The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-12-29
SOLDIERS BUDGET,
Talking " Poker.

only cent ante game compared to one
| got mixed mp Inlet me see-yes, it
was late IN '63 "
The speaker was one o. party Of
six who we're seated around a table at
the Casino yest' rday afternoon. They
were johnnie RIBS, every one of them,
and each wole he modest little button
tlat had on its face the stars and bars.
1t was joyous meeting these old gray
haired boys were having, aud between
the beers many scene Of the days
which tried mems souls was recall I'd
and many story was told of comrades
who have passed away but are not for
gotten.
All of the six had seen service in the
valley campaigns of Virginia, though
some of thu m had not met since Gen.
Lee gave up his swOid at AppomaltoX.
They were Old gray haired men, yet
they were boys still, and step by step
they went over that long tussle with
the Yauks over there in the valley.
The old fellow on the right raised an
empty sleeve and told of how he lost
his arm when the order came to charge
at Bull Run.
The grlzzled old veteran 10 his left
pointed 10 his peg-leg and asked COM
panion if he remembered that day in
August when a shell came singing
along and exploded in their midst, and
of all the party those two alone escaped
alive-the one without leg, the other
minus three fingers.
The talk went on, story after story
was told, and after while they fell to
talking of the big poker games they
had witnessed. ..
The colonel, to whom the question
had been propounded, had just finished
telling of game he had seen in which
$40 600 in gold had changed hands, and
on one hand, too.
1t was pretty good poker story, and
the look on the colonel's face showed
plainly that he was more than satisfied
that not one of the six old boys had the
temerity to call him, and he was not
little surprised when the major sized
up his pile and threatened to raise him
higher'n cats back. The colonel had
forgotten the little games he and the
ma or had become tangled up in more
Than thirty years ago. and he had seem.
that the major was slayer from way
back.
You call game where man loses
$4,000 in gold cent ante game, do
your Well, woul just like to know
what you would call sure enough
game" the colonel answered, little
warmly.
II will tell you about it," said the
major. you remember, colonel, that
winter we were camped on tle Shenan-
doah watching and waiting for the
Yanks to make move? 1t was during
that winter l got mixed up in that
game of poker. You know time hung
mighty heavy those days, and to make
it pass little faster we used to get up
a game now and then. Some of the
boys would play seven up, but most of
us preferred draw poker"
"What kind of money did you use?"
asked the colonel.
Confederate money, of course" re-
piled the major, who did not relish the
interruption. 1.-THE boys had plenty Of
money that winter, and sometimes the
amount won ana lost in game ran up
into the thousands. One day party of
FIVE Of US sat down to play early in the
morning, and when two O'Clock in the
where we started. Bill, poor fellow, he
was killed by Yankee bullet next
spring, was dealing. They all dropped
out but Jack and myself.
"On looking at my hand saw pair
Of sevens, and drew down to them.
Jack looked wise and took one card. L
failed to better my hand in the draw,
but had made up my mind to see what
Jack had or make him lay down.
1t was Jacks first say and he bet
me 800 bill with old Jeff's picture on
it, cold from the shoulder. Without
any hesitation saw his 800 and raised
him back 5000 more. Then he came
back to me with 'histe of 81, 900.
1--WE kept that histing' up for
twenty minutes until our last cent was
on the table. The last bet Jack made
he raised me 81 900. 1 looked across
the table and tried to read his face. I
might as we'll have tried to look through
ten.foot wall. Jack was as cool as
cucumber and not a muscle in his face
moved. / was almost sure he was
bluffing, and knew was.
&" What you got, Jack?' said finally,
covering his big bet.
w bue JOu 6O'A no oho"OiOo3
little sheepishly, and knew he was my
meat.
$50, I've got pair I said indiffer-
emily.
"' How bigP'
"Sevens.'
"'That's good
81 don't know to this day what Jack
had. He tore up his hand and would
never tell"
How much was in that pot, major?"
the colonel asked.
Let me see. There was on the rise
of $32 0O0," answered the major.
"What did you do with 30 much
money!
"Do with it2 Why, I went around
to the commissary the next morning
and bought two pounds of tobacco and
pair of boots. "-Nashville Banner.