The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-07-19
FEMININE ABILITY WASTED.
The Making Of n Good Poker Player.
FOOlfnE n Nenrnirhted Nnn

The Making Of n Good Poker Player.
FoolinE IA NenrsiEhted Man.
ut has long been Il pet theory OF
mine that woman is naturally Il bet
ter poker player than man." said Colo
mel King, "and as a devoted admircr
of both the sex and the game feel
that l am qualified Ia cXp.css this
opinion. l am aware that most poker
players allcgc that it is as difficult for
Il woman to play poker rs 10 throw
stone. | can recall two women who
could blum mc To Il Stanustill and ncv-
er wink an cyclid. Men are not IN 1t
when 1t comes to blutlin. with 4 wo-
man. 1t Is natural in her and acquired
in lis. Let me tell you about my friend.
Mrs. Smith.
"Shc would make Il crackajack poker
player If she would only try the game.
She illustrates what have said about
blufiing, because she is :in innocent lit
tie thing, hardly 20 years old, and she
hasn't had time TO acquire anything
except q husband. knew her father
when lie was IN my regiment, ami
have kept track OF her ever since she
was 8 years q, !. Her father WAS our
surgeon major. and Il fine fellow. with
leaning toward botany and such
things. In recent years lie has grown
nearsighted. He will do anything for
his daughter and she works him beau
tifully. He and were dining with the
Smiths after their marriage last Win
ter, and the major said:
My dear, that fern which you have
on the table Is Il disgrace. Why don't
you get something really good!
"'Can't afford it just now. said Mrs.
Smith suggcstivcly.
"'Wcll, will got it for you. said
the major.
Mrs. Smith then told OF beautiful
fern which she had seen ut Blank':,
hothouse to be sold for S12. ! don't
know anything about those things, but
when she described the fern to the ma
jor he said it was just what she should
have, and he gave her tile money to
buy It, When lie dined with the Smiths
again, the fern was III the center Of the
table, and the major peered at It
through his glasses and told her that
she had 4 bargain. Before lie left the
table Mrs. Smith put Il tablespoonful
OF water on the fern, and the major
poured on little more from his glass
Not too much water, you know.
and the fern will thrive lie said.
Every night when we dlned at the
Smiths the major took delight in pour
ing little water on his fern, as he
called 1t. and one night last week lie
said casually:
LIT IS odd that that fern hasn't
grown since you got it. It looks healthy,
and 1t should have thrown out q new
leaf or two
'Oh, it has grown IL lot said Mrs.
Smith. and II had not caught sus-
picion Of smile on her husbands face
L would not have noticed the remark.
1t set me thinking. don't know any
thing about ferns, but 1 have pretty
good eyes. l looked closely at this one.
and as we left the table I felt Of it.
When l had an opportunity, I said to
Mrs Smith:
"Tve called your bluff
"'What bluff, colonel?' she said. look
Ing as if she had never heard the word
before.
"The feSn.' said !. It's artificial.
and 1t Isn't Il good make believe, either.
Letting your poor old father put water
on II. too: What are you going TO do
about It?'
"She showed her hand ut this call.
The artificial fern cost her 81. and with
the other $ll she bought gloves
Don't give me away. she said, 'lnd
1iiiici VIII i;ot Know ;:,t: difference.
"Whnt will you do to persuade him
that it is growing:
Tll bny little larger one in IL few
weeks
1--WE dined there last night again,
and as Mrs. Smith and the major each
generously put little water on this ar
tificial fern thought to myself What
a great poker player that girl might
become" hate to see such ability
wasted Oh fooling nearsighted man,
but perhaps Mrs. Smith wouldn't be as
interesting If she did play poker. How
ever. she illustrates my theory, and
there are others."-New York Sun.