Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-10-30
GREAT POKER LUCK.
MARTHA MILLS WAS ALMOST A wiz
ARD AT THE GAME.

MARTHA MILLS WAS ALMOST A wiz
ARD AT THE GAME.
She Was the Seventh Daughter of n
Seventh Daughter, Always Played
In Seven Handed Games ind Would
Invariably Draw to n Seven Spot.
The old Mills tavern, by a tollgate in
the suburbs of Trenton, was kept for
more than half century by Martha
Mills, woman who made small for
tune out of the pennies she saved from
her commission on the tolls that she col
lected at the gate that she opened aud
shut without missing day for so years.
To these savings she added thousands
of dollars made in her dealings with poll
ticians, who came to her hostelry to lay
plans and connive for the passage Of
measures by the legislature and for POI
litical appointments in which they We're
interested. She possessed a remarkably
keen eye for business. Her terms were
always cash. and her prices for favors
and refreshments were at such a pitch
that they yielded her liberal profit.
She was a tall. muscular woman, with
an attractive face. She might have mar
ried many times during her younger
days but she frankly declared she loved
money better than anything else on
earth and that she wouldn't trust a man
as far as she could throw church by the
steeple.
Among her other accomplishments
Martha was an expert poker player, and
coupled with her knowledge of the game
and her careful estimate of the value of
hand was "streak of good luck' that
staid with her from one end of the
game to the other She rarely got up
| from the table loser. and she would
never take a hand unless there We're
seven players.
4 She explained this popularity by say
| ing that she was the seventh daughter
1 of a seventh daughter and had an abid-
ing faith in the number seven. Her con-
fdence in this number always prompted
her to draw cards to it, no matter what
odds were against her. If there was a
seven spot in Marthas hand. she would
draw to it, and when she did the pot
generally went over to her side of the ia
bic.
Away back in the forties and ff.ies
there We're some pretty sharp poker play
ers among the members of the New .Jer-
sey legislature and the politicians who
lowered around the lobby. They played
n mo limit" game, and when they felt
1 like making q night of it without being
/ disturbed they Went to the Mills tavern
I and sat down to the game in what was
I known as the "Chamber of Fate" big
room in a remote part of the house. Here.
with n jug of appleiack on the floor the
players sweated and fnmed and rejoiced
from early in the evening until sunrise,
and Martha staid up to count the kitty"
and lock it up in small iron chest that
she kept under her bed.
4 The biggest winning that Martha ever
made was 81, 900 pot, and a seven spot
aid the trick. 1t was in the winter of
1856. The legislature was in session, and
the railroads had several important bills
that they wanted passed. AS a conse-
luence the lobbyists and members of the
assembly had money to burn" The SEES
sions in the "Chamber of Fate that win
ter were frequent and unusually exciting
There was not much chance for Marths
r to get into a game. but the kitty wa;
) a fat one every night and she was salts
: fed with her income from that source.
!, One rainy night six of the ''stiffest'
II
!, the "Charnber of Fate came together ii
room of Marthas tavern. and a turn a
poker was suggested. and Martha was in
yited to take a hand.
"Gentlenen." she said. I'll play il yot
say so. but feel unusually lucky. and
think it will be better if you will leave
me out.
Every one of the others declared thai
he felt lucky and insisted that Marths
should take hand in it. They adjourned
to the upstairs room and began what wa:
probably the shortest big game eve
played.
Now said one of the players before
the cards were dealt, lets find on
:, which one of us has the least money
then we'll make him put it up. Wei
!. watch his pile and then play tabl
stakes"
The proposition met with the approva
: of the other players. The man who ha'
the smallest roll was George Sinelaii
: an Essex county man. lie had $500 II
spread the money on the table, and til
next minute there was $500 dispiaye
: on the board
Henry Whitehead south Jersey as
. semblyman, dealt the cards. The pc
s was opened by Miles Graham. VIII
! started the ball rolling with bet Q
$50. The player next to him raised tn
/ bet $50. Martha saw the SO, and tn
man on her left raised il $40 more
When it came to the opener to see a
the raises. he gave it another boost 9
$50 and then was raised $50 and the
Z 500 Meanwhile Martha trailed along.
Graham apparently believed that h
a had the best hand. for he raised tn
: third, fourth and FISH time and cam
to a standstill only when the money Q
Z the board was stacked in the midi
I of it.
That's pretty comfortable cokin
y pile remarked Whitehead, picking U
: the pack OF cards.
8 There we're six pat hands out Marth
!, was the only one 20 draw. We'll, gel
d tlemen," size said, '.it's all in the draw
a after ali and II make my hand
i take the money. It's Il show down,
here's my hand" She opened ont Il
d tray, four, five and six of diamonds al
g the ten of hearts.
Now. Whitehead said she as 81
y discarded the zen of hearts. won ms
e give me the seven spot of diamond
then I'll have u straight flush"
l. Whitehead dealt the card. turning
d over as he threw 1t down, and, to t