The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-21

ated politeness with which they spoke TO
each other. There had been nothing OF
importance doing in the community since
navigation had closed a, the beginning Of
winter, and as IL was now almost warm
weather again warm enough, at all events,
to tempt the people out of doors the pros
pect Of some excitement was exhilarating.
It's very good game you play at shtud
poker, Mr.. Gallagher, said Hennessy.
you do me proud, Mr.. Hinniasy.' re-
piled Gallagher with equal courtesy, AN
ye play very well yersilf. barrin' tn matther
O. poor luck now an aRin"
.Oi war thinkin' that same lasht night,
said the other. -Av the cvards HADN'T run
till We the way they did belize ye'd not
have won the money We did
@Thot moight be- an again maybe not.
said Gallagher. still polite, but with tone
OF satisfaction IN his voice that Hennessy
detected.
.Yc know he said, they run different,
They do said Gallagher. AN that's
when the shkill comes in. Now yer own
game Is wan that wins. av .ye have the
guards. but We lose when We haven't.
An don't We find that same TO BE- yer
own experienced" asked Hennessy.
-Oi do not" said Gallagher. .whin Q:
haven't the guards, Oi never bet. It's
the wan thing ye have to Earn about the
game"
The matter Of 81 that Hennessy had lost
the night before was still ranking, and this
intimation that ii was his lack Of ability
a. a player that caused him TO lose was
hard to bear. He comm anded himsel;
with a visible effort and merely said
Maybe ye'd loike to exercise yer shkill
some more the marnin, Oi don know
Well" said Gall g ier.. .Ye may have
yer reve' G an Yer lukkin' for it, And
the game was on.
There was some talk as they took their
seats at the table about some OF the other
joining in. but Hennessy declared that ne
much preferred to play with Gallagher
alone, and his wish was respected. They
made il a ten-dolar freeze-out. and the
Others in the room gathered around to see
the play.
For a considerable time it seemed as II
Gallaghers Boosting had some foundation
in fact for he PLAYED cautiously, and several
times abandoned the hand when he had
one or even two good cards showing, evil
IDENTIFY believing that he was beaten by
the others buried card. but after he had
got well ahead Hennessy began to got
A pair OF tens, back to back, he played
cunningly, letting his opponent do the
betting until the last card was dealt, when
Gallagher bet q dollar on two Fights in
sight Then he raised 1t three dollars,
and, as this looked like a bluff, Gallagher
called.
A similar play when he really held a
straight with the middle card buried,
against two pairs. netted him "a much more,
and the lucky chance OF a third ace for the
last card against three queens in ght
enabled him TO raise back to the extent Of
Gallaghers pile after he had passed the
bet and Gallagher had shown his confidence
in his queens.
He had won the freeze out and was calmly
tolerant when Gallagher said with some
thir Of a sneer
"Yez can all zee. now. what said. Whin
Mr.. Hennessy has the guards he can play
ar well as the next"
"Oi can" he replied loftily. AN OF can
do betther nor that
An how" demanded Gallagher.
-Oi can lick the shtuffin' out OF amy man
that can't lick the shtuffin' out o. me"
An is IL me ye mane?" asked Gallagher.
almost choking.
Il, is f.oisht ye mnne''
Az ye'll shtep outside" said Gallagher.
-Oill shtand ye on yer head. an dhrive yer
body 40 far down in the mud they'll he usin
ye for an srtooshun we'll"
-Ye may. thin said Hennessy, and two
minutes later they ware out on the levee with
their coats on. locked in grip that seemed
What did OF say till ye the marnin'.' said
Stumpy, az he and Sam stood watching tho
the proceedin gs in keenest delight, together
with nearly the 81 tire male population of
Brownsville; There do be things happens
here, sometimes,
The excitement was so great. In fact, that
for the moment 10 one noticed bareheaded
woman that came running up the street,
almost breathless, but shouting as loudly
as she could When her voice reached the
crowd they perceived that It was the voice
Of Mrs, Hem essy. and there was al impera-
tive tone In II that arrested eve.. the atten-
ton Of the two who were fighting
-Mike!" she screamed, Mike! dariint,
The babby fell down in the cistern, an
Missus Gala CHER climbed down wild a rope.
an We pulled the babby up, an she's shtuck
at the bottom. Sure ven COON an pull her
up. Hurry, for the love O. God"
They did hurry, all Of them, and when Mrs.
Gallagher was rescued, az she speedily was,
Hen essy turn ed to his foe:
-Oi'll not foight you this day, Gallagher,
but you'll drink wild me for the babby your
good womal saved. An So" he added.
will the whole o. Brownsville this day
But while they drank, Stumpy remarked
discontentedly. 'Sure it's pity they could
ut ha' flnished the shindy. 1t would ha'
beeu worth seein'.' .. $50.