The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-02-04
A NIGHT AT POKER.
Copyright, 1900, by Jamieson-Higgins Coz

published by Jameson Higgins Co., Chi
cago, under the captivating title Of Jack
Pots" The following story Is an ex-
tract from this book:
As said once before, Gen. Schenck was
not really an inveterate poker player, al
though he will go down to history with
reputation on account of the little treatise
he wrote on the game, but he could play
with the best of them when in the humor.
A big corporation lawyer tells story that
illustrates what high roller Schenck
could be.
Il was in London on business" said the
lawyer, "and having known Schenck in
| America called on him. He greeted me very
| cordially, showed me around town and in a
general way did the proper thing.
"By the way" said he, as we were about
to separate one morning, "what are you
| going To do this EVENING""
| replied that had nothing particular
| in view.
"Then," said Schenck, cordially, "there
is going to be q poker game at the Lang
ham, and if you care for the exercise I'd
like to take you in. The prince of Wales
will be one of the party"
| OF course couldn't resist that. reflect
ed that it isn't often that an American
citizen has chance to draw cards. raise
and bluff against real prince, not an imi-
tation Russian affair, but sure enough
heir apparent
So / told Schencb I'd be there without
fail, and he expressed himself as very well
| pleased. One thing forgot. didn't ask
| about the limit, but as had about $4,000
in good American money / felt elegantly
and superciliously safe. Even if there was
! a.. l. 4. g..I, Il Int
Six o'clock came and / was at the Lang
ham, and the others came in later. With
the prince of Wales came Anselm Roths
child and the duke Of Marlborough, and
| these with Minister Schenck and myself
were to make up the game.
just after | was presented to the prince
asked Schenck in a whisper what limit
was usually fixed at these poker festivals,
and, to my horror, he replied, in careless
way, that there was no limit.
| felt cold chill running down my back,
and my $4,000 reposing in the Bank of Eng
land began to assume the appearance of
very small potatoes. Here / was about to
buck up against England's heir apparent
with the entire revenues Of Great Britain
to draw upon and kindly parliament to
pay his debts, the duke of Marlborough
with something hike a million year, and a
Rothschild who could write his check for
ten millions without turning hair. be-
gan to think Of home and the dear old flag
and all that.
1t started the perspration, but was in
and couldn't get out so l made up my mind
to stay long enough to lose about hun
dred dollars, and then suddenly grow i'll and
extract myself. 1t wouldn't do to have
stomach ache, which was confoundedly
plebeian ailment, and | deplored the fact
that ! was not subject to fits, but thought
might ring in a pain Of some kind, or per
haps fall back on cold feet. Perhaps the
prince had been occasionally troubled il
that way, and would sympathize with me-
As we sat down, however, two things
happened to disturb my dream of cold feet
Schenck was to bank, and the first thinl
his royal highness said was:
"Give me Fl 600 worth Of chips" Ant
he said it with no more emphasis than If i
had been "Pass the pie"
To add to my grief the Rothschild chaI
placed at his elbow book of signed checks
with blank space for him TO write in tn
amount, which he did with a pencil, in
careless way, as if he were keeping count O
hams. The only glimmer of hope on Thu
horizon was the conduct of the duke O
Marlborough. lie acted like perfect gen
tleman and only bought $4,000 worth o
checks.
! l steered by him, and also bought 5000
/ worth. Schenck gave me ar approving
smile, and ] learned aftrward that di'
i the proper thing. 1t would not have beei
/ etiquette to buy as much as the prince
was mighty glad Of that. / thought sine
;. that would have been in fine fix if Ell
. quette had required me to stack up with tn
/ prince. ! am afraid that / would hav
/, stuck our minister for his years salary, AM
, he would never have spoken to me again.
i. The horrors of that eventful night ca
:. never recall without shudder. The ant
j. was two pounds-ten dollars-but that wa
a mere detail. The prince would look at hi
/. cards in careless way, and remark: !"
is raise that a hundred pounds
N The bloated villain Rothschild would fiji
the pasteboards in an Indifferent name
IL and observe, with the same indifference t
J. my feelings: I'll see that and go ESQ BET
ter"
, Oh, how wished l was copper king Q
+. Montana, or coal baron of Pennsylvania
p. or any other fellow rolling in wealth, so tina
i, could have socked it to them! l. laid dow
/ hand after hand because l couldn't stan
i. the strain. I'd pick up two stout pair, &c
r. hoisted couple of hundred before tn
draw, and then get knocked out with be
of two thousand, and set back and see tn
prince or Rothschild pull in the pot on
pair of mines.
s. That's the sort of company was in, and
e didn't see my way out the least Bit Lots {
k times | felt morally certain that they WEI
r Dluiling, but | couldn't risk $4,000 on m
- opinion, and l had to let it go. 1t WASH
al poker after all; it was more like highwa
n. robbery. 1t was just possible that the
OF might have a good hand, and if l run u
n against one my friend Schenck would
g. ruined cashing my losses.
nj AT the end of an hour I was out $f,2Ot
ID simply anted it away, SO to speak, an
IL | lidn't have bit of fun. Then, all of SUI
Ell len, got hold of three aces. 1t happene
irl be q Jack pot, very fat, as you may b
of ieye, and l had them before the draw.
aid to myself that it was now or neve
"a md l run my face for all sorts of raise
lr. Talk about cold feet! When | tell my chi
"a ren about that agonizing ten minutes
he lever refer to my feelings, and let them III
n, ierstand that their dad was cool and &C
ID ected.
lg- But 1 wasn't The prince and the dull
he nd that Rothschld let me down pref
IDS asy-I suppose they took pity on me, as
i'd vas the first hand | had really played
To ny rate there was a call and l won 500
m the hand. Then, oh, how wished tn
. could get up and make my escape, but tn
you'd not have been etiquette, SO stay