The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-10
HER HAND WAS THE STAKE.
The Poker Game in Which Sophia
Lee Bet Herself.
From lac New York sun.

was called for short. She was woman
of masculine characteristics. She always
declared that she was capable of taking
care of herself under any and all circum-
stances, and she proved it by doing so.
She was born and bred in Cape May
| county. Her father fshed for a living
the year round in Delaware bay and the
| inlets on the east coast. Sophy was an
! only child. and from her early girlhood
| until her father went to the bottom of
| the sea in his fishing boat during south
| east gale she was his companion on land
| and water. She knew the waters of Del
| aware bay and the east coast by heart,
could take up a pound net as well as a
| man, and there wasn't thing about hand
| ling a boat with which she was not ia
| miliar.
After her fathers death she took pos
| session of his nets and boats and set
! about earning a living for herself, which
| she did easily. The woman was taught
| to play poker by her father who was
| looked upon as the stiffest player in South
| Jersey. He was always at 1t when not
| at work, and the pots he lost were not
to be compared with the number that he
| won His success at holding cards won
| for him the name of Lucky Job, or, abb
| breviated, Lucky Job.
When IS years of age Sophy could play
as clever a game as any of the old-tim'
ers, and at the age of % there wasn't
poker player in the county who hankered
after taking a hand with her. She seemed
to have inherited her fathers luck, and,
besides, she had the courage to meet all
kinds of bluffs half way, and did not hesi-
tate to make one herself when she was
satisfied that she could carry it through
successfully.
Job Lee had a friend of the name Of Will
liam Eaton, who was fisherman Eaton
was twenty years older than Sophy, but
he was anxious to have her for his wife,
When he made the proposition to Job his
answer was: Go win her eff we can, Bill
she's big enough ter know whether she
wants ter marry We or not,an' eff she don't
I amt goin ter make her.
Eaton mentioned the matter to Sophy,
but she wasn't disposed to tie up to any
man and plainly told him so. But that
didn't cool his (BilPs) ardor. He pressed
his suit persistenty and Sophy as persis-
tently refused him. Eaton was a lucky
poker player himself, and he frequently
sat in a game with Lee and his daughter
1t happened that about a year after her
fathers death Sophy dropped into the tap
room of Munson's tavern at Goshen one
night. When she found Eaton and two
of his friends engaged in a game she
asked if she might take hand.
She was welcomed to the game. The
men had an idea that the liquor she had
drunk would make her play with less eau
ton than usual, and they saw an oppor-
tunity, they thought, to get back some of
the money she had taken from them in
times gone by. But Sophy had her luck
with her and she handled the cards as
carefully as IL she had never taken a
| drink in her life. In a short time Eaton's
friends were broke and dropped out of
the game Bill was holding his own, and
that fact evidently nettled Sophy, who
| began to push a dash into the game unu-
sual for her. She addressed herself to the
gin bottle frequently, while Eaton quietly
| pulled his pipe and refused to drink
Neither of the players was able to get
very much the best of the game. Luck
was about evenly divided. Finally Sophy
| started jack pot, and after the cards
had been dealt dozen times without the
pots being opened the spectators began
to get interested in the game
At last Eaton opened the pot on SONNY
deal. TN let We in cheap, Sophy," said
he as he showed $40 to the center of the
table.
I'm in" replied sophy, putting up the
| money. How many cards?"
Two" replied Eaton.
Sophy dealt the cards and laid the pack
on the table.
''Haint you goin' ter take enny?" asked
| Eaton.
I'll stand pat" replied Sophy.
"Bluffin' agin, eh?" said Eaton with a
grin as he picked up his cards and looked
them over WAL, / can't lay this hand
down now. I'll bet $50 it's good" He put
up the money.
I'm bet fifty more you're beat" said So.
ply laying down 500 on the pile of paper
and coin.
I'm raise that fifty" said Eaton, after
carefully consulting his cards.
The betting went on until neither PLAYER
had money. Eaton had raised Sophy's las
bet, and the woman had no money te
| meet it,
Bill" said she, looking across the Ia.
| bic at her opponent, you've wanted me
ter marry you fer long time an l hahn
never wanted ter do it, an | don't now
I'll tell yer what I'll do eff We think ye,v,
got the best hand; I'll bet myself agin YOU
sloop Marthy that l can beat We. an eff
don't I'll marry We tonight, right here
| eff it can be done"
''Ill call ye," cried Eaton almost befor,
Sophy had finished speaking
-Four kings said Sophy, spreading GU
her cards.
-Four aces" said Eaton, spreading GU
his.
I'm yourn," calmly remarked sophy
give me some gin"
Eaton was wild with joy over his goot
luck, and a messenger was at once dis
| pdtcneu LOT horace IfinDle, a Justice O
the peace to come to the tavern and MARI,
the couple. Trimble was quickly on TIL
ground. No marriage license was re
quired in New Jersey. and he was read,
to tie the knot. Eaton was anxious :,
have it done right away, but Sophy an
pearod to be deeply thinking about some
thing. Finally she said to the justice o
the peace:
"Trimble, you knowed my father an
you've knoweG me ever sence I was .
bapy, an father an 1 wus alwus YOU
friend. I'm goin' ter mary, Bill, but
reckon we won't git along very well ter
gether, an some day l may have ter lool
out fer myself agin'. / don't perpose tha
Bill shall hev my boats an things. so
want ter give EN- to you an want you te
promise me that ef ever want EN- bacl
you'n give EN- ter me, will YEP"
Here's my hand on it, said Trlmble
grasping Sophy's hand.
Eaton was not pleased with this move
Sophys boats and nets were valuable. an
he especially desired to have control o
| them.
THAT haint fair ter me, sophy." h
said.
"Hain't il me an not NV pronertv !,