The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-11-25
A VERY QUEER DEAL.
IN A FAMOUS GAME OF DRAW POKER
IN OLD DAKOTA

inc Deaier 1hNc Ills htNai -FOUR
jacks and Himself Four Queens.
when the show Down Came, the
Jacks Had Turned to Aces.
! In the northwest they still talk about
the last poker game that Major Ed
wards and Stanley Huntley played to-
gether They were pioneer editors Of
newspapers in Dakota in the old terri
torial days. Huntley had just sold his
paper in Bismarck for So, 800 cash and
was coming east He and the major had
sat in many quiet game together, and
Huntley went over to the majors office
to say goodby and play one last game.
The major produced the cards, locked
the door, and the two faced a green ta-
| BILE.
The major had the reputation of be-
| ing a skillful dealer, and Huntley's g
previous experiences had taught him
that cards sometimes appeared in the
majors hand on show down whose
| legitimate existence could only be ac-
| counted for on the hypothesis that the
age of miracles had not passed So he
had fortified himself for this farewell
game not only with the 81, 500 which
he had received for his newspaper prop
erty, but also with four large but not
Overworked aces.
There was no limit, but for an hour
the game went along quietly enough.
The major was ont $500 or $4O0, but,
as both players remarked, the game was
young yet 3" At last jack pot for 500
came and remained. Back and forth
acrCss the table went the deck Neither
man could get openers. Each time the
deal passed the pot was sweetened $40,
AT last there was $3.50 on the table.
The major dealt. Huntley looked over
his cards and found four jacks.
AS has been said the major was a
slick dealer, and when big pool was
at stake and it was his deal he gener-
ally managed to give his opponent a
good stiff hand while taking care that
he himself had one just shade better.
So, when Huntley found the four
jacks in his hand it seemed to him that
the time had come to precipitate his
four aces into action The jacks were
retired unostentatiously, and with q
faint-a very faint-shade of disap-
pointment in his voice Huntley an.
nounced:
81 cant break it "
The major was still examining hi
cards with that hesitating air that some
people always believe means Studying
out straight. Finally he said:
I'm have to break it for $500. It's
big pot -
Huntley looked mournful and said
"I'll stay. Gimme a card
"None for me, announced the majol
briskly, as he threw over card and
laid down the deck. "I'll bet you $500. .
"I'll raise you $780," said Huntley
"Five hundred more, said the major
"When sat down, said Huntley
81 had 81, 800 in my pocket. I'll raist
you the full amount of that on this one
hand If lose. I'm broke. y
The major took another look at hi
hand and replied
II haven't got as much as that il
cash. I'll make out bill of sale of tn,
building and plant, newspaper and all
and put that in the pot. If you win
you can hold it till tomorrow. when II
settle
$50 ahead" said Huntley.
The major wrote ont the bill of salt
and threw the slip of paper into the po
on top of the big pile of greenbacks
Both men had emptied their pockets.
"Now I'll call you, said the major
"Fours, said Huntley, and he lait
down his four one spots. The majol
never fiinched. He examined the aces
one after another. Then he laid dowl
his hand and said briefly:
"You win, Stanley. All l had wal
four queens. -
The next day the major redeemed hi
bill of sale and Huntley came to New
York and began to write the "Spoopen
dyke Papers, which were first publish
ed in the Brooklyn Eagle. He's beer
dead for years now.
About two years after the famou
poker game Major Edwards was visit
ing New York and he looked up Hunt
ley. They dined together at the Asto
House. After coffee and when the cigar
had been lighted the major said:
STANLEY, of course when gentlemen
like you and play poker togethe
there's never any question about tn
game being straight. But there's on
thing that's been puzzling me for tw
years, and l want to ask you about it.
go ahead major, said Huntley
putting his cigar.
STANLEY, why in thunder did yo1
refuse to open that last jack pot whel
you had four jacks in your hand ?"
Major, returned Huntley thought
fully, laying down his cigar. "wh
dealt that last hand?'
II did. Stanley, said the major.
''Well, then, major, since four ace
won the pot. how in thunder could i
have been a straight gamer"
; That's so, said the major re
hectively. Lets get cab and go t
, some theater. - New York Press.