Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1907-02-20
A FAMOUS CANISTER.
Amazing Skill of Captain John
Scott at Whist.
HIS RAPID ROAD TO WEALTH.

ino winnings OF the Gentleman Gam
bier at Whites, In London, In the
Eighteenth Century Exceeded $780,
ooo-Fox's Reckless Play.
or all the gentlemen gamblers at the
flose of the elghteeath century I'm Eng
land single one Is noted for the Inn
mensity and the regularity of his win
nings. This was John Scott. who. be-
ginning as n penniless captain. wound
up his career as millionaire general.
On the subject OF the campaigns he
conducted history Is silent. but con-
temporary London was full OF talk OF
MS marvellous luck with dice and cards.
ana the marital misfortunes OF his later
life gave more material for the gosslps.
Writing TO Richard Bentley from Ar
ington street on Feb. %. 1855. Horace
Walpole says:
The great event Is the catastrophe
OF Sir John Bland. who has nirted
away his whole fortune at hazard. lie
tOther night lost In reckless play an
immense sum 10 a Captain Scott. who
at present has nothing but Few debts
and his commission"
Sir John Bland to conclude here the
history of that luclSless deer. shot
himself dead. after losing the last OF
his fortune. In Nlppax park,
Captain John Scott was OF that
branch OF the numerous Scott family
OF which Sir Walter was a member.
and his ancestor I'm the thirteenth CEN
fury was that famous chemist. Michael
Scott. who won the name OF wizard. \
later Scott distinguished himself i'm the
time OF Charles III. by marrying when
he was himself only fourteen years
old. lady who was three years his
Junior. The bride was Mary. countess
OF Buccleuch, In her own right the
richest heireSs i'm Scotland. The mar
riage was secret one. and none OF the
! friends and few OF her family were in
formed OF il until the day after. The
youthful bridegroom did not profit
greatly 10y this match. for his bride died
ut thirteen. Her sister Anne. who sue
ceeded TO her titles ana estates. made
a marriage with the pet son Of Charles
H., Monmouth. and had a numerous
family.
1t was sixty years later. or about 100.
that young Scott. son OF the laird of
Scott's Tarvet. entered King Georges
army. Two years later he was I'm Lon
don and in the midst OF the most rccll-
less set OF spendthrifts. ral1cs and
gamesters that English society has ever
known. Sir John Bland was only one
OF thousand rich young Englishmen
who threw away fortunes over the
gaming table at Whites. The one his
toric loser Of that era was Charles
James Fox. Pitts rival. Fox gambIod
away. all told, no less than SJ.OOO.OOO.
Scott was the very antipodcs OF Fox.
When he died, ut n ripe old age. he left
fortune rs great Us that with which
Fox had begun. and every penny Of it
had been won at the gaming table.
Fox was a ripe scholar Scott was al
most illiteratc. Fox said that losing
was the next greatest pleasure TO Win
Ming. Scott never lost or 50 rarely that
ii did not affect the serenity of his ca
recr rs a winner. Fox would 20 home
IN the morning after Il night i'm which
he had gamblcd away 10000 or go
600 and Immediately lose himself in n
study OF Sophocles or I,Schylus Scott.
like the sensible fellow he was. would
button his coat over the portcmonnaie
in which lac carried away winnings Of
IN equal or even greater amount and
Immediately 30 10 bed 50 as To Ice fresh
for play in the evening.
When Scott found himself in London
and annie the wild young men of his
era, he determined that gaming was
MS only chance OF getting money.
When he engaged himself TO throw 4
series OF mains with Sir John Bland.
he had, as Horace Walpole puts il.
nothing "but few debts and his COM
mission" His Shrewdness taught him
that there was nothing in dicing. ut
which stupid man has as good a
chance rs n bright one and 50 he
speedily gave up hazard and applied
himself 10 whist ut which game for
tune fights on the side of the skillful
player Never in the history of play
did men gamble for such high stakes
as Scott and his victims did 1T Whites
between 1888 and 1850. Scotts system
was an exceedingly simple one. He
gave himself the best Of ii i'm every
possible way. He never went to the
gaming table unless his head and his
stomach We're In the very best order.
He never lost his compoSure or his
good nature for an instant. lie played
Il perfectly fair ana honorable game.
and ut first he made il rule never to
play for more than fixed sum. which
he could afford 10 lose 4Ie won so
steadily that il wasn't long before he
was prepared 70 risk amy sum which |
even the wealtiiest or the most reck- |
less of his adyersarieS would venture |
to propose
y story which illustrates capitally |
SCOTS patience i'm the face of hard |
luck has heen preserved. One night |
while he was at the card table news |
was brought Il him that his wife, the |
first Mrs. Scott had given birth to n |
girl
"Ah," he said Il shall have to dou- |
BILE my stakes 10 make n fortune for |
this young lady"
But in few hours he was $4,000 to |
the bad. Retaining his invariable Sc !
renlty. he said he was sure of his luck |
returning. ana at n. m. he went home |
the winner of fl5OOO That's the sort |
of play that went on at Whites night |
after night during the years that John |
Scott was winning the largest fortune |
ever accumulated by gentleman gam /
bier.
DRESS OF THE ESKIMO.
Made by the Women From the skins
90