The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-09-28
HELDA ROYAL DiAMoNDFLUSH,

1t Beat Weary wattIes' Eight-spots and
Bill Spencer Won the Big Jackpot.
Weary Wattles is the name given to
queer creature, the sole owner and
inhabitant of Beer City, located in No
Mans Land, two miles from Liberal,
Kan, and near the southern terminus
of the Rock Island road. Several years
ago, when the Rock Island first built
into Liberal, the town of Beer City
sprang up over the line. Liberal was
in prohibition Kansas, and Beer City
was built in No Mans Land because
there was no law in that country. Sa-
looms and sporting houses were the only
sources of amusement and revenue in
Beer City, and in it's six months exist
ence it had floating population of two
thousand or twenty-five hundred.
Then the bottom dropped out and left
the town deserted. Liberal dwindled
to village and the wolves took pos
session of the empty saloons and dance
houses in Beer City. Weary Wattles
was the only person who remained, and
he seemed to keep watch and ward over
the little graveyard out in the sand
iAAAAs'5 hSiO Ola PSOt1C l1O Jul ACNt oANtC
by side. Deputy United States Marshal
Bill Spencer tells a queer story of how
he won this Beer City over game of
cards while on recent trip through
the southern part of the state after
Kansas moonshiners. He had ridden
in at evening and found Wattles seated
on butter firkin in front of the old
Western Star" saloon, while the wolves
were bowling requiem in the sandy
distance. AS though by preconcerted
agreement two other men, Ben Hodge,
the well-known border gambler, and
"Slim" Donnell, of Dodge, dropped in
from the direction of Liberal.
'Jist 'er good crowd for poker
game" said King Wattles, after he had
taken a drink of Kansas whisky offered
by Hodge, and had smoked one of Slim
Donnells stogy cigars. ''Sposin' we
jist try 'er bout 'er two. Bin 'ermost
'er var since L he'd 'er chance ter play
'cept it war solitary"
So the boys drew up in line and
Spencer produced a greasy pack of
cards from his saddle pocket. The light
came from tallow dips and cast CHASTITY
shadows over the gloomy old dance
hall where all the tragedies of Beer
City had been committed.
Right over in that corner poor Bill
Wright turned up his toes" said Ben
Hodge, as he drew pair of deuces.
"Bill was crazy painter, and the bar
tender shot him because he was "a bar
fly and hurt the trade of the place."
81 remember it," said Slim Donnell,
as he filed flush. ''It was few
nights before Texas John was filed
full of buckshot about where 1 am sit
ting now, by Maj. Burr, who claimed
that John had run away with his little
Mexican girl, Jesueta. Those were
glorious days" And Donnell absent
mindedly raked in the pot, his flush hav-
ing been too much for the other players.
please don't talk about such doin's,"
whined Weary Wattles, as he caught
two pair, kings high. 1T makes my
blood run cold, en- L KANT sleep er
nights arter sich stories" But his
hand never shook as he caught stray
king and held full hand. He raked in
quite a little money, and it was no
longer mystery where the old chap
got his pocket full of silver from.
LET her go for Jackpot this time"
said Spencer. 81 was here in this dance
hall the night Jim Dalton and his
brother Bill shot Sandy Mcmillan
right over there in that dark corner.
Sandy was highwayman and had trod
on Bills toes in some way. The Dali
tons were not so notorious those days.
Well, Jim came in and Sandy went for
his gun. Bill popped away and killed
girl named Sallie Blue, but Jim got
in his work on Sandy. They are both
buried out there on that sand hill. Is
this a jackpot"
Cant open," said Wattles. 81 do
wish yo fellows I'D let up on yer burned
killing stories. lives in this yer
house."
"0pen her for ST." declared Ben
Hodge, with grin. All staid in the
game. Ben drew two cards, Donnel
three, Spencer two, and Wattles none
at all.
"Wattles must have straight, or
else he's bluffing," said Spencer, as he
stood the raise and raised it.
'Ill see thet," grinned Beer City's
king, as he saw the raise and went it
five better.
"I'm with you," murmured Hodge,
calling the weary mans raise and see
ing him still better. Donnell dropped
out. Spencer, Hodge and Wattles kept
raising each other until the latter ran
out of coin and stabed the whole town
of Beer City on the result, declaring he
would give er clear title deed fer her
right through" By this time Hodge
had thrown down full hand, queens
high, on the table.
''Four eight spots, laughed, or rather
barked, King Wattles, as he reached
out pair of grimy hands to rake in
the dough. II know you can't beat
that" and again he chuckled weirdly.
so, yes, 1 can," said Spencer quietly.
81 guess royal diamond flush beats
even four of kind" and that is the
way he came to acquire the ownership
of an entire city, with one regular in
habitant. Weary Wattles is still hold
ing the fort at the Western Star" as
Spencer's tenant.-St. Louis Globe
Democrat.
Almost Tragedy.
A company of local talent started