The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26
HuMHLlNG
! OF A GAMBLER
Providence Finds = Modest InstrY-
mcnt to Down
Bashiotd.

leyse at Arkansas City seemed TO betoken
q peaceful evening.
Suddenly the door Of old man Greenhut's
saloon few open violently and a small
but remarkably active procession issued
through the portal. Tho first figure was
that Of q middle aged man. Had he been
standing shIl no one would have suspected
him Of being feet Of foot. but a. he came
from the door he displayed fairly wonder
full speed.
The rest Of the procession consisted Of an
elderly man. stout but vigorous. swinging
a bungstarter In one hand and exert1ng
himself to the utmost 10 get within reach
OF the man who came first. Following. and
pausing then to enjoy a ~leisurely view OF
the proceedings, came Q small group OF the
~frsquenters OF the place.
The pageant ceased 70 be a procession
after about q hundred yards had been
covered from the starting point. Old mai
q~reenhut-for IL was he who carried the
Observation-Disclosures promptly that he
was losing ground. and pulling himself
up short he took careful aim and hurled
his Weapon at his fleeing foe.
II struck the mark fairly, catching the
fugitive between the shoulders With a
blow that would have disabled him had he
been standing still. AZ 1t was the blow
was comparatively light, 1t knocked him
down. but he was on his feet again In q
moment and continued on apparently
unhurt.
Serves me right, l reckon grumbled
old mar Greenhut after he had recovered
his breath and had made his way back 10
his saloon. SERVES me right fr iettin'
@ rap like that oone into the place an git
away with four drinks afore payin'. There
amt no doubt, though, but he'll get come
up with
The old man sighed as he put away his
b%ungstarter In its usual place. Then open
ing a fresh box OF cigars he picked out a
choice black one. and lighting It carefully
walked around TO his favorite seat by the
window. Putting his feet on the gill he
smoked In silence 90 long that the others
thought he had forgotten his recent foot
ACE. Presently, however, he said:
THAT same yap Z rent out o. here q spell
ago we're once the unworthy instrument O.
Providence In hu-n!l attn one O. the most
pestiferous two legged skunks 7 ever dis
turbed the peSoe in Arkansas.
Like enough I wouldn't a. stood for
him. not for q minute, Z I'd remembered
who he was. but it's on'y just come to me I
he's the same Teller 7 used to hang round
the s'loons In Little Rock doin' odd jobs r.
drinks. but never buyin',
This here Sim Titherington. az he calls
hisself. sure does pint . moral I'm the way
he brunE Hosee Bashford to grief. An
there want no credit comm to him fr
dom II at that. just dumb headed blundef-
in like you'd look for I'm cattle like him.
This here Hosee Bashford was a cross
roads gambler Z went up m down the hull
State Z Arkansas. He was q tall, fine lookin'
Teller 7 made q bluff at bein' a fighter, seein'
he come I'm the 0zarks, but l never herd
o. him dom no real fghtin'. Pears his
talents was In the way o. slipping outen
a scrap thouten gettin' hurt his " self.
As fr hurtin' 'tothsr man. want.
HE was q poker player. and Q slick one.
They said there want no better In the State
them days, IN that was nigh fifteen year
ago. Anyways, he made money constant,
an there wa them looked up TO him conse-
quent, but there was stories goin', too, an
'oordin' TO what wa said. 'peared he hadn't
no moral character.
"onea almighty ugly yarn Iheerd FIN q Teller
t claimed to come I'm the same parts this
here Bashford did. Pears him an some
other Teller Z was monstrons handy with
the cards made II up 10 play pals. 'Tother
wa q p'fessional, too, but one o the
better sort. an stood by his pals. An bein'
straight hisself, he trusted Bashford,
They done tol'able good fr u spell, an
used fr to take trips on the st. Francis an
through the country. skinnin' the yaps
amazin,' bein' as they knowed each others
game an had signals beAides They got
into a big game one night, though, an made
IL up fr Bashford 10 win an f'r 'tother Teller
TO plug his game, maxim out, O. ooruSe, Z
they was strangers. 1t worked all right, an
Bashford quit the game with nigh two thou
sand velvet. 'tother Teller goin' broke at the
table. Then Bashford. gin him the slip as
they wa goin' to their room N gettin' a.
hoesback, rode fr his life across country
with all the wad.
when I heer'd this yarn I says TO the
Teller Z told me how twas his business 10
warn the c'munity asin Bashford. He
amt got no moral character says. an II
he amt found out he'll do damage 70 the
respiration Of Little Rock o
But this Teller wouldn't listen. Said
he want huntin' fr trouble with Bash
ford. am 'twa'n't NONE O. his business, no
how. Then, when ! put II 70 him stronger
he wanted me to tell, but told him that
was different. / didn't play myeelf. an
besides I didn't know nothin' morn what
he'd told.
After that I herd considerable more O.
the same sort. q longs Bashford stayed
In Little Rock. n that was TT @ spell
Feared he'd throwed two or three side
partners the same way. Didn't pear TO
reco'nize no difference tween bis pal an q
sucker when 1t come to gettin' away with q
wad.
You'd "a thought he'd a been killed
but he had q real talent fr gettin' away
'thouten a fight. But there want no.
body In Little Rock, q fur o know
cared to take Il up f'r them t he'd did up,
but I took notice there want none o the
sports there t 'peared to care about cotton
In 10 him fr q sidepartner.
$50 IL vent along fr quite some. There
was a heap o. poker played In Little Rock
that winter, count o. the Legislator bein
in session, an Bashford, havin' money an
hahn slIok an mood lookin', got considerable