The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-20
SANDY BEND JUSTICE.
Judge Hoke Holds Full House
Hand.

I'm opening this yere court this
mornin' with sorrer in my breast" be-
gan Judge Hoke, of Sandy Bend, as
the Cinnamon and dogs were turned
out and the spectators ordered to UNI
cover their heads. "A game of poker
has always been considered a sacred
thing in Sandy Bend. Men who have
been swindled in a hoss-trade, had
claim jumped or been held UP on the
trail have sought justice, but until to-
day the critter who has lost a poker pot
while holding four jacks in his hand
hasn't had a word to say.
over thar by the stove sits Joe Al
len. who is sometimes called COmanche
Joe. He is so called bekase he never
saw a COmanche, living or dead, in his
life. over thar by the Winder sits Bill
Bowers, who is sometimes called Orphan
Bill. He is so called bekase a prairie
fire roasted his mother and q cloudburst
drowned his old dad.
1.-The pair of 'em happened to meet
in the Bald Eagle saloon yesterday, and
when COmanche Joe proposed a two
handed game of poker Orphan Bill
Winked at himself and agreed They
sat down and went at it, and for about
an hour their losses and winnings was
about an even thing. They knowed
each other 10 be full Of tricks, and each
was on the watch.
"Bimeby, when the deal had gone
around five or six times and thar was
$40 IN the pot Comanche Joe turns his
head to spit over his shoulder. Orphan
Bill had been watching for jest that
opportunity, and he does some sleight
of hand work. Then he turns his head,
innOcent-like, to look at a dog, and Joe
has his chance. From that time on
both of EN- felt that Providence was
on his side They goes to looking at
each other as guileless as two children.
and calling each other Mr.. Allen and
Mr. Bowers. Comanche Joe would bow
and smile and say:
Mr.. Bowers. 1 don't want to seem
too conspicuous in this matter. but
must see your bet and go you 81 better
Pardon me If I seem too fresh
Then Orphan Bill would grin and
scrape his feet on the floor and reply:
Pardon is granted, Mr.. Allen, and
7 hope you won't hold it up again me
that I raise you IS on this hand o.
mine. I'm not much of a poker player,
but it seems to be with it,
That's the way the critters toyed
with each other for ten or fifteen min
utes and then, when thar was an even
hundred dollars in cash in the pot and
they had put up their guns and cayuses
as well, Comanche Joe smilingly called
Orphan Bits hand. He called 1t sniI-
ingly bekase he had four jacks in his
own hand, and bekase four jacks is good
'num most any day to rake in all the
cattle on the pastures of Wyoming
Orphan Bill was thar. He was also
smiling. He was smiling bekase he had
four aces, and bekase four aces is a
good huff hand to rake in everything
west of the Mississippi and a part of
the Pacific ocean besides. Tt was dra-
matte moment when the showdown oc-
Cured and it would have been with
$50 OF any mans money to have seen
that grin on Comanche Bil's mug grad
ually fade away into a lump of putty
His mouth opened, his eyes hung out,
and he sat thar like a man Of stone,
while the orphan gathered up the plum
der and walked off.
What would this yere court have
done under the circumstances? What
would the rest of you. including them
two Cinnamon who have sneaked back
In have done? Why, he'd have got
up and taken a walk into the hills and
kicked ourselves all over an acre of
ground and kept our mouths shet to
our feller-men. We had gone out to
shear and been shorn, and you bet we
wouldn't have let on a word about the
loss Of the wool
What was the course pursued by the
Hon. Joseph Allen. as may call him
Was it our course? MOI Far from 1t.
He goes out and wanders around for
a spell to recover from the Jar, and
loon and says:
&c ledge, I want 5estice I've been
robbed out of hand by that villain,
Orphan Bill.
How was it2' says I.
In game Of poker. The blasted
robber stole two aces out Of the mack