The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-21
AS IA ROYAL POKER PLAYER
When King Edward Took Hand in
r. Little Game II Draw
Poker.

3OASAs
Much has been written about the
present King Edward of England, but
the following story was related by
prominent Washington lawyer (since
deceased). who. during a business visit
to London in the early los. called on
Minister Schenck, who at that time rep
resented this country at the court of S.
James, and with whom he had been well
acquainted in America. Given in his
own words the story runs as follows:
by the way said Schenck, as we
were about to separate one morning,
what are you going to do this after
noon?
=" Nothing of moment I replied. No
program in PARTICULAR
There is going to be poker game
at the Langham,' said Schenck, and If
you care for the exercise I'd like to
have you in. The Prince of Wales Will
be one of the party
This last rather dazzled me. I re-
Elected that it isn't given every Ameri-
can citizen to bluff and raise and draw
cards against a prince born in the pur-
pie. l would go. I cared not a whit
for poker, but it would be an experience
grew up Tell them how papa beat the
Prince of Wales. l tod Schenck I'd be
there. He seemed delighted and no
doubt was, for he was royal good fell
low and liked to put his friends in the
way to be pleased. One thing I forgot
the limit. But / had a couple of tnous-
and dollars in London and felt elegantly
safe. even supercilious!y so.
I. "Three o'clock came and 1 repaired to
the Langham. The others came in
later. In addition to the Prince of
Wales came also Anselm Rothschild of
the bank Of that name and the Duchess
of Marlborough. I'll say right here that
the lady was the best player of the lot.
With these three Schenck and I sat
down. Just after was presented to the
prince I asked Schenck in whisper
what limit usually obtained at these
poker festivals. He replied, also in a
strong aside that there was no limit
1.-The prince never plays with
limiN' whispered Schenck. lit would
infringe his dignity as prince
81 felt bit cold after this. MY $4,000
blinking in the Bank of England vault
with ATS yellow. neiEhbors didn't seem
such wad of-money. In fact, it be-,
gan to diminish and appear paltry and
ton of limitless play against England's
heir apparent with the whole island to
draw on, to say nothing of the Roths-
chlds. 1t started the presperation. but
I was in and couldn't get out hastily
made up my mind to stay long enough
to lose 800 or so. and then grow sud
denly i'll and extricate myself. 1t was
happy thought. Cold feet would
pull me out if my losses became too
lowering.
"As we sat down, however, two things
happened to disturb my dream of cold
feet as a means Of escape. Schenck was
to bank the game, and the first thing
the prince said was: Give me $1,000
worth of the chips'-$5,OOO. And he said
it with no more notice Or emphasis than
If he had said, Please pass the pie
D.. II began to realize that I was liable
to lose my $4,000 the first hand, before
cold feet could come to the rescue. To
add, to my grief the heir Of the Roth
schilds placed book made up of signed
checks by his elbows, with a blank
place for him to write the amount. This
he did with blue pencil of the editorial
brand. The Rothschild didn't buy chips.
He played In these checks No wonder
] began to sweat, to be caught between
and the British empire with only $1,000.
The one ray of encouragement in it all
was that the duchess-fine old lady, too
only bought 200 worth of chips.
steered by that and although groaning
inwardly, boughts1 900 worth of chips
also. Schenck smiled approvingly.
learned afterward that ! did right 1t
would not have been etiquette to buy
as much as the prince. I was glad OF
that: would have been in a pretty fix
If etiquette had taken the other shoot.
"Well, it's hardly worth while to go
into the details of the game. The ante
was E10. four call ten I got good
enough hands, but was scared to death.
didn't dare bet them. The prince
would look at his cards in royal
ermined way and say: 4 raise the ante
G1O'
1.-The young Rothschild would look a.
his cards and observe. with the same
Indifference to my feelings which dis
tinguished the prince: 'Ill see that and
go ESQ better These blood -curdling
remarks took place before the draw.
mind you. And then they'd lean back
and call for what cards they wanted,
and organized to bet $1,000 to G3.OOO-
ANYTHING that happened to pass into
tnelr reckless mlnnS. 1hat'S me sort
of company I'd got into. I laid down
hand after hand and stayed out all
could. but for all my lodging I lost
81 200 in the first forty-f1ve minutes:
simply anted It away.
"About the end Of the first hour got
three aces. They were all that saved
me, too. I broke into a plethoric jack
pot with them, which the prince and
the Rothschild Immediately raised sew
eral times. as If for exercise. In the
end won It: 1t swelled my fortune over
so 0oo After that I unanswered very
cautiously and quit at 6 p. m. about
$4,000 behind the game.
"That ended my dash. as it were. into
the royal family. I never passed more
miserable afternoon in nv life. Schenck
and the duchess played along with much
ca'mness and phlegm. but I was So
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