St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-08-21

4
and swore at him in the yilest fashion,
| insulting him grossly, and asking one
| another if there would he any fun in
killing him.
''Still the man showed no resentment
or emotion of any kind, but, as if he had
beeA stepping out Of the waysof a team
| of horses, he walked ten or twelve feet
over toward the middle of the boat and
| stood there with his hands in his pock-
cts, smoking and still looking at the
stars.
"The gang was disgusted, and said
/ so, plainly. In a moment more they
| started for him again, but they never
reached him, though he had hardly
| stirred from his tracks. One after an
| other the whole five went sprawling
on the deck, following one another so
rapidly that !, who was watching not
80 feet away, could not follow the mo-
tion of the mans fists.
THAT did not end the matter. The
gang was really out for fight, and would
very likely have tackled five others as
readily as they did single man, SO,
though they were met SO astonishing
ly, they all scrambled up to go at him
again. But the second part of it was
even more entertaining than the first.
AS fast as they rose they went down
again. The quiet man was moving
like cat now, and striking like mules
hind leg. In all my experience never
saw such an exhibition of science
against brute force. Each one of the
five must have been knocked down three
or four times before they came to the
conclusion that they had had enough,
and actually crawled away on their.
hands and knees, one by one, rather
than get hit again.
"-As we came into the slip.I walked
over toward the stranger, who was still
smoking his cigar and looking at the
stars, and saw that it was Dobson.
His only comment.on the. affair was:
Isheuld think the ferry company would
compel the deckhands to go armed
'After that I met him, as said, in all
sorts of places. He was poling around
little village full of Molly Maguires
the day after 13 of that order were
hanged in Pennsylvania. He was on
the same boat with me on the Missis-
sippi river in the floods of '82. He was in
Chicago at the time of the big fire and
again at the exposition. ..-.-s
His scent for excitement was keen,
and he missed no chance for an adven-
ture, or, at least, it seemed SO to me, for
he never seemed to have any other busi-
ness excepting to look on. But he was
always cool as possible, and Inever saw
him look surprised. I never admired
his. coolness more, however, than I did
when I saw him playing poker with two
card sharps on-a Mississippi steamboat
one night.
as5''l donstfhink there was anyrerooked
dealing in the game, though I knew
both men were capable of playing any
tricks. It may have been because there
were too many spectators, or they may
have mistrusted Dobson himself, but
my own impression is that they figured
on getting his money by the simple ex-
pedient of raising him out whenever
there was money enough in the pot to
make 1t worth while.
"At all events, it happened twice,
when he had hand that he felt like
backing, that the other two showed un-
usual confidence in their own cards un-
til after he had laid down his. Then
one of them would give up without a
struggle, and the pot would go without
a showdown.
Il felt morally certain that Dobson
saw the trick the first time it was
played, but he said nothing the first or
second time, and, though he was. con-
loser, he kept on playing with
put change of countenance.
presently there came jackpot, and
there was about 800 up before it was
opened. Then one of the partners
opened it up for $50 and Dobson and the
other man came in. The opener drew
three cards, Dobson took one and the
other man took two. Number one bet |
$50, and Dobson came in. Number Two |
saw his chance, and raised it $50. Num- |
Der One, of course, did the same, and |
B6f5son again made good. This went
on until there was over a thousand dol
ars in the pot, and Dobson began to
look a little anxious. He had lost near
" thousand already, and they
thought, o. he intended they should,
that hewas hoping togetsquare on this
hand, but was growing doubtful.
Fifty more said Number One, and
0obson hesitated a little before putting
Up the hundred that the double raise
,alled for.
iii have to make it another hum
lred,' said Number Two.
"A hundred more said Number One.
1.-Two thousand harder said Dobson,
With just a suspicion of eagerness, and
The faintest flicker of a smile at the
all of his eye as he pushed s., ,4ooon the
able.
"It was hard blow. Either one Of
he men would have played for that
amount, or twice that, readily enough,
t he had believed the chance a good
me, and they both were fairly caught
It their own game, and believed, as I
id for the moment, that Dobson had
hem both beaten. They both laitl
Iown, though they did it with bad
race, and Dobson pocketed the money
"Then, to their disgust. Dobson rose
rom the table. I don't think I care
bout playing any more he. said. indif-
erently, and they both looked angry T
nougk to eat him. Only one spoke,
lyon take a good time to quit he
aid, with a sneer.