The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-16
4 GAME AT THE LANGHAM.
A ROthsehiId, the Prince and "a
Frightened American in 1t.
From the washington Post.

\ HOthschtld. the Prince ana
Frightened American in Ii.
From the Washington Post.
Great injustice has been done 10 a good
man in all that poker-playing gossip about
Minister sehenck back in the los" Il
was one Of Washington's front rank law
yers who said this. Then he continued
in spirit Of reminiscence; L recollect.
however a taste OF high life which
Schenck gave me while minister. which
pivoted on poker. / was in London on
business OF a transatlantic sCrt. 1 had
known Schenck in America, and, OF course.
called on him tie was then American
BY the way said Schenck. as we
were about 70 separate one morning, what
are you going 10 do this afternoon
" Nothing OF moment. replied. No
programme in particular
There's going to be a poker game a
me Langham, said SchencK, and If yoa
care for the exercise. Ia like TO nave you
IN. Inc Prince or Wales VIII be one or
the party.
This last rather dazzled me. 1 reflected
that II isn't given to every American citi-
zen 10 bluff and raise and draw CARDS
against prince born in the purple. l would
go. | cared not a whit Tor poker, but II
would be an experience whereof TO tell the
babies when they grew UP. rell them how
papa beat the Prince OF Wales j told
Schenck I'd be there. II seemed delighted
and no doubt was for he was royal
good fellow, and liked to put his friends III
the way 10 be pleased5 One thing / forgot
the limit. had neglected to ask Schenck
the limit But L had a couple of thousand
dollars in London and felt elegantly, even
superciliously safe.
Three O'Clock came and repaired to
the Langham. The others came in later.
In addition to the Prince Of Wales. came
also Anselm Rothschild Of the bank of
that name, and the Duchess of Marlbor-
Ough III say right here the lady was the
best player OF the lot. With these three
Schenck and / sat down. Just after |
Schenck In whisper, what limit usually
obtained at these poker festivals He re-
Piled also in strong aside that there
was no limit.
The prince never plays with a limit
whispered Schenck. 1T would infringe his
dignity as a prince
blinking in the Bank of England vault
with its yellow neighbors didn't seem such
wad OF money. In fact, It began to d.
minish and appear paltry and mean. when
made TO face the proposition Of limitless
play against Englsnd's heir apparent with
the whole island to draw on, to say moth
ing OF the RCthschilis. IL started the per
Spiraton, but l was IN and couldn't get
out l hastily made UP my mind to STAY
long enough TO lose 800 or so, and then
suddenly grow Ill and eXtricate myself. 1t
was a happy thought. Cold feet would
ering.
happened to disturb my dream of cold
feet as means of escape. Schenck was
10 bank the game, and the first thing the
Give me fl.O9e worth of chips '--s5 90.
And he said 1t with no more of notice or
emphasis than If he had said Pass the
pie.
Il began TO realize that was liable 10
lose my $3.50 the hrst hand before cold
feet could come 20 the rescue. To add 10
my grief the heir of the RothschilGs
nl1HNH n hnnk nm Nf 81 ~. l.
by his elbow, with blank space for MIN
10 write In the amount, This he did with
a blue pencil of the editorial brand. The
kothschlld didn't buy chips. He played in
these checks. No wonder | began 70
sweat TO be caught between the banking
house OF the Rothschids and the British
empire with only 5000. The one ray CT
ENCOURAGEMENT IN 1t all was that the
duchess-nne old lady, too-only bought
sl,VO worth of chips 1 steersd by THAI
ana although groaning inWardlv bournt
$1,000 worth of chips also. Shenck smiled
approvingly. l Learned afterward that /
did right. 1t would not have been e.
quette 10 BUY as much as the prince. /
was glad of that-I would have been in 1:
nix n etiquette had taken the other Shoot.
wen, us hardly worth while to go
INTO Ihe details of the game. The ante
was tlV-tour call ten. l got good enough
hands, but was scared to death. | did5't
care pet them. The prince would look a
ms cards IN royal. ermined way, and
" I raise the ante f1OO.'
The young Rothschild would look at
ms cards and observe, with the same in
dlnerence to my feelings, which distin-
guished the prince
m III see that and go you ESQ better"
Ihese blood-curdling remarks took place
Defore the e-ew MIND YOU And then
tney q lean back and call for what cards
they wanted, and organize to bet 81 Gao
20 t3,OO0 anything that happened to pass
INTO their reckless minds That's tho
sort OF company I'd got into / layed
down hand after hand. and STAYED ont
an could but for all my lodging | lost
Sl20O In the first forty-fiVe minutes: sim
ply anted it away
About the end OF the first hour l got
three aces. They were all that saved
me, too. | broke into a plethoric lack
pot with them. which the prince and the
fsothschild Immediately raised several
times as If for exercise In the end I
won IT, 1t swelled my fortune over $40
wv After that l maneuVered very can
tlously and quit at p. m about $500 be-
hind the game.
That ended my dash. as it were. into
the royal family. / never passed a more
miserable afternoon in my life Schenck
ana the duchess played along with much
calnhess and phlegm. but l was so inn
pressed with my danger and harassed by
me reckless betting of the prince and the
Rothschild that l have no recollection as
10 how they Jared. Schenck asked me 10
other poker parties, but / had a previous
engagement each time. Games without
limits, against players equally unbounded
are too many for me-"