or $l5, 600. Now he could
clear up 1925. 600. He has made this
by some lucky spcculations in Western
mining properties. which he was in.
duced to go into by such good friends
rs Senator Hearst of California and
Martin Maginnis of Montana. Vest
has plenty of nerve, and he put about
the last dollar he had in the world on
the say so of his friends. ana luckily il
was money well placed.
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