Evening journal., 1900-06-21
LOST XlBIG FORTUNE!
JHE sToRYioF A NERvYieLUFF1lN A
y GAME OF POKER. az.

Big games(on the Mississippi river
steamers, where poker flourished. at,its
best. were by no smeansi they only I'm
stances wherein fortunes were made
and lost on, the .turn of a card. The rec
ord Of the game'whereini iPetefWelch.
noted eastern .plunger, met fColonel
Wallace Of South Carolina is.regarded
as one of the stifestlbattleso onsthe green
baize ever fought intany land. Wallace
was very wealthy, a,heavy slaveiowner
and an extremely lucky'man atf cards
He was, as every southern gentleman
was and'is, perfectly honorable, and his
victories were the admiration lof his
friends. Pete was gambler byfprofes-
sion. had,plenty Of money andlwas full
or nerve so battle between ithe two
was certain to be,of absorbingtinterest.
When Colonel Wallace heard that
Welch was coming TO meet him, he
calmly replied, he would be ready. He
said he had a limit fixed, and, il the
gambler went beyond that, he would
drop out and let the money 10. WEIGH
came on, the colonel was notified and
the date set for the game. 1t was to
take place in "A club,whero no games
were supposed 10 go on. The colonel
drove totown, met the enemy and
number offriends. had drinks all around
and the two men sat in for a single
handed game. They commenced at 500
jack pots. and at first the colonel's luck
stuck to him. He won steadily. but the
gambler was game and met him.
AT last the tide turned. and the cards
began 10 fall to Pete, He won until all
the gold in 'front.' of Wallace passed to
his side of the table. Wallace became
fierce and took allflzinds of chances, los
ing his head in a manner. drinking
heavily. whilelhis opponent cooTly play
ed his hands FOR all they were worth.
When Wallace had passed in his last
stack. he pushed back lhis chairand said
his pile was gone Then he said:
''Welch. you 've,got IAN even $50, 600
there if you viii count it. / brought
that muchswith me-, and may have
been foolish. believe if had more /
could getit allsfrom y'ou'in half a dozen
hands"
"I'n gladly give you a chance. colo
mel Perhaps some Of your friends here
can accommodate your"
Nobody spoke. The1colonelrattled on
the table.
"Welch. " he said when the silence
got oppressive, Il have no more. ready
cash, but have property that is as
good as gold any dayright here in this
town. never did it before. but 1 win
play you "a Of my best slaves against
/ $50. 900. The negroes are worth fully
that amount, as theses gentlemen viii
testify. The slaves are the best in the
state. bat if you think the value TOO
high we can arrange itotherwise. Win
yon finish the gameH"
''If these gentlemen say the slaves
are worth that much. then fix your pa
pers while / count this money. never
like to turn uy back to a. good thing.
Everybody got up and took a'drink
on the new game When the papers
were arranged. the players got new
deck of cards. andi there was not a word
passed while the cards were being shuf-
fed. The sky was 10 be the limit until
me $50, 600 was reached. Wallace 8
sporting blood was up, and he seemed
determined TO lose all quickly or get It
back in the same swift gait He took
desperate chances inf drawing and ac-
cepted foolish bets.
The end was drawing near. Welch
was dealing, and bad shUliing on the
previous hands had left considerable
money in the pot. Welch was'ahead on
the winnings. The colonel looked at bis
hand and opened the pot for 81, 900.
Welch stretched his eyes and ther
looked at his hand. Heraised it 81, 600.
Without raising his head the colonel
raised back 81. 600. and Welch saw it.
He went 81, GOO better. and the colonel
stopped raising The players were lesi
: excited than any Of the'other men il
the room. Pete took the cards and asked
the colonel:
Chow manyT
eTwo cards." he said.
'sNone here" put in,the dealer.
The colonel took the two cards ani
= looked at them quickly. Then he stucl
e them behind the others. "Pn start thil
on So, 900, {" he said Welch looked a
{ his hand again and took the bet HI
Z went So, 600 more. The colonel raised
= ! another 50, UOU. Weicn saw IL unt
raised another, and the colonel RAISED
still another S., 200.
Y 'sWell, I've got just so, 900 here yor
Y can have if you can get it, " said Welch
v and he tossed in the chips The colone
e studied his hand.
n ''I've got only $1,000" he said
: ''and / think you've got me. even if i
p is bad thing to say"
With that Wallace tossed the card
s, on the table, and Welch took the pot
was a clean case Of bluff on Pete's part
y as the cards subsequently showed. Tn
e colonel had held up a pair Of jacks, hi
lr openers, and an ace. On the draw b
IT caught an ace and a seven Of diamonds
J. Welch had only pair Of iives to star
ri with, and he kept them with the res
le Of the hand Wallace thought he wa
. bluhing, but lost his nerve at the wron
y moment When the game ended, tn
!. colonel had barely s4, 900. He bough
"a back two Of his slaves that were lost
n and the % went to Welch. They wer