The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31

began. 1t seemed incredible that any
BODY should jest at the old mans expense
when he was present, and the little group
IN the barroom found it hard to realize
that even Bassett had shown such hardi-
hood. Then Jake Winterbottom said:
The drinks is on you, reckon. Green
hut, and amid general hilarity the old
man acknowledged that they WERE
Basset himself was so elated at his
verbal triumph that he essayed further
remark after the drinks had been comfort
ably disposed of. There was Teller 1
knowed up to st. Francis he began, but
Greenhut stopped him firmly
There amt no greet popular demand"
he said, for information about yaps I'm
up St Francis way, whether they come
I'm the bughouse or whether they're on
| their way there. 'Taint no ways likely.
Joe Bassett, as how you're goin' to strike
twelve again this night. Pears like you'd
better stand pat. Your hands little too
good to draw to-"
Bassett Iapsed into Silence
Bassett lapsed into silence, and old man
Greenhut looked anXiousfy around as n
to form judgment in regard to his having
reinstated himself as Sir Oracle His
scrutiny seemed to satisfy him. for he
smiled small smile, picked out cigar,
lighted 1t, and walked around to his fay-
orite seat by the window
Putting his feet carefully on the sill he
pulled till he had the cigar well aIight.
and then said, slowly: 81 en- call to mind
one game o poker t was played up to
Little Rock some years ago. t were
good deal like what we was talkin' about
There was a man FIN Tompkins in the
game t lost some'at more'n 81 200, m
quit the game like he were gettin' I'D I'm
a possum supper, havin' eat all he cd
hold.
His name was Haskins. an he hadn't
never been to Little Rock afore, IS fur's
know, but I'd heerd lot about him.
I'm some o the other Tompkins folks
"hlie he was knockin' about town for
week Or so afore he set into that game
Feared as how there were some cues
ton o public buildin's in the town o.
Tompkins. what was dividin' the COM
munity all up. Some said there want no
use IN spendin money for new buildin's.
beins as how the old ones hadn't fell. but
others said there'd ought to be state
money appropriated by the legislator:
an Haskins was one O. the last Feared
ne We're contractor t d likely get some
o the money if there was any appro-
priated.
Nothing to Say
He didn't have nothin' to say. though.
while there WAS talk goin ON. lust SET
round an listened. An when there was
feiler named Eaton 'lected to the legfs-
iatur t everybody knowed was ag' In the
paiiain's. Haskins he kept ON sayin' moth
In an Just settin' round.
when Eaton went away to Little Rock
an the folks was kind o. settiin' down to
the notion o waitin' another year or two
or more. Haskins sort O. woke up. an kind
circ lated round among a few t he
Knewed t was likely to be interested. an.
give EN- game ~ IA liz
One OF seIn told me about It. Pears he
SAID: It's up to somebody to go to Little
Rock an try what moral suasfon'r do on
the legislatur'- These is times when
man ike Eaton had ought for to be argued
with, an there Is arguments as can be
used. amt goin' to put morn four
hundred into it myself he says, but
there'd ought to be foteen hundred on a
good commission basis
wen. they was tol'able shrewd business
men In Tompkins. an 'twa mt long afore
the fo'teen hundred was riz. an Haslkins
he come to Little Rock to see what he
cd find TO do with It.
Eaton an him met up. long toward
evenfn. n 49, aev he come. an, they do