The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-19
A POKFR STORY

HOman-EpisOde That Enlivened
Chicago Party.
Speaking Of poker games. " remarked
the doctor. sinking deeper into his easy
chair. and crossing his legs as he light
ed a fresh havana, .dld any Of Vou see
the little game between Captain Nc
whorter and Mrs Archibald FItzgeF-
aid? What. never heard OF It? cTeli.
well; we are certainly growing old"
Everybody knew OF Il back in the old
days.
ut was soon after Fitzgerald return
ed from Europe and astounded his
friends by bringing home wife. And.
by Jove. she was a sumner! One o:
those regally handsome women who
dressed like a queen and carried her
self like one. I don't Just remember
where ArchY married her and nobody
ever did know Just how It happened, or
who she was before she became Mrs.
Archibald Fitzgerald. At any rate, she
became a leading figure in society at
once, with the combination Of Fitzger-
aids money and her beauty and clever
ness. One night there was a party at a
house that / win not identify, but 1t
was one you all would know II wllls-
pered the name. A jolly crowd that
preferred cards TO dancing got into one
OF the rooms, and after awhile, some
body got to joking about poker, and one
OF the ladies' wanted TO be taught how
to play, and the upshot was that little
game was started al one OF the tables
There were six In II, and one Of them
happened to be Mrs. Fitzgerald. She was
forced in to help out the game, which
was an innocent kindergarten affair.
THE play ran along stupidity enough
on the idea Of simply showing the ladies'
who were curious the points OF the
game. The stakes were merely nomi-
mai and there was a lot OF Joking oyer
the winnings. Captain McWhorter was
acting as instructor and II you remem-
Der the captain you will recognize MIS-
fitness for the undertaking. II there
was ever a cold gambler on earth It
was McWhorter. have seen him win
and lose his thousands in game with
apparent indifference. After while
the captain decided to give them an OBJ
tect lesson in one OF the tricks OF the
game. Everybody had come in and
drawn from one to three cards, except
ing the captain. He had stood pat Mrs.
FITZGERALD had drawn three cards
There was some So Or SIS In the pot
more by far than there had been before
and he ulanced at his hand, covered
the bets and cody threw $50 note on
to the table.
81 raise you twenty he said.
There was gasp OF surprise, and one
otter another OF the players passed Is
up until It came to Mrs. Archibald Fltz-
gerald's turn. She glanced smilingly at
the captain, produced dainty purse
from which she extracted a bill, which
| she unrolled and threw down. The Ia
dies and gentlemen leaned forward ana
as they caught the denomination OF the
bill there was another gasp. II was
500 bill.
IT win make,lt $50 better" Mrs FAz-
gerald said, looking coolly into the cap
tain's eyes. He looked steadily into
hers. He was too good a gambler to
let her see anything in his eyes, but,
by Jove! those eyes Of hers which we're
the lovellest blue generally and full OF
| life and expression. were as cold and
gray as his. OF course, he could do no
less than cover the eighty. but he did
not have 1t with him. So he said with
a lordly air:
"'Iadau, / did not come prepared to
play. II you will accept ms check
viii gladly play out my hand. II not, the
stakes are yours"
"'Your check for any amount, sure
IT,, she replied with as much manner
as he had used in his question. So the
captain wrote check for $3.50, ana
threw 1t on the table.
h,,n1rnd hnffaFe he Eli0.
"By this time the word had been
whispered about regarding the exciting
turn affairs had taken. md the guests
were crowdlng about the table. Even
those In the ball room came troOpinR In
and pushed forward to see the strange
sight, 1t was a strange sight. The
room was filled with ladies In costly
dresses and blazing Jewels and men IN
evening dress. Facing one another at
the table sat the two antagonists. both
self-contained, with steady eyes ana
sphlnX-lIke faces. II ever saw the
marks OF an experienced gambler in the
face OF human being, saw them IN
the face OF that handFGme woman
leader In our best society, and the Wiie
OF q born arlstocrat, for Fitzgerald was
that n ever there was one. And YOU
should have seen the expressions on the
peoples faces. All were intensely IN
terested Some were shocked.
"Iirs. Fitzgerald looked at the check
on the table for moment, and then
cooliy said:
Like you, sir, am net prepared to
play this hand as should like TO with
out indulgence. Ny earrings and brooch
cost $1,000. May pledge them2"
at is not necessary" replied the cap.
tain, quickly. Your word Is sufficient
"'No, / prefer to put in the stakes.
Would they be acceptable, gay at $500.
''The captain acquiesced as well he
might for the Fitzgerald diamonds were
famous in those days. So she raised
him 81 90. Then the game began to get
Interesting, even to old stagers. u
wasn't mere amusement any more. II
! was desperate business, Just then
, saw Archy FltzgeraiU walk up As he
realized what was going on, and saw
the diamonds on the table and the eN-
preston In his wIfe's eyes, never saw
such a loolE OF horror in a mans face.
He looked az though he had seen
ghost.