The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-10
,@McoRMRcks BEsTI=..
BACH, CORY & co., Helena, Mont

faction that what l have just told you is
true."
Another quart of champagne was served
and fresh cigars were lighted.
81 haven't told you the generals pet
story YETI said Purdy. i.
IF it's better than the last, for goodness
sake let's have it," said one of the hearers.
"Well. then" began the sharp witted
lawyer, "the general used to go to Saratoga
every year. 1t was about seven years ago
weeks at that delightful place. OF course
they play poker there, as they do every
where else. One night he sat i'll . pretty
stiff game. | don't remember who the other
players were. but if my recollection serves
me there were five of them besides the gen
eral. 1t got along pretty we'll toward morn
ing, anu the general had quite q stack OF
velvet in front of him. Finally there came
a jackpot which passed around several
times, and the general, who sat next but
one to the dealer, picked up u straight OF
four, Ave, six and eight of spades and seven
think, was $40. However. I am not quite
sure Of that and it doesn't cut much of u
figure in the story, anyway. The man who
sat next to the general passed, the next
man played, and the next, a politician
whose name was WolIett or Wolcott. raised
the general. The dealer passed and 80 did
the man in front of Gen. Spinola.
when it came to the generals turn
again he studied his hand a moment as if
wondering how to do, and then, although it
was possibly not q good play, raised her
again. The next player tralled, and VOL,
trailed, and then the man who followed
him, whom the other players supposed had
no chance for the money, raised 1t. VOL
colt came back right away, aud the general
began to realize that his straight had a
pretty good chance to get second or third
~o- - ~ ,p rSrE% hnpa {hot II xvuS
this hand that cured the general of a bad
habit, as he considered it, and which 1t
certainly proved to be in this case. 1t was
his custom to squeeze the cards, that is, to
arrange them SO that only the indicators
could be seen by him. To resume, the gem
eral called. So did the man in front of
Wolcott.
"'Gimme one card said the general:
Both of the others held pat. The general
mixed his cards and glanced over the indl-
Gators. On the corner of the card he had
drawn was a figure seven. and just below it
called, waiting for Wolcott's raise, which,
of course, followed. The general boosted
her again. The man behind him trailed,
and Wolcott raised. The next raise shut
out Mr.. No. 9, and the general and Wolcott
kept raising back and forth until the men
who stood around the table wondered how
much further either of them could go. Both
had called upon their check books, and
goodness only knows how. much money
there was in the pot. When it finally came
to a call the general said:
"'Wolcott, I've got o beat, and he
spread his hand out on the table,. The lat
ter. who had been sitting all this time be-
hand four trays, which looked awfully big.
reached forward and looked the generals
hand over carefully.
"sHold on! he exclaimed, excitedlv,
that hand doesn't win; a straight doesn't
beat tours by a joyful
The general took a look at the cards as
they were spread out, and there, instead of
the seven of spades, he found the seven of
clubs. although the indicator told him it
was the seven of spades. Everybody at the
table picked up the seven and looked at it
carefully. There was no getting away from
it. There were the indicators and there
were the other spots. Wolcott was gener-
Gus enough to divide the money which had
been bet after the draw with the general,
and, as you may imagine, the general was
very we'll satisfied. How this mistake
could have happened has never beer
learned. Cards. you know, are printed or
stone. a whole sheet of them at a time.
Gen. Spinola always carried this card
around with him, and | have seen him ex'
hibit it after telling this story hundreds OF
times. Ever after that when he played
poker he vas always very careful not to bt
guided by the Indicators, and he would no
play with the indicators if other cards coult
be procured.o