St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1899-02-18
rHE POKER CANE WENT on.
FOrresa's Head ~ the Battle
Of Aatletam.

Dixhy's Interrupted story 81 LieaG.
FOrresa's Head ~ the Hattie
sf Aaiietam.
johnson was dealing when Bixby be-
gan to tell his yarn.
II heard firxt-rate story to-day" he
said. 1T may be old TO You boys. bur
| il was new TO me. Col. Jim Williams. Of
Kentucky, was telling it. and he got all
the points in. Of course, much better
than can. No colonel in Kentucky car
tell a better story than Williams. !
don't claim to be much of story teller
myself. but
lyon in. Bixby?" asked Butler.
Bixby picked up his hand and played
a pair OF aces through to his loss. When
another player began shufiiing the
cards. Bixby resumed.
"The story was something ike this.
he said. like Doolittle was private
in the war. II WAS at the battle OF An
,ietam. He had grudge against Lieut..
Forrest. \ shell came along. and
.Are we going to play for anything
Y0tSf time HSNCu OOA"So".
"Your ante" said Butler to Bixby.
Eixby anted. This shell come
along" he said. land took of FORESTS
foot. lie saw Doolittle near him, aud
called to him TO take"
"I'm in" said Walters.
.Raise il a couple Of reds" said But
Ter.
Bixby picked up three eigh;s and
stood the raise. He drew fourth aud
won the pot. Then it was his deal. He
shutfled leisurely as he said: The
she'll. II seems. took OF Forests foo:.
and he called to Doolittle to carry him
back 10 the ambulance. D0olittie lifted
him TO his shoulder and
"I had three kings to CO." said VIII
liams. referring to his previous hand.
II had straight-four fiush." said
johnson. sadly.
.Doolit,le lifted him up," continued
Bixby. and"
Going to shuttle the spots OF tie
cards?" asked Butler.
Bixby started to deal. "Doolit..e was
carrying him back" he said. with his
head hanging over his shoulder. when
along come another shell. and"
"Give me another stack" said VIII
iams. He got II. While the hand was
being played Bixby turned to Butler.
who had stayed ont like himself.
"Just then" said Bixby. another
she'll came along and took OF FORESTS
head. Doolittle didn't see il"
"Where was this?' asked Butler, po-
litely.
AT Antietam." answered B:xby.
During the war. you know. Doc!ittle
was carrying Forrest back to the am
bulance. He said he had his foot shot
of. He was being taken back to the
ambulance. He"
Butler picked up three aces. I'm in
for minute" he said. johnson raised
him ten. He saw II aId raised back.
johnson stayed and they drew. Butler
bet ten and johnson raised him 20.
Butler hesitated and ran over his cards.
Then he looked long and searchingly
nj Johnson. There was curious tenxity
in the silence. Bixby turned to Will
.iams.
''Doolittle." he said. ''didn't know
that Forests head had been shot on"
'Why didn't he know it?'' Williams
absently asked. watching the players
He didn't see it," explained Bixby.
''He kept on carrying him back toward
the ambulance. Private Garfield came
along and said TO Doolittle:
"'What you carrying that for?
".It's Lieut.. Forrest said Dooliftle
I'm taking him back to the ambulance
"'What can they do with him in the
ambulance with his head shot of?
asked Private Garfield.
81 call" said Butler, showing in hi.
chips. johnson won and Bixby picked
up the cards to deal again.
"Private Garfield" he said. "wantel
to know what they could do with him
there with his head shot on. His head!'
shouted Doo!ittle. The blamed fool
told me twas his foot!'"
Hixby pounded the table and laughed
heartily. His companions looked al
him wonderingly.
"Who was DooIittle: - asked johnson.
"Why. he was the fellow that Was car.
rying Forrest"
"Bixby's been telling q story" said
Williams.
whats the point >" asked Butler.
"The point is said Bixby, "that
Doolistle thought bis foot was shot OF
when II was his head. He was CARRYING
him hack at the time, and"
"I've got siy cards" said Williams.
'.It's misdfaf." said Johnson.
"Go on with your story" said Will
iiams to Bixby.
"ies." said two or three others. .'give
us the story"
But I've got through with it, ex-
planned Bixby.
''Oh. have you?" said Williams.
.