The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-11-07
POKER IN THE CABINET.


A Member of the Same, Who Wasn't Talk
ing About Herbert Tells Tales.
s.Gresham, y said prominent MEM
ber oe the cabinet, vainly searching in
his pocket for nickel with which to
pay his fare in the last night car after
pleasant little evening at the White
House, and who then gratefully thanked
q newspaper correspondent Tor handing
the conductor am extra nickel, "Gresh-
am says that he doesn't plsIy poker for
the money there is in it, but ] notice
that he wins all the chips. -
The secretary was lost in thought for
a few moments Finally he shook his
head sadly, sighed heavily and contin-
ned:
Secretary Gresham is, in my opin-
ion. tho finest poker player in the
country. I ::ave seen great many stiff
games in my life, games played BY
men who had for years made their llv-
ing at it. And I have seen some pretty
desperate chances taken, too, but never
have ! seen man so thoroughly at
home at game Of poker, so cool and
collected at every stage. as our secretary
Of state. In this opinion am sure that
l would be indorsed by every member
of the cabinet. Even the president him.
self would, am sure, second my views
on this subject, although he thinks he
knows thing or two about the game
himself"
HAS the president played the game
long?'' the newspaper man inquired.
'sOh, no. said the secretary; II
don't believe he ever played the game
at all until he went down the river last
year and took Gresham and Carlisle
with him. When he anne back, he
didn't talk about anything for months
but poker. he limited one day that II
I'd come up in the evening he would
give me few points about the game. l
went up. The next morning the presi-
dent had to send to the bank for money.
''What did the president say when he
arose from the game?"
..ae simply said that it was easy to
sec that I'd been taking q few lessons
from Gresham, and then he said good
night.
plsy?"
.sThey can; but, like the man with
the dish Of crow before him, they don't
banker after it. It's too expensive. The
great poker players Of the presidents
official family are the president, secre-
tary Of state, Carlisle and Morton. They
play for the love Of it. Morton is not
what one would say in the language OF
the street an 'out of sight player, but
he is pretty good all around hand at
the game, and then he doesn't have to
live on his salary. Carlisle is q shrewd
player, but lacks nerve. The president
is q great buffer and seldom stays out.
He's the biggest winner Of the four. ex-
oept. Of course, Gresham Gresham
seems to win all the time.
'.Do they play often?
.Well, they devote about all their
snare time to it It's become q hobby
with the whole of them. don't want
TO be understood az ;nsinuating that
they play night after night or that very
large sums change hands It's merely q
gentleman's game. They like it. 1t at
fords them the necessary relaxation aft
er hard days work, and it's perfectly
proper and correct. "
''Does Lamont play poker"
"Well, as my friend Goldzier would
put it, Lamont do play few poker
but it's not his hobby. Politics is La
mont's bobby"
Chow about Herbert?'
''I'm not talking about him. " Thor
he winked the other eye and left the
car.-Washington Cor. Rochester Post
Express.