The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-04
sHERIDAN,s POKER GAME.
senator Conkling and the Hero OF
Winchester Furnished the. Fun.

From the Washington Star.
II was in the game one night during
the winter of 20 when both Conkling
and Sheridan were players. 1t was a
four-handed game, and John Chamber
lin was the other player. This game
at Chamberlin's was always for a s.
limit at first, with the understanding
that along toward morning, after a
couple of hours of warming up, any,
body could suggest the removal of the
limit If he wanted to. The way Conk-
ling and Sheridan. bluffed each other
that night was a caution. Both men
seemed to strike out luck altogether as
an element in their good-natured play
against each other, and as both of
them caught fine hands occasionally,
when engaged in this tug-of-war of
blufIing neither of them could get an
exact line on the other and ii was bet
ter than a play to study their faces at
the show-downs. Conkling was having
all the success during the latter part
of the night, and II was fun to hear
Little Phil softly utter dark and WOOL
ly things under his breath when, time
after time, Conkling would show a
hand consisting of nothing at all after
having scared Sheridan out, or produce
gorgeous set of fours or q 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 occa-
sions, and Sheridan would tell Cham
berlin to go to the dickens, and call
for another deck of cards.
I'VE 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 Chamberln nor had
any right to stay on our hands, and
so 1t was left between Sheridan and
Conkling, who stayed. 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 a So
bet to draw Conkling out, and the
senator raised him $25. 1t passed be-
tween them with these S25 bets until
there was nearly $500 in the pot, both
men scrutinizing each other pretty
carefully at each bet.
1 don't know so much about you
this time said Conkling finally and
l think I'll just call you for safety
Both laid their hands down at the
same time. ConlSling had three Mines
and he looked at Sheridan strangely
when he saw the color of Sheridan S
three aces. Both Chamberln and N.Y.
self also saw what was wrong at the
same instant, but we only smiled and
let the two men have 1t 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 puzzled look in his eyes.
Oh, 1 say, there, Phil, just wait a
minute said he. DO you really think
that pot belongs to you?'
Belongs to me?' 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
a gesture.
1 don't remember ever having seen
that sort of thing before he said. Did
you, PHILIP
See what sort of thing before q
said Sheridan. What in blazes are you
talking about, Conkling?
For reply, Conkling put one finger
upon one of Sheridan's aces, and then
pointed to another one of the aces.
Il never saw a jackpot won with
three aces two OF which happened ia
be aces Of diamonds said Conkling
smiling.
sheridan looked at his hand, lyine
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,
blamed If don't believe I'm nothing
better than an involuntary swindler.
That other ace, you see, is a club. ]
opened the pot on a pair of red aces,
and they were, of course, these aces of
diamonds. Chamberlin,' turning to the
amused boniface, turn me out of doors
as a fraud and a short-card player
will you?'
"'And have the army fire a volley
over the ruins of my house? replied
Chamberlin. Hardly. Anyhow, I'd
rather see you and Conkllng engage in
rough and tumble fight over the
thing. Go ahead, the pair of you. Well
see fair play turning to me.
"Of course, the extra ace of diamonds
had slipped into the deck accidentally
before it left the manufacturers hands,
but Sheridan, when he had in a meas
ure recovered from the surprise of the
revelation, made a humorous preten-
sion that he had known the whole
thing all along, and convulsed the three
of us by feelingly appealing to Conk-
ling to refrain from exposing him to
the world. for the sake of his family,
and all that sort of thing. The hand
being foul the pot was, of course, di-
vided."