The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-03
LIS LIFE SAVED BY
II THE OLD Nan
Hop HornadaY's Next of kin
Sought $500 Left In
Arkansas City.

sThey tell mo-" said a large man. as he
-,rode into a certain well known saloon In
Arkansas City, -as how there's an old man
hereabouts by the name o. Greenhut
what's considerable ~iser'n seven men ON
render a reason
As he spoke he walked toward the bar.
When he had finished ne leaned q elbow
defantly on the bar. and standing at ease,
Looked around with a ~Oock-a-hOOp air
evidently meant TO he offensive.
Apparently TO his surprise no n paid
any attention whatever 10 him or to his
u~tteranCe. One or two Of the men who
we're seated around the room looked at him
indiTerentIy for a moment, but they all
uent on placidly consuming their tobacco,
each in his own fashion and in silence.
Presently the silence was broken
"Ny old woman" said Sam Pearsall,
chickens, hut even she lows Z ~Simpkins's
hens laws more eggs n hern does.
@Pn bet a mule, said Jake Winterbottom,
-ss there amt nary n o. them hens cackies
as much about il AZ Simpkins does.
MOST gently tits that way, SAID o
Rassett. Them that does the most least
has the most to say And he glanced IN
curiously at the stranger.
Hear about Simpkins's dog!| asked
Jim Blaisdell, and . without waiting Tor
an answer, he continued: -Barked 30 hard
ne swaIlered his tail an choked hisselt to
death. 30 t Simpidns had to shoot him.
What the dew" began the stranger,
but Greenhut himself interrupted,
lis that Simpkins Z lives back IN tn
woods nigh about two miles Outen town.
some TO the no'thardl" no asked.
Same man." said Pearsal.
Il heerd III were some p'cooliar." said
the old man. One time ne were settln
outin front of his house. they say. N a man
rode up on a mule an says, Simpkins
live herer he says.
aAn' Simpkins KEEP on eatin' his tobacco.
quiet like, 'pearin' to not hear nothin. So
the man on the mule. he says again. S'mp-
kins live here?'
Then Simpkins got up an swatted him
ono with a club. SOS Z the man fell OMEN the
mule, an then he siCked his dog onto him.
Likely twas the same dog. afore he swal-
swat did he what him SOrP Imean what
did he wat him fOrG' sMr. Owen
Pepper. i~nnocently.
II reckon il must "a been count o. not
hAvin' time enough 20 cut him in two with
a knife, said the old man, graveIy. MI
@Simpkins's mule, began Him biale-
dell. but the stranger smOte the bar heavily
with his mighty fist.
Give us a drink" he said. and slapped
gold half eagle down.
When hat drink had been finished in
solemn ceremony he said, Civ us an
other and when they were all midway in
the enjoyment OF that he said:
Il hain't came all the way to Arkansas
City for TO hear about no Simpkins, nor
about none o. Simpkins's livestock. Im
comm 10 see Simpkins next trip.
But i heerd tell up the river 1bOuten
q gentleman name o Greenhut, was
some interested into a game o draw poker,
helm as there was some toliable good players
sets in. now an again. into his back room.
Be you the gentleman. sir?'
MY name sure IN Greenhut.' said the old
man. g~raciously, AN some o the boys
does play in the back room. 'casiOnaIly.
Poker OF seven-up. l couldn't say. But
who was tellin' you about mop
Hop Hornaday, that lame chap. I'm up
the st. Francis replied the large man.
sL~eastways he was lame when he was here.
He's dead now. Pears I'm what he told
me. afore he cashed in. as how he was on
sid'able mistreated here. one time when he
stopped OF for to sample the game -
~Was you meanin' that word mistreated,
In a fightin' way2" asked Bassett. mildly.
well. no. said the large man. Least
WAYS / can't say nothin'. Hop says to me,
Z kur's he cd take his oath there want
nothin' into tho game Z was noways out q
the way at all.
-On'y, he VA 'peared like IT. didn't
make no difference what he held. there was
s a pirate siw with cray IL yd EnIske nsm Selq no over SSm ni%
an o. oo'se ] don't know who twas.
Likewise | can't call him a pirate. Hop
did. but Hops dead.
ME. bein' a cousin o. Hops, name a.
Buck Hornaday. an his next o. kin, come
in f'r all Z he left. an bein' as | think a heap
n the po' little chap, an was more or less
habbergasted when / come to reckon up
how little he'd left, l reckoned I'd come
down here my own self, an kind o. gather
I'D that fifteen hundred he left layin' round
in this here back room"
Having concluded this statement MIR.
Buck Hornaday turned his back to the bar
and placed both elbows on it. Leaning
hack mus he looked around calmly to see
what effect his words might have.
Somewhat to his surprise again there was
no anger WINGED. For a few moments no
one spoke. Then WinterbOttom, whose
beard was streaked with gray. said:
This here yarn o yours about Hop Horn
aday sure is some interestin'. / mind a
lame man Z come in here last winter, lookin'
fr easy money, went away 'thouten IL.
Pears like / outheld him n couple o.
times. but there want no mention o. pirates
and similar. There want no pirates into the
game, fr as l en- mind Mebbe you've
got further p'tic'lars.'
Sorry I hain't," said the large man. -If
Hop was here he mought identify the rob-
her, but, o. course. l can't. Anybody
mought have gray in his whiskers.'
-Jusso." said Winterbottom gently, FAN
bein' as I can't fix no quarrel onto a dead
man, an there amt no Kin o his'n fr to take
II up fr him. l reckon there won't be no
shootin' did here.
But concernin' that there fifteen hundred
Z YOU was tellin' about. was you thinkin'
q lookin' for il in the back room? II you
was. I mought help you ook
Fifteen hundred'd come in handy this
fall hain't laid in my tobacco fr the win
ter. not yet"
Il reckon If there's any chance o pickin'
I'D respectable money. Like fifteen hundred
sure is" said Sam Pearsall. there ii be some
more on US lookin' for it."
4 reckon there amt no way o me- eepin'
ANYBODY Outen the game" said the large
man. but l sure did come lookin r. that
money, an I don't mind sayin' I'm hell bent
on gettin' il.
AN I mOught say afore settin In as how
I'm reckOned the quickest man In the hull
Ozarks fr spottin' a crooked play. an I'm
wus-'n wild cats when | spot it."
i reckon we don't need no more'n four
into this game. said Joe Bassett. -I'm
settin' in fr 10 keep the peace. l haint
gathered in TO 0zsrk outlaws fr more'n
a month. an I'm some rusty.
Was your sins p'perin' fr a game o
draw poker or a gun play2" asked old man
Greenhut pleasantly al on'y asst he con-
tinued. SOS to know whether TO sell chips
or cartridges. an o. course it's understood
" tie gun play it'll have to be out on the
levee ShoOtin's agin the house rules"
Well. l don't mind sayin' oncet more
said Buck Hornaday. "as how I've came