The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-26
HE HAD FOUR
QUEENS AND WON
(Chicago Into Ocean.l

Chicago Inter OCEAN,
All the members of the Reformed
Poker Players club were in a sad state
Of mind. The old Tennesseean had
just announced his Intention of going
over 10 his Michigan peach orchard for
the summer, the former red hot Jack
pot taker Of Lafayette. Ind, said he
was of for a rest, and the others were
also pulling out for the heated term.
The last session, however, brought
out the usual grind of poker history.
There was a stranger at the table IN
the cafe, and had it not been for his
rather Frightening inf1uence-he didn't
understand the why of the gloom
there wouldn't have been any story
telling This man was the first to tell
a story.
Il witnessed a remarkable game just
a few weeks ago." spoke the stranger.
-Four old cronies happened to meet
at the house OF a mutual friend Of
mine. No, / wasn't in the game" he
added, as he noticed inquisitive looks.
They just dropped in. and naturally
enough began to talk over old times
when they were harum-scarum young
steTs.
Someone remembered how they
played penny ante with gunwads for
chips. and dry goods box in the back
shed for a table, and 1t wasn't singu-
lar that someone suggested that it
would be good idea to try 1t over
again.
The host got a deck of cards and
his wife's button bag and proceedings
were inaugurated. The buttons. upon
being divided in five parts, gave each
man sixteen, and Ii was q source Of
much amusement when one Of the
party ransacked his pockets without
finding that number of cents, or, in
deed, anything but a nickel.
Bet Any Old Thing.
1.-The bantering resulted in each man
showing up his pile. and the result was
that five substantial business men
could only rake UP a little over 81 be-
tween them.
THE game then proceeded. After a
few hands were played the host picked
up new hand and remarked that he
wished he were playing sure enough
poker. The others said they were will
ing to make 1t the real thing, for that
hand, anyway, and the dealer threw
up five cards, containing all the suits,
without a pair and nine high, and said
they could fight It out.
LAS there was no money in the party,
it was decided to use simple articles Of
Identification as markers for the
then the bride was taken Off and the
gallant steed gaIloped forth on un-
bounded field. Before the draw the
host bet SIS and put up a cigar as a
marker. The next man raised IL $50
and showed In a key ring as the repre-
sentative of $50. So it went around I'M
til there was a. conglomeration of the
various things men carry in their peck
cts on the table.
No One Drew.
When they got ready TO draw cards
the expectant dealer was amazed that
none of the quaTtette wanted any.
Then did the betting begin furiously
anew, and everything the players had
with them, whose disappearance would
not cause Interrogation on the part OF
their wives, was put up as markers for
their respective raises.
AT last the host had the final say,
and he determined to call. He reached
out and picked up the empty coal
scuttle.
That goes for $50, he exclaimed.
hoarsely, and / call. I've got four
queens
THE other players laid down re-
spectively a nine full on fives. a seven
full on kings, and four tens The Win
neT swept the markers into the coal
scuttle and the game broke up. The
next day his antagonists came around
to his office and redeemed their. mark
ers. The man who had called with the
coal scuttle received over $3.50 from
each of them
by the way" Clipped in another
fellow. talking about poker, / once
held four tens pat in a game I was
playing I'm Sioux City while 1 was on
the road.
"One Of the men was drunk. He had
been plunging all the time, betting
high whether he had anything or not,
and I was waiting for a big hand. be-
cause I knew that as soon as it came
1 could break him.
MY four tens came just at the right
time. There was a jack pot and I had
the first say l opened ii gently, say
for S25, because I knew that the drunk
en- fellow would come back at me.
He did with a big raise. I just
called him, because I wanted more play
after the draw. looked over my hand
slowly as though in deep thought, and
then called for one card.
III draw to the strength OF my
hand; 81 me three cards. said the
booZy man.
Then 1 made a heavy bet, and he
came al me harder. We kept at each
other, back and forth, until all his
money was on the table 7 showed
down my four tens He skinned out
four queens. He had drawn two more
queens to his pair"