News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1900-03-14
3''MARTHA MILLS'S LUCK. y

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A law recently ,enacted by the New
Jersey Legislature providing for the
adjustment Of the tollgates has re-
suited in the tearing down OF tan old
landmark in the suburbs of Trenton
known as the Mills Tavern. This tav-
ern, was kept for more than half CEN
fury by Martha Mills, "a woman who
made a small fortune out of the pen
mics she saved from her commission on
the tolls that she collected at the gate
that she opened and shut without mis-
sing a day for fifty years
To these savings she added thou
sands of dollars made in her dealings
with politicians who came to her hos
tlery to lay plans and cOnnive for the
passage of measures by the Legislature
and for political appointments in
which they were interested. She pos
sessed a remarkably keen eye for bust
ness. Her terms were always cash
and her prices for favors and refresh
ments were at such pitch that they
yielded her liberal profit.
She was a tall, muscular womans
with an attractive face. She might
have married 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 man as far as she could throw
a stone church by the steeple.
Among her other accomplishment
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 stayed with har from zoe
rarely got up from the table loser. end
she would never take a hand unless
there were seven players.
She explained this peculiarly by say
ing that she was the seventh daughter
of a seventh daughter and had an
abiding faith in the number seven.
Her confidence in this number always
prompted her to draw cards 10 it no
matter what odds were against her.
If there was seven spot in Martha's
hand she would draw to it. and when
she did the pot generally went over to
her side of the table.
Away back in the forties and fifties
there were some pretty sharp poker
players among the members of the
New Jersey Legislature and the poll
nc w no 1oh
They played mo limit" game, and
when they felt like making night OF
it without being disturbed they went
to the Mills Tavern and sat down to
the game in what was known as the
chamber of Fate" a big room in a
remote part of the house. Here, with
a jug of applejack on the floor, the
players sweated and fumed and rejoic-
ed from early in the evening until sun
rise, and Martha stayed up to count
the "kitty" and lock it up in a small
iron chest that she kept under her bed
1t was Martha's boast up to the time
of her death that she had never been
kissed by man since her babyhood
days, and she won good many dollars
from men who were ambitious to pick
a cherry from her lips and who stack
ed their dollars against her kisses that
they would win the prize they courted.
Oliver Heatwold, from Hunterdon'
county, came nearer winning the prize
than any other man who ever strovel
for it, but Martha's lucky sevens saved
her. 1t happened one night when
Martha had consented to take a hand
in a game of ppker from which one OF
the players had been called. She play
ed that night in unusually good luck.
The chips gradually assembled on her
side of the table, and at midnight the
other players declared that there wasl
no use in undertaking to break Mar,
tha's luck and that the game might as
well be stopped.
"I'm willing" said Martha, lingering
the chips that were stacked in front of
her and making a mental calculation
of their value
Hold on, boys" said George Honey
well, a politician from Cape May coun-
ty, Tets play one more hand for kiss
Martha can bet her kisses against our
money, and every kiss shall be valued
at ten dollars. What do you say?"
The men favored the proposition.
Twill you do it, /, Martha?" asked
Honeywell.
"You never knew me to back out OF
a game of poker, gentlemen" quietly
answered Martha.
The deal went around to Martha be-
fore the pot was, opened. Honeywell
opened it with bet of $40; Heatwold
raised it $40, and Martha stayed witt
three kisses, valued at 500
Honeywell, who had opened the pot
with pair of jacks and who had been
playing in hard luck ever since the
game started, slammed his hand down
on the table with an exclamation Of
disgust and refused to see the raise.
The other four players had thrown
I'D their hands. ana the contest lay he
tween Heatwold and Martha.
"Cards?" said Martha as she picked
up the pack.
"Ill play tle-e,' said Heat void, "a" d
bet you fifty dollars I've got you beat
That meant five kisses II Martha
should call him. ,Heatwold was count
ing on the spot and enjoying eight