Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-01-02
ONE GAME OF POKER
IT WAS ALL HE CARED TO PLAY IN
THAT COMPANY.
lie wns DucIsing Prince of wales
~ Rothschild, II Duchess of Nnri-
borough md Minister scbenck, and
There Was No Limit.

There was NO Limit.
The following story. which involved
King Edward VII. when he was yet
Prince Of Wales, was related to my Ga.
Their by prominent Washington lawyer,
since deceased, who. during a business
visit to London in the early seventies,
called on Minister Schcnck, who at that
time represented this country at the
court of st. James and with whom he
had been well acquainted in AIcrica,
says writer in the Chicago Herald.
Given in his own words the story runs
AZ follows:
"'By the way said Schcnck, as we
wcrc about to separate one morning,
what are you going 10 do this after
noonT
"'Nothing Of moment l replied. 40
programme in particular
"'rhcrc is going to hc poker game at
the I.angham,' said Schenck, and if you
care for the exercise Ia like to have you
in. The Prince Of Wales will be one of
the party
This last rather dazzled me. re-
fcctcd that it isn't given every American
citizen to bluff and raise and draw card.
against Il prince born in the purple.
NUuNl Nus 'il'h iIDi IL " NJ lOi pOh'l >
but it would be an experience whereof to
tell the babes when they grew up-.tell
them how papa beat the Prince Of
Wales. | told Scheuck I'd be there. He
seemed delighted and no doubt was, for
he was u royal good fellow and liked to
put his friends in the way to be pleased.
one thing forgot. the limit But | had
a couple of thousand dollars in London
1 4. ~
ouSlv 50.
Three o'clock came, and I repaired to
the Langham. The others came ia later
In addition to the Prince of Wales came
also Anselm Rothschild Of the bank Of
that name and the Duchess Of MARI
borough. I'll say right here that the lady
was the best player of the lot. With
these three Schenck and l sat down.
just after | was presented to the prince
| asked Schencl in whisper what limit
usually obtained at these poker festivals.
IL replied, also in strong aside, that
there was no limit.
The prince never plays with linn
it, whispered Schenck. 1t would in.
fringe his dignity as a prince
II felt a bit cold after this, Ny $4,000
blinking in the Bank of England vault
with its yellow neighbOrs didn't socm
such a wad of money. In fact, it began
to diminish and appear paltry and mean
when made to face the proposition OF
limtless play against EnCland's heir APP
parent with the whole island to draw on,
to say nothing of the RothschildS. 1t
started the perspration, but | was in
and couldn't get out. | hastily made up
my mind to stay long enough to lose 500
or 50 and then grow suddenly i'll and
cNtricatc 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 Il means of escape. Schcnck was
TO bank the game. and the first thing the
prince said was, Give me f 900 worth
Of chipS-S5. 900. And he said it with no
more of notice or emphasis than if he
had said, Pass the pie
Il began to realize that | was liable to
lose my 50 900 the first hand before cold
feet could come to the rescue. To add to
my grief tho heir of the RothSchilds plac-
ed a book made up Of signed checks by
his elbow, with a blank space for him to
write in the amount. This he did with a
blue pencil OF the editorial brand. The
Rothschid didn't buy chips. He played
in these checks. No wonder | began TO
sWeat-to be caught between the bahk-
Ing house OF IN" kothschllds ana me
BRUSH empire with only s-'ooo. me
one ray OF ENCOURAGEMENT IN IT all was
that the duchess -hne oid ladT, 100
only bought SlUoo worth oil chips'
Steered by that AMI although grooming
lnWardlY, bought Hl'ooo worth OF chlps
also Schonck smiled approVlnslY'
learned aitrrWaTd mat l did right IL
would not nave been etiquette TO puy
as much as me prince was Siad OF
that. WouIi nave be"h III pretty LIN
II etiquette hal taken the o'her shoot'
well ITS hardly worth Whlle TO 20
INTO the H''hlN Oh Tue S"l"c' ne "u'e
was no four can ten, %ot sood enough
hands, but was scared TO DEATH dldn
dare bet them' Inc prince wouid look
at his cards IN royal ernllheu way ana
say, / raise the aute 40
The young hothschild would look al
his cards ana Observe with the same IN
difference TO my ieellnEs when dlstih'
guiShed the prince, i Il see that ana go
800 better These blood curdllhg re-
marks took place before the draw mind
you. And lhcn 'h'y lean pack ana cniI
Tor what CARDS they Wahleo anu orSaniz'
happened TO pass INTO lNtlT reckless