The evening times., 1895-11-04
GAME II TIE CABINET
Apparently AZ Official Repaft Of a Notable
Contest Of Kalahhites.
interesting Version of an Impulsive
Promise Which Made a Secre-
tary Out Of a Senator.

One OF the best poker stories know has
| the unusual merit of being true. Most
| poker stories are fictions; this one deals
with facts.
During the first Cleveland administration
| there was n little game al the house of Mr..
| Whitney. Sitting in were Grover Cleye-
land. John q. Carlisle. W. L. Scott, Henry
Waterson, and the host-just a nice five
| handed game. and a company of royal good
| fellows, as everyone will admit.
| The play was strictly senatorial-$5
| ante, So limit, CEarley-Farweli-strai
around -the-cOrner, Billy Mahoneblazes, and
| everything going. or course, sir. Whitney
| set an elegant luncheon, with ali proper trim
niings and about midnight there was good
deal OF blurriDg over the cards. and no end
| of banter;ng across the table.
Finally came the deal which makes the
story. and which may have an important
bearing ON the history OF the country.
Grover Cleveland skinned the cards. which
were dealt hin by John Carlisle, and re-
ma rked they were worth q little raise be-
fore the draw. W. l. Scott stayed in;
Henry Watterson, belligerent, as usual,
aldad another raise, which was met by
| William c. Whitney. John g. Carlisle
trailed in.
MIR. Cleveland now tilted Natterson
and the Others stayed, except that Waiter
son again !erked TWO blue chips instead
of one TO the mdd:e OF the table. There
were several more raises backward and
forw ard between Cleveland and watterson,
and the pace became SO rot betw cen these
two that the Others discreteiy cropped out
with their single pairs-all except Car
Isle, " no continued to trail in.
Finally Cleveland stopped meeting the
frisky Watterson's ultiniatums, and cards
were drawn. Cleveland took one, and every
body knew he had either three of a kind or
two big Pairs. Watterson stood pat, and
Cleveland sized him up for a bluff. To
the great astonishment OF every one. Dealer
Carlisle i,eip himself TO four cards. All
hands were much amused at this display
OF poker Innocence, and the players " mixed
al one another behind their cards.
wattcrson said something TO the effect
that Carlisle had teen SO long away from
Kentucky he must have forgotten most
that he ever knew. But when Cleveland
had merely Clipped against watterson's
pat. and watterson had rushed in " itii an
other blue, there as more astonishnent-
Carlisle quietly showed in two b.ues.
Cleveland responded with another raise,
wattrrson held his cards close to Ftbe end
of his nose and returned TO the charge and
the other Kentuckian tilted them again.
After the center OF the table had been piled
high with blue chips the man with the four
card draw making the last raise. there was
a show down. Cleveland had filled two
pairs, Watterson had a pat straight, but
Carlisle spread out four aces
As he showed the blue pile toward the lean
Kentuckian. Mr.. Cleveland exclaimed:
Drew four cards TO an ace and got the
other three by thunder! That's genius:
that's financiering- Carlisle. II come back
back for a second Term, your the man /
want FOR my Secretary OF the Treasury.
an glad TO say poker is playing out in
WashingtonI mean poker among big
people. or course. II is the greatest game
on earth and all that. but soneh W the peo-
pie are not pleased to hear of statesmen,
Presidents. Cabinet men and Senators in
dulcing much in it, and perhaps the people
are quite right
Mr.. Cleveland has not played any poker
In Washington since be came back for this
term. though fancy may have had few
small games. just to pass the time, while
OH; on his fishing or shooting trips. Secre-
tary Carlisle occasionally has two or three
intimate friends up at his house to play
draw for "A couple of hours, but the limit is
never more Than 25 cents. and 25-cent
draw Is about as harmless muggins.
The game at Cariisle's always stops at
midnight. which is another thing in its
favor. When the Secretary has not anyone
to play draw with he plays solitaire. Like
many other men Of intense activity, he
finds some game restful to his brain.
When Mr.. Gresham was in Arthur's Cah- |
met he pla yed poker great deal That was
a regular poker Cabinet. But during all |
the time he was Secretary of State he Bever |
touched card. A few years ago CO. |
terie of Senators used to have big game |
almost every night at John Chamberiin's, |
but those OF them who are still in WASH |
ington appear to have overcome the habit. |
During the winter there is IN occas- |
fopal game, but the stakes are light COM
pared with what they used to be- One |
thing that helped to break up the Senatorial |
game was a nasty Scandal Senator thrice
canght cheating aud another Senator rails