Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-08-14
TAN's VERY WISE DOG.

TAN's VERY WISE DOG.
Know tho Morse Alphabet and Could
Play Poker.
Everybody down at Graneros re-
members Tans pup" said the opera
tor as he flashed the picture Of the
dog. II remember the dog very well.
Tanauary was the operator down there
when I first came to Colorado. Gran
eros was made up of battered box car
that had been dumped at one side OF
the track. This served as a telegraph
Office, and it was q dreary place for
the bravest man, and Tan got lonesome
staying there.
Zone day some one sent Tanquary q
dog. It was a mean looking animal OF
mingled breeding, and it had a tail OF
the length, breadth, thickness and gen.
eral outline Of banana. But the dog
was welcomed and soon made friends
with the lonely operator. Tanquary
taught the animal to go to the section
foreman's hotel, where he boarded, and
fetch his lunch, although the dog was
at first inclined to take a Roman holi-
day with the food.
"Tan also taught the dog a number
Of tricks, such as standing on his head
to leap sideways, to chew tobacco and
to smoke. The only picture have OF
the dog Is the one where he Is seen
smoking.
Although Tanquary taught the dog
a good many things, the brute went on
to learn many other things without the
operators assistance. The two grew
more and more fond of each other, and
once when Tanquary came up to see II
Denver was still here he brought the
dog with him. They had sundry ad-
ventures and finally brought up at
poker game behind a Wazee street
barber shop. There three strangers
had decided to gather in Tanquary's six
months salary.
"They played with great energy until
the operator had reached the last dime
in his pocketbook. He looked about
him and his eyes fell upon his faithful
dog, which had taken a position on a
chair on the opposite side Of the ta-
BILE. Tan looked mournfully at the
brute for a minute, and then his love
for the game overcame him and he
said:
"Tf you are good sports you will let
me put up that dog against dollars
worth Of excitement and we can go it
little longer. Otherwise 1 am out OF
It,
"Tanquary told Of the dogs accom-
plishments and put him through a few
of his tricks. Something seemed to be
worrying the dog, and it could be seen
that Tanquary saw his pet was not sat-
isfied to masquerade as jackpot
Well, the three gamblers consented to
let Tanquary stake the dog.
After that the game became one of
life and death. Tanquary, after the
draw, found himself possessed Of two
kings and the same number Of tens.
All but one of the strangers fell by the
wayside and Tan was getting worried
about the single opponent, for the fcl
low held up three cards. The operator
weighed his hand and then sat silent
ly gazing at the two pairs. Suddenly
he heard a sound, q slow, steady tap
tap. Tan's telegraphic ear caught from
the mysterious sound these Morse
characters:
"'He has deuces.'
Now, Tan was a man who did not
inquire into the why's and wherefores
Of Providence. When a miracle was
performed, the purport Of which was to
inform him that the other fellow was
bluff1ng on deuces, he accepted the tip
and played back with all his strength.
The result was that he garnered $2.S5
on that pot and was staked for the
next deal.
"They started in again and Tan got
three kings. He was inclined to bet
like an amateur, but he suddenly heard
again the slow tap-tap. He inclined
his head and heard the telegraphic al
phabet. The dots and dashes read:
keep out. I see four nines.'
"Tan cast hurried glance around to
see If he could locate his miracle-work-
ing messenger. He saw nothing but
the dog sitting disconsolately on the
chair on the opposite side Of the ta-
BILE. Nevertheless, Tan threw down his
kings and lost ten cents. On the next
hand he reaped $37 on one Of the spir-
1t manifestations by telegraph. which
told him one man held pair Of fiVes.
another a bobtail flush and the other
two pairs, kings up. He himself held
three treys.
"Well. as the night wore away the
mysterious messages kept coming and
Tan began to roll in wealth. Next
morning he went back to Graneros With
s1,737, all the three sports and he him.
self had at the beginning.
When Tan got up out of his chair
one Of the sports said: Well, I hope
you've. got enough money to buy that
dog some grub. He's been sitting there
wagging his tail all night
"Tanquary looked up in a rather
startled manner, for great truth was
beginning to dawn upon him. And he
guessed right. The dog had been
watching the other fellows hands. His
to n ,yas cop6winha5 IN hetwean two Of