The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-11-29
KITTEN WAS THE ANTE.
A TwO-cat Limit Game of Poker
Played by Hermfts.
From the Baltimore Sun.

From the Baltimore Sun.
The strangest poker game ever play
ed in Western New York was fought
out two weeks ago by Pete Smelling OF
Hamlin, better known as the Cat Her
nit" and "Old Man" Booker OF Clark
son, likewise a recluse and something
Of a cat fancier. The two men live
about one mile apart, with the town
line between them. 1t was in reality
town against town, with cats for chips.
The game grew out of professional
jealousy, as each of the players pre-
tended to be the boss hermit in point
of years, hard luck and number OF
cats Last August Old Man Booker
happened to meet Pete at the village
store, and among other things de-
clared that when 1T came to poker he
could make Pat Sheedy hunt cover.
II am strong on it," he announced;
I'm quite a cuss with the paste
boards myself" said Pete.
Dare YOU to meet met" cried the
Old Man.
nm for that. What shall we play
for?" asked Pete.
Old Man Booker scratched his rough
chin and thought deeply. Then he had
an inspiration.
How are you fixed for cats" he
asked.
Got about fifty and twenty Kittens
replied Pete.
IAN right: let's play for cats" said
Booker.
So 1t was agreed, and two weeks ago
the game was pulled of. Booker col
1ected his feline assets and carted them
over to Pete's tumble-down farmhouse.
Pete had his chips meowing and spit
ting in an empty room, and no time
was lost in bringing out greasy deck
of cards and the game began on kit
ten ante and two-cat limit.
On the first hand Pete straddled the
ante for one cat, but his boost began TO
eat up Booker's kittens.
I'm not going to lose my edge that
way" declared Booker. III you want
to fight cats I've got some thorough
breds In that crate"
A compromise was effected by bring
ing In two big boxes with stout covers,
one for kittens and one for cats. Book
er refused to play and Pete pulled down
the stakes.
ON Booker's deal It went into jack
pot, and both up a kitten, as neither
had openers.
Change a cat for me?" requested
Pete.
Booker pushed two kittens across the
board.
On the next deal Booker opened for
two cats and Pete drew cards and
boosted the sweeting one kitten. Book
er drew to a pair of queens and caught
a small pair. Pete split pair Of jacks
and found a straight.
"Oh, I'll bet a kitten" said Booker.
"See your kitten and raise you two
cats" Pete came back.
Booker called and lost.
For the next six hands they simply
snapped kittens back and forth without
getting any action. Then on a Jackpot
Booker opened for one cat, holding pat
a club straight, nine high.
Pete discarded a queen OF hearts and
caught the ten Of diamonds, which gave
him a diamond straight, ten high. Then
the cats few into the box fast and fu-
rious.
The boxes began to get a bit crowd
ed and a vacant room was used to ac-
cumulate the chips. Both men left
their cards on the table and stood by
their respective cats. AS each called
his raise he would grab the limit by
the necks and toss them into the pot
"See here, Smell. I'm out of cats. but
I've got a show for my stakes" an
nounced Booker as he threw in two kit
tens and went shy a cat.
We'll, Book, well show hands now
or seal up the cards until you can raise
more cats. It's a shame to take your
cats. I wish you'd call me-
Not by a long chalk; Smell. I'll
never lay down on this hand. I'll die
first. Give me ten hours to hustle in
for more cats and then Wen show up."