The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-02
SHE KNEW THE GAME.
HOW KENTUCKY WOMAN RE-
TRIEEED HER HUSBANDS
LOSSES.

the Colonel and the MINOR Did Not
Have a sure Thing-A Stupendous
Jack-POt
From the Louisville Courier-JournaI.
One Of the hottest games of poker on
record was played in feadvine in the
early days of the carbonate camp. when
gambling was a legitimate function, and
every house on State street was equipped
with paraphernalta Of roulette and faro.
But the finest establishment of the kind
was on Harrison avenue. the principal
street in the camp.
1t was known far and wide as the Mar
bic Hall. a magnificent resort in its way,
and fitted up in truly royal fashion up
stairs and down. The popular gambling
was done on the first floor. where any
body who chose TO do so could put dol
lar on the queen and watch the nimblo
fingers Of the dealer slipping the cards
from the box that were TO decide whether
the queen won or lost Upstairs we're
compartments for gentlemen who pre-
ferred quiet game or poker. and in one
of these compartments nightly gathered
a number of private citizens who were
deVotees Of the American game, and who
played for high stakes.
NtIt W Is OIU man IN the naTtX who
had met with bad luck both in his min
ing property and at the card table. His
name was Johnson, which though not his
rear name, will serve quite as well for
the purposes of this story. johnson was
a popular man about town, and the hus.
band Of a remarkably beautiful wife
whom he had married in Kentucky five
years before. She had money when John
son married her, but JohnsOn's bad luck
mad caused some heavy inroads to be
made on her fortune, and while they were
nj OTIS .,
was running low. and running lower on
account of JohnsOn's mania for poker.
one night Johnson lost heavily and went
home feeling very badly over the i'll turn
IN MS fortune. When the rest of the little
party met IN the upper room next time
there was vacant chair where Johnson
USED 10 sit. Now the sagacious reader who
suBposes that johnson. having grown des-
pendent over his losses had resorted to sui
eide TO quiet his troubles, will have to con-
less to an error Of judgment. For after
the party had been waiting for "A little
while for Johnson to make his appearance
and had repeatedly ordered up the drinks
70 while away the time they were startled
by an apparition In the form of a beautl-
iul woman who was suddenly ushered into
their presence by one of the attendants. 1t
WIS Mrs Johnson
The lady had gained admission by side
stairway, where few had noticed her and
hau made ner way up the carpeted steps
to the landing, where the attendant had
found her waiting She told him she wished
10 be conducted to the room occupied by
Col Brown and Judge Williams and Mai.
smith without being announced
The colonel, the judge and the major
were somewhat surprised to see Mrs John
son bursting upon their little circle in all
her radiant loveliness and for a moment
imagined that they were In for a curtain
lecture or rawhiding. as the case might be
But they were soon treasured when Mrs
Johnson INDUCED in one of her irresistible
smiles and greeted the party each by
20 oct faI
All jumped to their feet bowling and sUuiI-
ing, and meanwhile trying hard to account
for her visit; They were not long kept in
were indebted for her radiant presence
they turned white for moment and then
embarrassed. like so many bashful boys.
To make a long story short, Mrs. John
son asked permission ito take her hus-
bands seat at the table, assigning as a
reason for Mr.. JohnSon's absence the fact
that he had spralned his ankle that day.
ana was not feeling very well. She was
something of a poker player herself" she
declared in a busness-like tone, and as
WIFI did not wish the circle to be broken
up, he had consented to an arrangement
OF her suggestion, TO allow her to take his
seat until he was personally able to re-
sumo his place.
There was nothing to do, seeing that
johnson was a heavy loser, but to give
him the satisfaction to which courtesy en-
titled him. Mrs. Johnson, as the major
gallantly assisted her off with her heavy
wraps, laughingly assured her compan-
ions that she was there for blood. and ex-
pected none to show her any mercy on
account of her sex. And so this dueerlv
assorted quartet sat down, and the deal
began.
They soon discovered that Mrs John
sons face was no index to her hands
1t was grave and wreathed in smiles by
turns, without being to any perceDtible
degree affected by the cards she held.
She took the first pot but lost the next
two the fourth and lost "a
BY this time the nervousness of her ad-
Versar1eS had worn away, and their minds
We're concentrated on the shifting stages
of the game, so that they soon forgot that
they were playing with a woman Mrs
johnson was as cool as a cucumber. For
awhile after the nerves of her compan-
ions had become settled she lost; then she
struck pace, as the saying goes and
the tide of fortune flowed into her Ian
Her chips were accommodating in formida-
BILE stacks. She was ahead of the game
when the clock pointed to u.
Gentlemen said Mrs. Johnson. Il
promised VIII to stop playing at midnight
somebody has been losing heavily, and
have good share of his money Now, 1
propose to open jackpot for $780, come
what may, before the cards are dealt
What do you say2"
put down their blue chips, each worth $40
and the cards were dealt. The Judge
laid down his hand and wiped the per
SEPARATION from his fevered brow The rest
stayed. The major took one card and the
colonel two. Mrs. Johnson also took two
The major put down five blue chips: the
colonel raised him two Mrs. johnson went
them three better. Both came back at her
handsomely and then she put up ten blue
chips. The colonel wilted, and the game
was between the major and Mrs Johnson
The major warned her good-naturedly. but
she laughed at him and forced him TO a
corner after a hard fight. He called her
Mrs. Johnson looked sheepisnly as she
laid down three eight spots and two skies
The judge leaped to his feet with an ex-
clamation that sounded like a roar.
"What!' he shouted, in fine frenzy. land
I laid down three tens ana two queensr'
And l." groaned the colonel three
aces"
The major had not spoken. He Iooked
thoughtfully at Mrs. Johnson's cards as
they lay spread on the table For a minute
he did not move, sitting there like a, man
who is studying out great problem in
trigonometry. Then he quietly cast his
cards on the deck, face down, and waved
his hand toward Mrs. johnson as a DoIite
invitation to rake in the pot, arose with q
weary sigh, and proceeded to grasp his
hat and cane.
The other two roared at finding them
selves made the victims of woman's blur
and gesticulating like Cinnamon, while
Mrs johnson. smiling as sweetly as a.
May bell deposited her winnings in some
mysterious pocket about her dress and al
lowed the judge TO drape her wraps about