The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-12-27
A!..P0NER.. .SII..ORY..
THE SCENE us M WASHINGTON.
AND THE PARTICIPANTS OF
THE OFFICIAL CLASS.

I Il u
sentatiYes, all from the South and
West, organized themselves into a
poker club. They played in rotation
lat each others homes, hotels, Of
boarding houses. and a little luncheon
preceded the game, The ordinary
ANTE was ''fve calls ten" cents, and
the limit was a quarter, except for
jackpots, which could be opened for
four bits. There wasn't a greedy wo-
man, or one oyereager to win, in the
group. They merely played for pure
fun.
Then a new member was admitted.
She was several notches above what
rs here called the Congressional set.
She was above all official connection.
although she trained with Washing.
TONS top Hottest official and diplo-
matte set when she wanted to. She
was a widow with plenty of money.
One Of her daughters had married
into, the European aristocracy. She
was brilliant and engaging, albeit q
trife naughty and distant or early &C.
qlaintance. but the half dozen Repre-.
sentatiyes' wives from the South and
West voted her charming before the
first game began. @ %
After the flrst.game they found It a
bit difficult to analyze the new mem:
Der OF their poker party. The new
member had won virtually, all Of the
money at that first sitting On three
separate occasions she had all Of the
chips on the table in front Of her
place. and the other six members
were buying chips from her all the
time. What the six Representatives.
wives found it difficult to account for,
in considering the system of play OF
the new member. was little peculiar,
ity she had when she was called o..
called somebody else.
She never actually showed her
cards She gave merely the most mo-
mentary, not TO say instantaneous,
flash at them before she tossed her
hand INTO the discard, and then she
Faxed down the pot. The six Con.
eressional woment. on talking it over
when they met at 4 reception on the
following day. ventured to express
Themselves mildly about the phehom-
email streak of luck on the part Of
their new poker member.
q wish she'd show her cards,
though, when she calls or is called"
said one Of them, .plalntively.
so do /" they all agreed, and
then they fell silent. They were all
thinking queer things by This time,
but none cared to be the first to eX-
press her thoughts.
AT the third session-the last in
which the social iigurante TOOK part
with the group OF Congressional wo-
mep-a niece Of the Hostess, a young
married woman IRON The far West,
... - r,l, ,,,,a .,,.t,..... -,
was present. she was visiting hcF
aunt Tor lew days When the game
began after the luncheon thls niece
"laAs care 70 play NOT SHOWING MUG"
ABOUT inc game she s"la' ana OeinS
very uhluchy al IT, besides slle mere
~ looked on After a Dit she LOOK a
CHAIR Directly behind tAat oil tue new
member although the ne" member
didn't notice It, 1t came 10 pass a
lew minutes after the young woman
had taken her chair behind that o. the
new member that the Iatler was call
ed't
l'hilea my hush' sue announced
with a pleased air and tossing her
cards into the discard pulled IN the
poI. bnt She noticed lhe sllght gasp
hehinA her and shifted around IN her
chair 10 catch the eye OF her hostess
'lie'e
please, my dear. don't sit behind
me it makes me so nervous she
said 10 the young woman from the
West, and the young woman got up