The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-06
a woMAN,s POKER PARTY.
IL Lasted Five Hours, and Talking
Was Forbidden During the Game.

| who was not usually troubled with
nerves, had been in a state Of hdget from
the moment she emerged from her room.
/ Nothing quite suited her. and her voice
rang through the rooms and halls of the
| house IN fretful criticism until Lena de-
/ clared she wouldn't stand il any longer,
and Nellie was reduced 10 tears and help
| lessness. Mrs. Solomon barely touched
her food al breakfast or luncheon, but
| after the latter had been disposed Of she
| became somewhat calmer and when Nellie
cleared the things of the smoking-rooIn
table and placed before her a carved oak
box, a happy smile illuminated her pale
face.
Mind, now" said Mrs. Solomon, "and
have the luncheon served at half-past T."
Yes, ma am" said Nellie, and disap-
peared
Mrs. Solomon sat down at the table and
opened the box. disclosing some packs Of
playing cards in unopened wrappers and
row after row of ivory chips, all bearing
| in the center the Engraved monogram
u. S., meaning Judith Solomon. 1t was
interesting to watch her as she picked
the chips out of the box and placed them
/ on the table. Being young and pretty.
| in spite of her extreme pallor, and pos
sessing more than usual grace in all her
/ movements, her action in sorting the chips
| into piles of blues and reds and whites
was picturesque. There were six chairs
around the table, before each chair SHE
| placed three piles of chips, consisting OF
| twelve blues, ten reds. and twenty whites
1t was 1 o'clock. A few minutes later
the bell rang and the company which
| Mrs. Solomon had been expecting began
| to arrive. Within ten minutes all had
| come. They were most of them women
/ of middle age, although one was gray
/ haired and one was still in the flush of
youth. Each brought with her a small
valise. The door had hardly closed be-
| hind the last conner, and greetings had
been barely exchanged, when Mrs. Sol
| onion said:
Nov. dears. come right upstairs and
| get ready. We haven't any time to
| waste"
They followed her to the next floor and
| disappeared within her room. When they
returned TO the parlor floor a great trans
| formation had taken place in their appear
| ance. Their street costumes had been
removed, and replaced by comfortable
dressing gowns. No further ceremony
was INDUCED in. They took their places
around the table, Mrs. Solomon at the
head. She took one of the packs Of cards
out of the box and placed II on the table
then put the box on little stand behind
| her
Now ladies'" she said. as she showed
| the pack over to the eldest in the party
II have given you each IS worth of chips.
Mrs. Green, will you please shuttle the
| cards?"
Mrs Green, the gray-haired member
| of the party, removed the wrapper from
the cards, drew out the JOKER and threw
It on the floor. Then she shuffied the cards
with the skill of a professional, passed
| them over to the player at her right to
cut them, and finally dealt them. All
| the players were Immediately deeply en-
crossed in the game. There was no con-
versation to speak of, the only garrulous
woman in the party-a very pale auburn
haired woman--being shut off every time
she started to talk by reminders from the
other women that she had forgotten to
ante or that It was her turn to say what
she proposed to do. The most remarka-
BILE of all the women was very slight,
dark-complexioned woman with very thin
lips and a sharp, straight nose, who was
| addressed as Mrs. Cardozo. From the
time she sat down until the close of the
game she never said anything that did
| not pertain directly to the game. Even
when she bet she said nothing, but placed
her chips with a soft, cat-like motion In
| the center of the table. Her eyes never
| wandered from her cards, except when
| she stole a swift glance at the faces of
those who were playing against her. She
was cool at all times and the most har-
dened gambler never concealed his cards
more completely than she did.
A gambler would have called 1t very
| ouicI game: that is, the cards were dealt
| ouicklv and the bets were quickly made.
| No time was wasted in the consideration
| of what might have happened had the
| play been different. Mrs. Solomon played
the most daring game and Mrs. Cardozo
the most successful. At half past four the
| game was interrupted by the appearance
| of Nellie who came to announce that
| luncheon was served.
"Come. dears," said Mrs. Solomon with
a sigh, "we'n stop now for a short time
and have a little luncheon"
A chorus of indignant objections greeted
this remark.
"Oh, pshaw!" said Mrs. Green, what is
the use of stopping now? The game is
just getting interesting. We can eat any
| day."
That's what 1 say" chimed in another,
and the winner still true to her silence,
! merely glanced GROSSLY at Mrs. Solomon.
ooh, very well" said Mrs. Solomon, IF
| you object, why we'll continue"
| So the game went on, and there was no
further interruption to the play until Mr..
Solomon arrived at about o'clock. He
looked into the room with quizzical
| smile on his face and said Sarcastically:
well ladies, I am somewhat of gam
bier myself, but it's a new one on me to
get so infatuated as to sit playing all day.
It's frightfully hot in here. Don't you no.
tice it?"
| Don interrupt us sdiu hdTS. GTeeH,
very solemnly, we're in the middle of
play"
yes, dear" said Mrs. Solomon, without
looking up from her cards. do go away"
Mr. Solomon stood undecided for mo-
ment, and then with grin went up to his
room. The play came to an end when Mrs.
Green, who had bet all her pile of chips,
threw down four fives and raked in the
| big pot which had accumulated under the
spirited betting of herself, Mrs Solomon
and Mrs Cardozo. The last looked very
spiteful as she threw down full hand of
aces and kings.
Dear me-" said Mrs Solomon, as she
showed up an ace-high flush. II wasn't
in it at ALL" Then she leaned back in her
chair and said: well, ! suppose we've
got to stop now. Some day we must ar
range to start earlier, and play after din
ner, too"
The other women reluctantly admitted
that they too, thought it was time 70 stop,
| as they had to get home to dinner and
! knew their husbands would be waiting for
| them even as it was. Each counted her
chips and passed them over to Mrs. Solo
mon, who proved to be the biggest loser
! nf the daV and had TO turn over S15 To her