The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
CHANCE SHOT IN
. A POKER GAME.
A Story of the Strenuous Play at
Cards In the Sunken Lands
of Askansas.

The crops had been harvested and shipped
to the market from the whole OF the st.
Francis Valley, and payment therefor
had been duly made, at rates somewhat In
advance Of what had been expected. This
stroke, Of good fortune, coupled with the
fact that nature had been kind, 20 that
the crops exceeded In amount any pre-
vious harvesting for several years, had
brought about a season OF unusual pros
perity throughout the entire Sunken Lands
OF Arkansas.
Naturally, the cotton factors In New Or
leans and elsewhere had reaped the great
est advantage Of all concerned. but even
after the uttermost exactions OF their
mortgages had been met, there still re-
manned considerable balance to the credit
was real money in circulation among them
In greater amounts than they had been
accustomed to for long time.
1t was also true that there was no very
good prospect Of this money remaining
long. Their immediate necessities were
provided for. and all their pressing obliga
tons had been met, 20 that they might
have used the cash In hand, had they been
20 minded, e pay the sspenses Of ths com com.
retained an ownership In the next crops
to come. without being Obliged to mortgage
them before seed time. That, however.
was not the st. Francis way.
So It comes about that various gentle
men Of miscalled sporting procliyities have
the habit Of travelling through the st.
Francis Valley soon after harvest time.
Such a one was John BranniGan, who ar
rived at the village Of Baxters one Friday
evening. astride OF large black horse. and
having stabbed II at the tavern was soon In
stalled az a gu est Of the house.
Brannigan was . powerfully built, we'll
dressed man. perhaps 70 years old, who
might have been OF the nationality, hi:
name denoted, but spoke the English OF
the locality without a brogue; His man.
ners were quiet and sufficiently good. but
no one who was in the least familiar with his
type could have mistaken him for moment
for anything else but q gambler. Nor did
he seek 70 disguise his calling, but soon
lord II there were any people around who
ever played poker. II was, Of course, q
platitude. since poker Is as surely one OF an
Arkansas citizens accomplishments as Ii
horsemanship.
Well es, the landlord admitted, there
was most generally game going on later
in the even ing In his back roo n and there
wasn't any particular objection to a stranger
taking hand In the game II he ret inclined
and had the money to buy chips.
As q sequence to all this It occurred,
toward 8 o'clock. that Mr.. Brannigan was
seated a a round table in the back room
mentioned, In company with four other
players. Judge Harmon, the Oldest In the
party. was g grizIled veteran who owned
property and no longer sat In court. Jack
Cannon. the second man, was a planter,
who had not yet married. whose presence
at home after he had sold his crops was
only explained by the fact that he had
broken his leg a while before and was not
winter. The storekeeper, q man named
Cater, and the landlord. whom everybody
called sJim,' were the other two players.
Three or four other men were In the room.
we play table stakes. said the Judge.
less, but feel like I'd enjoy q good game
tonight. Suppose we start with hundred
apiece
Everybody agreed, and the landlord, a.
banker, counted out the chips accordingly.
.ars apiece. Brannigan was fully aware
that he was being scrutinized closely. but
he was used to that, and seemed not In the
least disturbed by t.. He invited all hands
to drink with him before beginning to play.
and the invitation la, T va accepted y matter
notice that he drank very sparingly him.
self, though he swallowed his whiskcy a.
II he were well accustomed to Its use.
For perhaps half an hour the game went
on without any incident Of special note.
The play was high from the first. the ante
being two calls Ave. and jackpots follow
ing the buck. with an extra one whenever
threes or better were shown. The luck
varied, however. 90 that no one was Q
specially heavy loser or winner. Several
OF the players had bought again. some two
or three times. 10 that there was nearly
81 900 on the table. but II was well dis
tributed
Brannigan had played a. fairly. 20 far
as any Of the others could see, az any one
could play. II he had In mind to attempt
anything crooked, he was wary enough TO
60 about II slowly, and he knew as well
as the others did that they were still watch
ing him. Neither did he need to be Informed
that when, on his deal, any particularly
strong hnnd fell to one OF the other players,
he backed IL with extra caution.
At length there came an opening for
strenuous contest among three players;
thrice. so that there was 80 In Il, when the
Judge dealt. The landlord opened Il under
the guns for the size OF 1t, and Cannon,
out, And Brannigan made Il forty more.
The Judge dropped. and the landlord
studied awhile. or pretended to. and then
mi ada Uood