The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-01-21
BIG POKER STORIES.
THEIR TEX TAE REMARKABLE VA
GARlEs or LUCK.

II suppose Senator Wolcott ID one OF
the coolest men living when engaged in
a game Of chance, " said Albert Watson
of Denver. Like most men whose early
manhood has been spent on the frontier,
he learned the value of a poker hand and
the best way to keep cases az soon as he
learned law, and he was known as d 'lim-
it, player all over Colorado before his
fame as q lawyer had spread outside of
Denver. When playing faro, he always
did and does yet bet as much on the
turn of a card as the dealer will allow
him to, and when he sits In d poker
game the other people want TO keep
their eyes wide open and play their
cards mighty close up to their chests,
"Wolcott once found himself i'm a
game of psker where three of tho other
players were playing a sure game. They
were professionals and were after q big
bundle of money that he had in his pos.
session al well as looking for that which
the fifth player, q mining operator
named Durkin, was known to have.
Wolcott knew i'm 20 minutes after the
first hand was dealt that the intention
was to rob him and wearied his wits
trying to find a way out of the game
without making trouble, but he couldn't
discover a means to save him. At last
he was dealt q pat flush of diamonds
made up of the 5, z, 8, 8 and Jack. He
skinned those cards over and did q
mighty pieceof thinking. Hefelt in his
bones that a flush would be no account
in the world when it came to q show
down, but he Clipped in and staid to
draw cards. To his surprise, ne wasn't
raised before the draw.
HE looked over his bright red dia-
monds and concluded to draw a card, in
order, if possible, to strengthen the se-
uuence. He pondered q long time be-
tween discarding the 5 spot or the pic.
ture. and at last tossed away the jack
and called for q card. The dealer looked
surprised al his wanting any. but gave
him the card. Wolcott picked it mn and
found he had got the 9 spot Of dia-
monds. He never turned q hair. The
betting began. and he nursed his Sc
uuence of diamonds and inst staid
along, letting the other fellows do the
raising. At last it got down TO Wolcott
and one of the professionals. Finally
there was a call, and the other man
showed four queens. Wolcott laid down
the 5, 6, z, 8 and 8 of diamonds and
swept in the pot. The game stopped
right there. Ireckon that was the Qreat-
est piece of luck that any man ever bad
in O poker game. g.
When MIR. Watson had concluded his
interesting recital and the woaderfuI
draw had been expatiated b one OF
his listeners remarked that he reckoned
it was his deal. This is q story of LUCK.
too, - he remarked, ''but or q different
character from chat experienced by San.
ator Wolcott A friend of mine who
lives ont in Maryland was playingfna
little poker game not long ago. The
paraphernal;.a of the game was primi.
tive, consisting of single well thumbed
deck of steamboat cards, with grains at
corn for chips. nv friend was followed
by q regular tempest of bad luck. and
his corn was down to a very few grains.
He agitated his mind for a minuta a.
two and then suddenly announced that
he had forgotten to give his horse water
and would have to doit. He went ot Of
the house, and being familiar with the
premises made his way to the cornhouse.
and putting in his hand i'm the dark not
an d of corn and put it In his poclsetg
Then he went to the stable, after maks
ing a big noise at the pump to LET the
fellows inside believe he was moistening
his animal, and returned in a few min
utes to the house. He sat down and nro.
ceeded to pull ont the schips' he had
placed in his pocket when he left. and
which he had substantially added tn
meantime. You can imagine his con.
sternation when he found that he drew
forth his original dozen white 'chips.
with twice that many red. He had man.
aged to find in the dark the only red ear
in the courthouse"
'sI1I make q personal confession after
that, said Henry Miller when the.
laugh subsidized. 'sSome years ago I was
prone now and then to indulge in the
delights of draw, and there was a friend
liy;oo near ma ovar in Gaor,+a.v,n