The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
POKER PLAYERS WHO DON'T
CARE Of THEY WIN OR LOSE

En- HERE'S them that says they plays
II poker fer the fun o. the game
said old man Greenhut. IAN they
puts up a bluff about not RELY carin
whether they wins or loses, ony SOS
they has a good run for their money
Pears like there amt no limit to what a
man'll say when he sets out to talk fool
iSh."
Was you meanin' to say t there amt
no such folks as that?" asked Joe Bas-
sett.
He asked the question without heat or
haste, not as one seeking to provoke con-
troversy, but rather with the appearance
of desiring information; but the old man
did not seem to take it well.
He looked at the sheriff keenly for a
few moments before answering. and then
the veins in his temples began to swell
Choking a little as he spoke, he finally
blurted out:
mo. I want meanin' to say nothin'
Pears like the good Lord made folks in
Arkansas City SOS there amt no use
sayin things If you was to say EN-
there amt nobody as ID know you was
talkin, or If they heerd you they wouldn't
know what you meant. What l did say
as plain as a mules hoof, was t there
was folks as said what / said they said
What l was meanin' to say was some
,
the Lord give sense to them that heered
ii, to understand with Pears like there
was them in the community that was Off
on a vacation like when he was givin
out what sense there was portioned off for
Arkansas City"
Pretty Nearly Angry
By the time he had finished old man
Greenhut was pretty nearly angry; but
Joe Bassett sat smoking in silence, utter
~ unmoved, to all appearances, by the
others display of i'll temper, and waiting
for him to conclude. When silence came.
he spoke up in his turn.
Pears like you was tola' BILE het up
Greenhut. 'Taint no good gettfn' riled
AIS was goin' to remark was t know
quite a settlement O. people that was
troubled with that same complaint YOU
was speakin' about. Didn't make no diff
ference to 'em whether they won or lost
when they played poker. an there was
tolable stiff game goin most o. the
time
The old man leaned his elbows on the
bar and looked fiXedly at Bassett for a
long time. To all appearances he was
hesitating in his ehoise between throwing
bungstarter at this amazing liar and
ordering him off the premises. After
while he spoke. as if still IN doubt. but
there was a contemptueus sneer In his
manner when he said: quite a settle
ment O. these here sports, you was
saying"
Couple O. hundred maybe said Bas-
sett, imperturabiy.
Might ha' been settled conf ably in a
graveyard, l reckon, with about eleven
hundred o. good dressed stone on their
chests, chiseled out with lies about their
virtues whites they were ON airth.''
Were All Alive
Nope. They was all alive an right
peart''
We'll" said Greenhut, with a sigh,
there amt no use usin' strong language.
let alone there amt none strong enough.
Pears like it'd be tolable good thing
for some o. the talent that's hangin'
round here if you was to let On where
this settlement is
Up to the state bughouse at Little
Rock said Bassett, with grin. Pears
the superintendent had quite some trou-
BILE keepin' the lunatics quiet till he got
EN- all piayin' poker with stage money.
When they lose he gives 'em more. an
when. they win he takes care of It for
EN-. so they're all gettin' rich at no ex-
pense to nobody"
There was pause before the laushtsr