The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-24
MAHONE's POKER GAME
An Incident In Which the Hero Of The Crater
Surprised His Companions.
HE APPLIED HIS lNFlExlBLE RULE
And Escaped Failing Into the Pit
Prcpurcd for him, ut the same
Time Had IL Laugh ut the Expense
OF ThoSo Who Thought they
1Ind u Sure Thing.

They tell a story in Washington about
General Malone which exhibits the de-
iicacy of that gentleman, as we'll as tho
cool and steady, fashion in which ho
used to pick up his poker hand. The
General Is dead now. and this is of three
years ago
&C., General Malone played very often and
nked the game. Once he was in a four
handed party at Chamberlin's, in Wash
ington. which included several Senators;
NOBODY was winning or losing very
much The limit was not high one.
A deal was beginning where General
Mahone sat ut the dealers left hand,
ana mad what Is popularity called the
age: The General had antcd and the
zeal was about to begin. when one of
the walters called him from the room to
speak with some gentleman.
Deal me hand" said General Ma
DC pack In time to play it." AS he closed
the door behind him the Senator who
was handling the deck remarked:
Lets put up joke on Malone. III
aeai nm three queens In the go-oir. and
hx up C, next to him. with a
straight flush. and then let Malone get
| another queen in the draw. Id like to
see how long and how hard the Gene
ray would bet four queens. OF course.
we give the money back"
a FINE JOKE
The others deemed this a very cx-
celient jest. and the dealer ran over tho
deck until he had gotten three o,renr
which he threw down with two othrr
| cards as Mahone's hand. Then he fixed
up the statesman next to him with n
four diamond flush, The top Of the deck
| was next arranged so as to give Malone
anothPr queen to his three and fiji C.'s
1 diamond flush to, niake 1t II straight
flush. %
Everybody had picked up his hand
when the General got back. ana as ne
drew mp to the table and reached for
MS cards the dealer remarked: Hurry
up, General were waiting for YOU =
General Malone looked at his hand. dis
| carded one card and said, Give me a
| card"
| The dealing Senator dealt The General
me fourth queen, which lay ON top of
me deck and gave C. next To him,
| was after. And. then they leaned back
to see c and the General buck
each other: and. as c. had the high
hand. TO hear what the General would
say when he lost on. four queens.
BUT IT DIDN'T WORK.
ii was Cts first bet. lie threw
! down wh.ts, chip. OF course every
| body was confident the General would
raise him. That wss where they were
disappointed. To their amazemcnt. and
without moments hesitation without
n word of comment or any restura
which would indicate either surprise or
| disgust. Malone threw his hand in the
| discard, and as nobody had bet against
c, he took in the little pot without
opposition.
| General Malone then reached FOR the
| deck ana proceeded to calmly shuttle the
cards for the next deal. Al last tho
Senator who had de- 81 the cards broke
into a laugh.
C, you might better give the
General back his ante" remarked the
late dealer. Then they ali laughed.
while Malone looked up In pretended
| surprise. N"E ,t .f
Why didn't you bet those four
| queens, Generate" asked one of the
Senatorial players. did you think thcy
were joke. or that somebody WAS
trying to rob you?"
AN INFLENlRI.E RULE.
NO. Sir" smoothly replied Malone.
II have the utmost confidence in the
| honesty of every gentlemen present: |
| haven't the re!notcst idea that any one
of YOU would rob me, and am confident
| mat no one would Jest about so serious
! th!nG as poker. But | make ii an
| iniieXihle rule. sab, never To bet Il high
hand where l have been absent through
| the deal. To he out in the hall during
| the deal. and then return and pick up
three queens. and get fourth on a
! one-card draw. is to me excessively
Alarming. SO of course threw my hand
in the discard. / always want u be
present when I'm dealt four OF n kind"
We'll. General" said the Senator who
had been dealing, 81; was n joke. after
all, and | must compliment you on the
| very prompt ana thoroughbred manner
in which. without discussion. you Laid
| down those four queens. IT showed. sir
| that you were n Southern gentleman,
and was complimentary alike to your