Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-23
CHAMBERLIN'S PAT HAND.
THE MOST DISMAL EXPERIENCE IN
THE HOTEL MAN. LIFE
A Tvo-Hnuded, NO-Limit Game, at
which Roscoe COnkIing Was q
spectatOr-SI4,7OO Wa
on the Table.

1F 4yTr an ODllrnlSl uNtAs AAAC ~ SO5
Chamberlin, Of Washington, NdS pnS, any "a
vi b. had to win through ms houIs oi
disgust the same a. men OF LtSS 49, naet
1engU,Tament. He often said that the mos
gisul1i ,X1prieuce of his life was "A SlIlEle
round of Il t~wo-handcd poker game that ns
uIaveG back in ISIS with a hentuchlah %
national fame at that time 10
II onc winter evening. Besides hamner
lin and the K~entuCklan. Roscoe toihlluS
ami a member Of Hayes caDlntt hau HS.boG
10 make away with the dinner 49,
il had been eaten, the fo1r auJouLH.u
IN Ch9mberlan's private smoking room 70
cniov their coffee ard cigars. Iney an ISlL
pretty well, the only natural ltSin6 H y
the proper kind Of man AFTER tatlh6 NJ
share OF a Chamberlin dinner. LheS SdI
around ChambCrlins famous LdCIuSiIu
card table purchased Tor MN IN J1Pau ~
General Grant. EARNING and dawdLins LOT
A while. The kentuCkian, tumOhhS eHlOns
the recesses of the card table, got hoId OF
a pack Of cards in a ceiiiioaG 70 ~. anu
after lazily toying with II. salu ne
John. let's play single jack just 10 see
how the cards run a.
a right" replied Chamberlin' Tor
nrbat's nv game said the Kentuckian,
and both men put a 500 bill IN the center
of the tabBe. They arranged tnal II SnouLu
he Il plain case of jacks or better 10 open
The Eentuckian shook the cards out OF
the case. shufied them, and, at a nou l[oni
Chamberlin, dealt the hand. Conkllhs anu
the cabinet officer stood looking on WIN
their hands in their pockets
Chamberlin picked up his cards one pE
one. lie WIS ii ObpA-aANtNNN
learned the game of poker at an age "neIl
most boys are just mastering sunny, Dut
the witnesses afterward declared tnat ms
face certainly flushed when ne hao Sdtn-
cred in all of his five cards. But ne dluh I
say anything until the kentuckian slowly
picked up his cards. ana ne was pIoodpiy
so wrought up himself that he did not OBJ
serve his opponents suppressed eNclla-
ton as Conkling put it in coming the
phil" said Chamberlin to the Kentuck-
ian Il don't want to be hard on you, but
I'd never have any more luck as long as L
live if didn't play 4 ms i;u h SoiIp as 70 n Sre ak
Il open for five hundred showing lhe
money into the pot.
John" replied the Kentucktan, with a
little tremor in his voice, Il feel IL may
duty to warn you right now that I've got
you beat on the go-in, and l don't want
to take any unfair advantage OF YOU put
can't afford TO return a churlish scowl
10 the smile of fortune any more than you
can. and so. John, it'll cost you a thousand
We'll" returned Chamberlin with a
sikh, showing the raise into the pot, L
never saw a kentuckian yet VINO Knew
WREN he was licked. and I'm really sorry
for you, but you're bringing 1t I'll on
cards" inquired the K~entuckian.
"I'U play with these" said Chamberlin,
closing his hand and running over MS
wallet: ar ,,t
need any myself. Make your bet-but be
careful. John, be careful
when you adopt that imbecile tone,
Phil" said Chamberlin, you do 1t al the
John" said the kentuckian, looking at
his opponent mournfully, you are the
stubbornest man i'm the Western lteml-
sptere. and YOU certainly need some of II
taken out of you. A thousand more IMAM
you" ouur
who had been standing behind the Ken
tuckian. come over here and have a look
at this hand of mine, and add your voice
A. --v~ nrnrpfnD 70 MIR friend across file
table" Conkling obeyed the request ana
glanced at Chamberlin's hand. I'm not
in this game, John he sald; "a n ~
remarks." He said afterward that ne had
70 turn TO the sideboard and stuff his hand
kerchief into his mouth TO keep from roar
55oh. very well. then" said Chamberlin.
You perceive, Phil. that I've done my best
necessity of raising you another thou-
sand" pulling out his check book and
writing a check for the amount with a
Handy things. those fountain pens" re-
piled the Kentuckian. Lend me 1t He
also produced a check book and scrubbed
a check. which he thrust into the center
OF the table with a coniden flourish.
John" he said. Il shall enjoy your dis
comtiture less than that OF any man OF
going to fly in the face of Providence by
laying down a hand like this or anything
like ii. Thousand mOre!'
Conkllng broke into a laugh, which he
turned into a cough. Il never came so
close to sunocatiOn in my life" he said aft
When there was s14.7OO in cash and checks
I'm the center of the table, the Kentuckian,
whose turn it was to bet, cleared his
"Chamberlin." he said. solemnly, this
thing has gone far enough. Neither one of
US is a millionaire. / do not purpose in
dulging your notorious recklessnesS any
further. see plainly that you are Just
wild red Indian enough to bet your last
blanket and pair of moccasinS on that fist
fun of cards, even in the teeth of my SOL
cmn assurance that you are the worst
thrashed man from here to Alaska. John,
Chamberlin spread his hand out on the
table before him. -Four of the cards were
Eentuckian spread out his hand at the
same time. 1t consisted of four kings and
an ace. The two men gazed at each other
across the table with expressions of blank
low from Conkling that might have been
heard over in Lafayette square.
Senator" said Chamberlin. severely,
wheeling around. what ais yOu?,
Mr.. ConklinE. sub" said the Kentuck-
Ian, we would be pleased, sub, il you would
be good enough TO explain what pleases
you. sub"
Conkiing took a firm grip at his sides
and. after a few gasps and suppressed
shrieks. got the handling of himself.
never saw a duel with blank
enough to say, but. after all. i think the
tragic earnestness of two men engaged in
PLAYING a game Of poker with a pinOChle
deck Of cards is quite as humorous" and
he fell into another SpaSm of aughter.
Chamberlin and the KentuCkian gazed
at each other with Sheepish grinS for a
minute and then tore up, their checks and
split the pot. Chamberlin always MAIN
tanned that il was the most gTievous dis
appointment of his life. not on account of
fha money. but ON account of the riddlinP
90 - H. #HA|rrnI -Hah an - Q - -