The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-19
AHEN NOT WHAT
V THEY SEEM.
A Sentiment for Which Caleb Mix
of the Old City Of Natehez
Has \ Story to Fit,

TO a TEST. SAID CaleD MIX, the veteran OAR
tender on the Mississippi River packet
City Of Natchez "Thers's them that you
think you know all about. like enough, count
o KNOWN what stock they come Of, an
what you've seen Of EN-, mebbe for years
an first you know them same men II
stack up ag'in' some sure enough emer-
gency an show up altogether different
I'm what you ever thought they would.
An they're just as liable to show up better
n you thought as they is to show up worse.
What set me thinkin' o. that was seem
little old one-eyed man get aboard the
boat last night at Vicksburg that l hadn't
saw afore for oonsid' rable over forty
year. You wouldn't ha' thought I'd ha'
knowed him after so long a time, an l
don't reckon / would on'y for what / seen
the time he lost his eye,' faint likely
t nor any other man that seen it II ever
forget it or forget him. He's asleep now.
an faint likely, I'm what his man that
travels with him tells me. that anybody
III See anything OF him till we reach New
Orleans. He's old an feeble an never leaves
his room 'thouten he has to.
when knowed him first 'peared like
he didn't have much use for room, for
he were ono O the biggest devils that
travelled the river, an twa'n't nothin'
strange for him to be up an around night
an day for week, an there want never
nothin' doin' where he was, 'thouten ne had
hand in it, whether twas fight or a
poker game or plain case o putin bug
juice out o the way.
They said his old man, Judge Hallowel.
had been just such another in his day, but
that were afore my time, an don't know
nothin' on'y what I've heer'd about him.
When first knowed this one, John Halowell
the Judge had settled down, an didn't
never leave home 'thouten twas some
pin ont o common took him, same az John
ia now.
"fIe lived on his plantation in Mississippi
right on the river, an owned more n three
thousand acres o land an tolrrable close 10
two thousand niggers, so he were counted
rich, even for them days He had three
sons, John bein' the oldest, an what he
didn't do, havin' settled down as l said,
them three cd be reckoned on to do every
time They had more money than they
" W rf'iAV oN ilpiilNt wac always
goin' to New Orleans or somewheres to
find some way o gettin' rid of it, but they
didn't never travel together as a general
thing. Feared they didn't get on we'll
I never knowed much o Tom, the youngest,
but Ed. that was next to John. was good
deal like him, ony, IA | said, they want
together often.
Both on EN- played poker whenever
they had a chanst o. settin' in at big game,
which were frequent enough them days,
for the boats was great places for poker
then, but l never seen EN- playin' together
till this time I'm tellin' about. Whether
twas t they didn't want to play against
each other l can't say. but 'twa'n't often
you'd see EN- on the same boat at oncet.
This here trip, though, they met up
Ed was comm down the river I'm Mem
phis, reck'nin' on gettin' off at Vicksburg
to go home, but bein' as how he We're in
game when the boat tisd up there he said
he reckoned he'd go right along 1t were
the old Creole Belle we was on, an Cap'n
Foss was runnin' of her Foss, he were
as straight as a string, an he wouldn't
stand for no crooked business at poker,
nor nothn' else, on the Belle, but he didn't
never object to poker, no more'n any o.
the other cap'ns did then s long s twas
a straight game The gamblers all knowed
it, an want often Z any on EN- tried any
tricks on the Belle, but just naturally they
played whenever they cd catch a sucker.
There was two of EN- on the Belle that
trip-Jim Hackett an Dave Denton. I'm
up the river-an' they had game goin'
afore we come to Memphis with three
that was pretty good stuff
They played tolable good game, an held
heir own pretty well. but one on 'em give
,ut just after Ed come aboard an when
he give up his seat Ed set in.
well, they played steady pretty much
Ill the time from that on. Now an again
% get a meal or stretch their legs on deck,
out there didn't none on EN- get much
sleep while it lasted. | don't see how they
stood it, but for a fact that game lasted
over four days an nights afore the finish
,ome, with on'y little breathin' spell now
IN then, as I'm tellin' you.
"FOss watched the play pretty close for a
ime, but | reckon he must ha' been satis-
7eu tIleS WIS all DiettS Wen ape 10 take
are o themselves, for he didn't say noth;n'
IN 'twant his way TO keep still If he slls-
licioned anything,
I'D seen Ed Hallowel play afore that,
but I'd never set him down for nothin
remarkable IN the way of a player He'd
,l'ays 'peared like man tibet Just played
ordinary game an wouldn't be likely to
asst long against the river game on'y for
MS al'ays havin' plenty o money an bem'
hla IN n tho hna,l b.,
wanted IT, Everybody knowed the Halo
wells an knoWed they was good for anythin'
hey'd sign for. Just naturally a man
ike that u last into poker game when
mother man wouldn't. 'thouten he had a
big wad in his clothes.
But this trip Ed Halowell s'prised me
reap Feared like he must ha been
earnin much about Joker I'm some
where since I'd seen him play asore, or
Else he were haNin' big streak o. hicl;
Twnn't altogether luck. though, for | seen
lim make two or three powerful good plays
while | was lookin' on tibet netted him
handsome.
There was one time thought he W,
yoin' to lie blufled out, an there couldn't
iobody have said nothn' against his
olay If he'd laid down. There was
olable good jackpot on the table, an one
} the Mort herners, | don't remember their
names, opened it under the guns for ten
dollars. Denton traied and Hackett laid
Town. Hallowell come next, for the other
Iortherner was dealn', an he histed il
en-, havn three mines in his hand. Then
he dealer laid down.
THE opener studied his hand a hit, but
inally showed in his money, an Denton did
he same On the draw the opener took
hree cards, Denton took one, an Halo
veil took two, DRAWN TO the stren'th Of
lis hand.
"O course, it were the openers first bet,
m he throwed in a white chip without
ooktn' at his draw. Denton tIniled again
aiiahl lr ll,l In.