The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-09

Of strife. The cards ran well, too, and
there we're excuses for large bets.
No limit had been spoken of and none
was observed. Each man had a well filled
wallet and there was u fortune on the table
before they finished.
Caleb Mi; wa the bartender OF the boat
and as he waited on the players from time
to time he saw much Of the game. What
he said afterward was:
90 course, / don't p'tend to say them
two was pals. Mebbe they want. But
what I do say is il they was pals they'd "a
sure played a heap like they did.
First of, Matthews d run up agin
Wharton with a tol'able good hand, an the
like Matthews was gettin' a little weak. an
then he'd hist it a hundred or 80, an Mat
thews ID lay down an Wharton d p'tend
TO lose courage an he'd pass.
"Or mebbe Wharton d stay along while
the one eyed man was havin' a argument
with Roberts or Gwaltney, an he'd scoop
the pot when it looked like the others had
gone az fur as they dast. An then there
was hands dealt what ouldn he looked
for I'm no reel respectable deck, an either
Wharton or the one eyed man d most gently
hold 'em.
Anyway. they played till all hours. an
Matthews an Roberts said they was goin'
to bed. They all made il up, though, 10
play again next day, an | reckon likely
they would, on'y sometime in the night
lnt one PNFNl man itll Nllt Dbdl, dl MN
havin' the most o. the money nobody
didn't pear TO have no heart about settin'
in again. watched Wharton tol'able close
that day. an while he didn't say nothin' il
looked TO me like there'd be trouble IL them
two was 70 meet unexpected sometime.
Whether this game and its sequel caused
the feud, or whether the girl story was
true. there was no doubt Of the feud being
a fact There were some people who said
that there had been a fight in the pas;
and that Wharton had put one OF the other
mans eyes Out, but Caleb Mix's story 81
the game on the Creole Belle seemed to
disprove that. The two would hardly be
pals after such a fight as should blind u
Of them in one eye.
All hat the river men knew positively
if they should meet. They had sent each
other word 10 that effect. and so much of
the story was known to every sport on the
river.
II had been discussed frequently ia old
man Greenhut's saloon in Arkansas City,
where jim Wharton was well known as a
former citizen Of the town who had become
rich and respected since he left the place
and took 10 playing on the boats.
No mention Of the feud, however, was
made when he stepped into the saloon
one night and, greeting his old friends
pleasantly. invited them all to drink.
He was we'll liked in Arkansas City. aside
from the fact that he was. as just said,
respected for his success in his profession.
So there was ne demur to a general accept
ance Of his invitation, and when he pro-
posed a game Of draw the local talent felt
assured there would be no child's play
about il.
There was no thought of backing out.
however, and Jake Winterbottom, Joe
Bassett, Sam Pearsall and Pete Kenney
speedily made up a five handed game
for his accommodation, dim Blaisdell was
there and would have played. but when he
proposed il Wharton said:
Il amt a-barrin' you out, Jim, but you
sure do destroy confidence in human natur'
when you deal, leastways you did useter.