The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-02-23
THE POKER CANE WENT ON.
nixby,s Interrupted story Of Lieat.
Forests Head at the Battle
~ " OF Autietam. $50 y

gan to tell his yarn.
81 heard a first-rate story to-day ne
said. at may be old to you boys. but
it was new to me. Col. Jim Williams, OF
Kentucky, was telling it, and he got all
the points in, of course, much better
than I can. No colonel in Kentucky can
tell better story than Williams.
don't claim to be much of story teller
myself, but"
.You in, Bixby? 81 asked Butler.
Bixby picked up his hand and played
a pair of aces through to his loss. When
another player began shutting the
cards. Bixby resumed.
1.-THE story was something like this.
he said. "Ike Doolittle was a private
in the war. IT was at the battle OF An
tietam. He had grudge against Lieut..
Forrest. A shell came along, and
"Are we going to play for anything
this time ?" asked johnson.
.sYour ante" said Butler to Bixby.
Bixby anted. 'This she'll come
8ong," he said. "and took off Forests
foot. He saw Doolittle near him. and
called TO MIN 10 TAKE
"I'm in," said Walters.
"Raise it couple of reds" said But
Ter.
B;xby picked up three Fights and
stood the raise. He drew fourth and
won the pot. Then it was his deal. He
shufled leisurely as he said: "The
shell. it seems. took off Forests foot,
and he called to Doolittle to carry him
back to the ambulance. Doolittle lifted
him to his shoulder and"
81 had three kings to co. said Will
liams. referring to his previous hand.
Il had straight-four flush," snid
johnson, sadly.
"Doolittle lifted him up" continued
Bixby. and"
"Going to shuttle the spots of the
cards?" asked Butler.
Bixby started to deal. "Doolittie wa.
carrying him back" he said. with hi;
head hanging over his shoulder. when
along come another shell, and"
"Give me another stack" said Will.
liams. He got it. While the hand was
being played Bixby turned to Butler,
who had stayed out like himself.
"Just then" said Bixby, another
shell came along and took off Forests
head. Doolittle didn't see it."
sWhere was this?" asked Butler, po-
litely.
"At Antietam," answered Bixby.
"During the war, you know. Doolittle
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 a minute" he said. johnson raised
him ten. He saw il and 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
at johnson. There was curious tensity
in the silence. Bixby turned to Will
liams.
'Doolittle," he said. didn't know
that Forests head had been shot off,
"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?'
ats Lieut.. Forrest said Doolittle
'I'm taking him back to the ambulance.
"'What can they do with him in the
ambulance with his head shot off?
asked Private Garfield.
81 CALL" said Butler, showing in his
chips. johnson won and Bixby picked
up the cards to deal again.
"Private Garfield" he said, wanted
to know what they could do with him
there with his head shot of. His head!
shouted Doolittle. The blamed fool
told me twas his foot!'"
Rixby pounded the table and laughed
heartily. His companions looked at
him wonderingly.
"Who was Doolittle?" asked johnson
''Why. he.was the fellow that was car,
rying Forrest"
"Bixby's been telling a story" said
Williams.
"What's the point ?" asked Butler.
"The point is" said Bixby, .'tha,
Doolittle thought his foot was shot of
when it was his head. He was carrying
him back at the time, and"
.I've got six cards." said Williams.
cts a misdeal." said johnson.
go on with your story" said VIII.
liams to Bixby.
"Yes," said two or three others. "piye