The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-05-09

longed 10 the Indian territory or u
Texas. First. a biz fellow. calling him
self "Rattlosnake Joe" had gone
through Kansas and Missouri. making
speeches TO the Oklahoma boomers and
Inducing them to stop trying 10 force
an entrance 10 Oklahoma. and 80 20
Greer county. the paradise Of Amer
lea" as Joe called H. incidentally Joe
lectured and took Up collections
Somehow the people got the idea
that Greer county had unworked gold
mines and diamond fields OF fabulous
richness. Perhaps Joe told them 90.
AZ any rate Bob Rogers and Louise.
his pretty wife. left the boomer camp
a Hunnewell. In Kansas. and. with
other homa-scekers. they trundled OF
down the the old Kansan ana Texas
trail into the promised land Once
there they found that others had come
Ia from the Indian territory. Texas.
and even old Mexico.
In some manner peculiar 20 the west
a little shanty. wagon and tent town
iprang into existence. and they called
the place "Rattlesnake City" BY CON-
mon consent Texas Ben" Jones be-
came the marshal. No one proposed
his name In a convention, nor was
there an election held. Ben simply
became the marshal because he vas
bigger. quicker on the draw. and really
10 30 into a fight any day or night Of
the year Rattlcsnakc was a daisy"
while she lasted. and the boomers were
usually law-abldlug.
Unlike mining camps. there was
nothing to keep up the town. No one
worked. because there IVES no work 10
90. Almost every one had little
money, and gambling became the rec
,gniEed trade Of Rattlesnakc. While
he nen played poker and buckcd the
Tiger. the women pitched pennies for
ash Every shaniy and every wagon
had layout for gambling. and soon
he desperate bands Of highwaymen.
moonshiners aud cattle thieves that
lnfest this country began TO come to
play. Quite a Monte Carlo was thus
bull, up.
Bob Rogers and Louise had been
raised In Ohio and came OF good stock
Bob had gone TO college long enough
10 learn 10 play poker and swear. lie
soon became a leader in the colony
about Rationale because OF bis
nerve, bearing and good looks. Louise
was the beauty Of Greer county. and
by virtue thereof the queen Of border
society. She led In Gll the dances held
In the center Of the canvas and shack
,ity once week. by degrees Rogers
won on the money Of hts nelghbors.
and as fast as he became broke the
unsuccessful player took hia outfit and
money away. Not always. though,
Tor sometimes he would wager his
wagon and team and lose them also
In that case he walked out Of Rattle
inaie.
As Rogers won money he took on Inn
portance He opened n big gambling
house In tent aud called the place
"Rogers Pavilion" He now virtual
~ owned the city. This tcnt became
the center Of attraction for all that
part Of Texas Louise objected TO the
opening Of this house. but her hus-
band. carried away with the fever OF
gambllng. laughed at her fears.
"He that lives by the sword shall
perish by the sword" she told him
more than once but Bob went right on
winning the money Of ,ise people who
played there. Il appeared that he
could not lose. One day Texas Ben
strobe In and took a seat az a table
where three strangers were preparing
to play poker. Ben was ugly and had
been drinking. lie picked up the cards
and Joined inthe game. Ben had money.
and 80 did tho other people.
by and by. when big Jack pot was
In sight, only Hen and a dapper little
chap remained IN the game. Zen drew
one card; the stranger three Then
/ ANtA went " NNAAANh NtlN ANlrANN NAll
an the cash the Texan had was IN the
pot. Every one In the room had quit
10 watch this play. I'm call You
swore the bis marshal. "and. stranger.
n you beat my hand you've got q
aeht"
The little fellow on the other side OF
the table only elanocd up with a side
ways glitter In his eyea Bob Rogers
pushed his way through the crowd
and declared that the game was on shc
done IN the pavilion he'd have a
square and II there was any killing
hand IN t. Tho more peaceful boom
ora moved away. but the gamblers and
outlaws generally romslncdl Bob tried
70 SET Louise to SO away, but she re.
fused to comply unless ho would 80
With rU
.I.. ~. #.Enn nlaurtI ncf1a|