Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-02-14
HER HAND TIE STAKE.
The Poker Game in Which Sophia
Lee Bet Herself.
William Eaton Won Her, Then
Played for Her Property, and His
Full Hand Was Beaten by -Four
DeuceS.

weu-known poker player in the person OF
sophia. Lee. sophy she was called for
sbor. she was a woman OF masculine
characteristics. She always declared that
she was capable of taking care OF herself
under any and all circumstances ana she
proved It by doing 80.
She was born and bred in Cape May
county. Her father hshed for living the
wear round i'm Delaware Bay and the inlets
on the east coast. Sophy was an only
child. and from early girlhood until her
| father went to the bottom Of the sea IN
| his fishing boat during a southeast gale she
was his companion on land and water.
| She knew The waters Of Delaware Bay and
the east coast by heart, could take up a
pound net as well "a q man. and there
wasn't n point about handling boat with
which she was not familiar.
After her fathers death she took posses
sion 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 stinest player in South Jersey. He
was always at it VIXEN not at work. and
and the pots he lost were not to be compar-
ed with the number that he won. His sue
cess at holding cards won for him the
name of Lucky Job Lee, or, abbreviated,
Lucky Job.
When eighteen years of age Sophy could
play as clever a game as any Of the old
timers. and at the age of twenty-three
there wasn't a poker player in the county
who hankered after taking 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 hesitate TO make one her
self when she was satisfied that she could
carry it through successfully.
job Lee had a friend OF me name OF
William Eaton, who was a fisherman.
Eaton was twenty years older than Sophy
but he was anxious to have her for MS
wife When he made the proposition TO
Job his answer was: Go win her Of we
can. Bill: she's big enough ter know
whether she wants ter marry We or not an
ef she don't l amt goin' ter make her"
Eaton mentioned the matter TO Sophy.
but she wasn't disposed TO tie up TO any
man. and plainly old him so. But that
didn't cool his CBiUs) ardor. He pressed
his suit persistently and Sophy as persist
emily refused him. Eaton was lucky
poker player himself and he frequently
sat i'm a game with Lee aid 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 a hand
She was welcomed in the game. The
men had an idea that the liquor she had
drunk would make her play with less cau-
| ton than usual, anu they saw an opportu-
nifty 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 care
! fully as If she had never taken drink in
her life. In a short time Eaton's friends
were broke and dropped out Of the game.
| Bill was holding hins own, and that fact
evidently nettled Sophy, who began TO put
q dash into the game unusual for her. She
addressed herself 10 the gin bottle fire.
ouently. 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 a jack pot and after the cards
had been dealt a dozen times without the
pots being opened the spectators began
to get interested in the game.
At last Eaton opened the pot on Sophy's
deal. "I'H bet We in cheap, sophy," said
he as he showed so 10 the centre Of the
table.
I'm in" said sophy. putting up the
money. How many cards -
s.s,,,.o - -op1fad Eaton
sophy dealt the cards and laid the pack
on the table
"Hain't you goin' ter take any?' asked
Eaton.
I'll stand pat" replied Sophy.
"BlufHn' aein. 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" lie put
up the money
"ru bet fifty more you're beat" cald
Sophv. laying down 800 on the pile or pa
per and coin.
"T'u raise that fifty" said Eaton, after
carefully consulting his cards.
The betting went on until neither player
had money. Eaton had raised Sophy's last
bst and the woman had no money to meet
Il.
"BiH" said she, looking across the ;aDie
al her opponent, you've wanted me ter
marry YOU fer a long time an ! hain't
rcver wanted ter do it. an don't now.
,eu yer what I'll do ef ye think we've got
the best hand. I'll bet myself agin your
sIoop Marthy that 1 can beat We. an ef
don't I'll marry ye tonight, right here
ef It can be done" y. -.