The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-12
POKER IN ARKANSAS.
They Play the Game Down There
with Dogs and shot Gun.
From the Washington Post.


From the Washington Post.
at didn't take us long to get acquainted
in Horton Center. The glad hand was
put out everywhere. and there was a jug
or ticker back Of every one. After
couple Of hours II this welcoming business
somebody suggested little game OF draw
just to pass the time, and a tall, lanky
man said that as 1t was pretty warm we
might as well go to his house and play
on his PLAYER, as he called 1t. After the
game had been going on half an hour
or so lobe and just looked at each other
II was the softest easiest outfit we had
ever struck. The other four players lust
threw their money away making the big
gest fool bets anybody ever saw Fact Isl
they couldn't have been worse poker play
efs they hadn't seen a card before In
their lives. By o'clock at night we had
All the money in sight, and lobe said we
nad better be starting out as 1t was a long
walk home and the moon would be get
| ting low down before we could reach there.
The tall, lanky fellow begged us to stay ali
night. but we had to refuse. We started
home for Cutters store through the woods
Just loaded down with cash and pretty
near four hundred winner, when all of a
sudden Sni we heard dogs baying behind US:
he reckoned somebody was coon hunting.
but thought II was mighty funny time
of the year for 'em to do It, and he began
to tell me about a coon hunt he had gone
on once, when he broke Off
=" 'Pard, he hollered. get a tree; those
dogs are after u.s..
II Skinned up one and lobe took an
other. and in two minutes the meanest
lot Of big-mouthed. NANCY hounds you
ever saw were cavorting around us
bowling like lsyenas. We both hoped
somebody would come and pretty soon
somebody did. 1t was the tall, lanky
man. lie came up and Quilted the dogs.
ana then leaned on long, double-barreled
gun and proceeded to address u.s. He
said he was mighty panied to do what
he had to do, but the fact was that Hor-
toms Center had been victimlZed ever since
the railroad came by poker-playing stran-
gers, who came in and cleaned up all
the ready money in the community. He
was sorry to say that we had returned
the cordial hospitality extended to us in
the same cruel way We had gone into
a game with the mayor, the town mar
shall the leading merchant and the
The county treasurer had staked the
other gentlemen with all the available
public funds and we had skilfully-he
would not say dishonesty-won them all.
1t was his duty TO require us to hand
the winnings and any other small change
we might have about us back. The dogs
were not hungry, but would get so after
awhile. and when we got tired of roost-
ing and came down they might appease
their appetites with US. Besides there
were some other citizens of Horton Cen
ter back in the woods who could pick
a 'possum out of the highest tree in the
bottoms on the darkest night In the year.
the money we had down on the ground
and the tall. lanky man gathered II up.
Then he said good night and whistled
You'll have a safe road TO Cutters
he remarked IN hearty tone as he moved
on and mcbbe II might be as we'll ef
you didn't mention this here little eppy-
ieft Arkaufaa in three days, and reckon
some Arkansas cotton planters are wait.
INK for as 70 copae for their crops yet"