The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-16
HAnRIs,s 1orB OF PoKBn.
wouidn't Quit the Game 20 Insure EIis Return
TO the United stntes Senate.

EFO" 'o w. UutH hcpuottO
Tho best pokor player Tennessee ever do.
vclopoi Ia dead" snii Major a. l.. Trendw7y
Of Memphis. ~ refer to Senator 1shem Green
II Urls, who died Mt Washington Thursday.
knew the old statesman intimately for more than
forty years, and l never heard OF his getting mn
from a poker game a cont loser. Ho loved
tho great American game rs much rs no
loved politics. Few evenings slipped by dur.
ing the last forty years when he didn't in.
dulgo his fondncss for tho sport IL It was Mt all
possible to make up a game. He never played
for high stakes; 25 cents was usually tho limit
OF his games, and he was never known to 20
over 90 cents. lie used to declare that poker
was essentially n gcntlcman's game. but that
when 1t was played for high stakes too severe a
strain was put on ~gentility for tho good OF both
the players and tho game.
"Senntor Harris, YOU know, looked moro like
seemed to. be proud OF it. 1t was probably his
wonderfully immobilc face that made him such
by tho hour while playing, and I never once saw
the least change Of expression on his face.
uary, 1895, tho opposition made n big demon.
s~tration to ~frigliten him. lie hurried from
Washington to Nashville and assumed personal
much about the fight being made on HIM
that l became frightened, quit my. busi.
out. When / arrived there hurried to his room
/ in tho Maxwell House. and found him playing
pOkCT. Il IGlCu W BCJ I'LL " VlIl INC game long
enough to tell me what the situation was 80 !
| could proceed intelligontly and with some sys.
tenn. He dismissed me rather curly with the
assurance that he would sec me in two hours.
Whom the two hours were up ! went bnca TO hia
room and he was opening iackpots with the
same interest he displayed at first. | sat behind
him and told him Of what appeared 10 me 10 10
some dangerous inroads the opposition were
making on him and urged him with all the force
at my to get to work and checkinh,o
his enemies.
Finally he turned on me impatiently and
said: 'Treadwpy, these fellows arc the beat
poker players / have run up against since the
war, and i would not quit this game while ! ua
loser to he sent back to the United State Sna.
ate How much are you loser = j inquired.
The Senator counted his chips carefully. AID
then said: am 10 cents behind now and vac
only 90 cents behind when you cam back. You
have bothered me so much with your talk that I
haven't been able to keep up with the game as !
ought TO-, The sooner you get out OF here The
sooner I'll get. even. Then I'll sec what my
enemies are doing
THE game went on all that night without in.
corruption. and II was nearly breakfast time be-
lore the Senator got even. He showed NJ in The
dining room, looking as fresh and vigorous as |,
he had had q good nights rest. and devoted the
entire day TO Strengthening out the Senatorial
tangle. At night he got the same party in his
room again, and they resumed their game with
the eagerness of gamblers playing for high
stakes. l learned afterward that during he
entire series of games not as much as So changed
hands.