Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-04-08
VOLUME XXXVIII.-NUMBER IL.
SHERIDAN'S HAND.
SPRUNG 1WOACES OF DIAMONDS
ON CONKLlNG INA JACKPOT.

Very Much Embarrassed When
His Attention Was Called to the
Error-The Little General Want.
cd the Story Kept Quiet, But 1t
Was Too Good.
Il WAS in poker game" writes a
correspondent OF the Washington Star,
ain the winter of 1879, when Senator
Conkling and General Phil Sheridan
were players. 1t was four handed
game, and John Chamberlin was the
other player. This game at Chamber
Inns was always for So limit at first,
with the understanding that along
towards morning, after a couple of
hours OF warming up, anybody could
suggest the removal of the limit if
he wanted to. The way Conkling and
Sheridan bluffed each other that night
was a caution. Both men seem to
strike out luck altogether as an
element in their good natured play
against each other, and as one of them
caught fine hands occasionally when
engaged in this tug OF war OF bluffing
neither of them could get an exact
line on the other, and it was better
than play to study their faces at the
show downs. Conkling was having all
the success during the latter part of
the night, and it was fun to hear Little
Phil softly utter dark and woody things
under his breath when, time after
time, Conkling would show a hand
consisting OF nothing at all after hav-
scared Sheridan out, or produce a
gorgeous set of fours or full hand
at such times as Sheridan, deciding
that the Senator was bluffing, would
call him.
"Bite him, Sheridan Chamberlin
would say amusedly on these occasions,
and Sheridan would tell Chamberlin
to 60 to the dickens, and call for an
other deck of cards.
"We started the last round OF jack
pots with a new deck. Sheridan dealt
the first mess himself, and after it had
gone around and none of the three of
us could open it Sheridan opened it
himself. Neither Chamberlin nor
had any right to stay on our hands, SO
it was left between Sheridan and Conk-
ling, who staid. Conkling took three
cards and turned his little pair into
threes. Sheridan dished himself out
three cards and bit his cigar hard when
he saw his hand. He made q S. bet
to draw Conkling out, and the Senator
raised him $25. 1t passed between
them with these $25 bets until there
was nearly $500 in the pot, both men
scruptinizing each other pretty care
fully at each bet.
"I don't know 30 much about you
this time,' said Conkling finally, and
! think I'll just call your for safety
"Both laid their hands down at the
same time. Conkling had three mines,
and he looked at Sheridan strangely
when he saw the color of Sheridan's
three aces. Both Chamberlin and
myself also saw what was wrong at the
same instant, but we only smiled and
let the two men have it out. Sheridan
had broad grin on his face and was
just about to rake in the pot. Conk-
ling was gazing at the little man of
iron with a puzzled look in his eyes.
"I say, there, Phil, just wait a
minute said he. DO you really
think that pot belongs to your
"belongs to mer said Sheridan.
Well, it does if the nose on my face
belongs to me- And again he reached
over to hoe in the pot.
"Conkling ran his hand through
his hair and again stopped Sheridan
with gesture.
al don't remember ever having
seen that sort of thing BEFORE he said.
Did you, Phil?'
"See what sort of thing beforeT
said Sheridan. what in blazes are
you talking about, Conkling?'
"For reply Conkling put one finger
upon one of Sheridan's aces and then
pointing to another one of the aces.
"I never saw Jackpot won with
three aces, two Of which happened to
be aces of diamonds said Conkling,
smiling.
"Sheridan looked at his hand, lying
face up on the table before him, and
his face became fiery red. The con-
! sternation on his countenance was
really funny.
"Why,' said he after a minute,
| sblamed If I don't believe I'm nothing