The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-21
TRIBE OF GREENHUT
L IS ~OVERREACHED
Pizen Riley Works His Gimlet Eye
to Arkansas City's
Confusion.

~ ~
.fter discharging cargo and landing a few
lassengers had one on up the river, loot
IL a loud farewell. as steamboats, do on
he Mississippi River.
For fully half an hour after her departure
Id man Greenhut sat in his saloon with
ne group OF his friends who were 10 be
ound there almost every evening and
waited patiently for something-just what
was did not appear. What little was said
rom time 10 time indicated nothing special.
nut there seemed to be a curious air OF ex-
,ectancy which was manifested though
lot expressed by all OF them.
Finally Jake Winterbottom said: Il
reckon Joe didn't come on that boat"
Hit sure is queer. " said old man Green
nut. I'D "a thunk Joe Bassett d "A came
acre straight. but there amt no tellin'
lou on rely on him every time, 'thouten
res drinked too much. an then you can't
rely on nothin'. He may be drinkin'.'
Il don't reckon replied Winterbottom.
Joe en- drink all night when he sets his
mind to II, but l never knowed him to turn
Iside fr nothin' when he gets after a man
ike he set out after Pizen Riley. More
like Riley heer'd he was comm an left
~yicksburs. II he did Joe's liable for to go
% New Orleans or further II there's any
way fr a man to 60 furtherer n that"
We'll. mebbe, mebbe." said old man
ireenhut, but then again faint like Joe
Tor to not get his man into the place where
10 goes for 20 get him. Pears like there's
moro into this n we uns rightly knows"
Just then the door opened and Sandy
Hooper came In. Sandy was a travelling
man who came often to Greenhut's for a
little game, but who refused OF principle
B o lose more than $50 at a sitting. Being
apersistcnt person, fully persuaded that he
could make up his losses in time, he had
fully established his footing as a welcome
visitor, and old man Greenhut and his
friends greeted him cordially.
The Good Book says as how a pitcher as
gets toted to the we'll too often ia liable
Tor to get broke" said he old man when
somebody asked him about Sandy Hooper
one day. "an' it's tol'able sure for TO be
thataway with a man as goes up ag'in a
scientific game o. poker regular; but this
here Hooper is tol'able good while he lasts.
Mebbe a hen thatn lay one egg a day is
be6ter'n one that'd lay a hull settin' TO
onoet an then quit
On this occasion. however. there was no
immediate thought Of poker. Did you
come on the Natchezp' asked the old man
as the liquid refreshment ordered by Hooper
was being enjoyed by the party.
Yep" said Sandy. Got aboard at
vicksburg."
See anything o. Joe Bassett on board?-
inquired Greenhut anxiously.
Not on board. l didn't; but ] seen him in
vicksburg. Looked a heap like there'd
=. thla-. /. IsI4;ns aarnA-k.~o, s-,n,l
there II he was TO find somebody he 'peared
to DO lookin' for. I'd "a stayed over a
boat to look on II I'd had time. Feared
like he was plumb r~edheaded. Teller d
been dodgin' Of him two days an two
nights. an Joe was nigh wore out, but
while We was talkin' 81 Peters come up
an told Joe he was over to Bud Mathers's
joint. an Joe loosened his two guns an
started over. There was consid'able shoot
in over thatawsy just as the boat pulled
out. but o. course we uns didn't know
nothin'. What took him to Vicksburg,
anyhow Bein' Sheriff in Arkansas don't
give him no pull outen the State"
That's right" said old man Greenhut.
AN I reckon nothin' but a sacred duty'd
take Joe Bassett outen Arkansas. not while
he's Sheriff. an that's as long as he's alive.
But me bein' Justice o. tn Peace issued a
warrant for Pizen Riley, alive or dead, TO
Be brung afore me fer trial. an I give it to
Joe to serve. o. course. Joe seen his duty.
an I reckon he's dom Of it. On'y thing I
go about II Z looks queer is him takin'
20 long. We was lookin' fer him back on
the Natchez sure. Pisen Riley must be
sure slick TO dodge Joe FIR two days an
nights, them bein' in the same town"
Whats this here Pisen Riley did?" de-
manded Sandy Hooper. Il never near tell
of him afore as nigh as l ON remember.
Pears like II must be somepin' serious"
q sh'd call IL Serious" said old man
Greenhut. Amy man as comes into Arkan-
sas City single handed an gathers up a
large wad o. local capital in chips. an has
'em cashed at the muzzle OF a six-shooter,
an leaves town hootin' his intentions o.
spreadin' reports injurious to tn reppyta-
ton Of Arkansas City-any man like that
amt safe to have goin' round. There
amt no c'rnunity safe while he's alive"
Il reckon. said Sandy Hooper derisively.
sas how II you was to turn oyer an lay on
the other side q spell mebbe you mought
dream some din'rent. I amt no Arkansas
City man myself. but ! been here enough
10 AuOw y uO tuuh hIh U lldDlc let 10 uO All
that-not an leave town. What's the good
o. tryin' to kid me7 Get down to cases"
Right you are. in a way" said old mar
Greenhut. not i'll pleased at the others
indirect compliment TO the community.
There amt no man dom no such stunts
Is he lone IN walkin' away alive. not il
he's just on'y a man an not nothin' more.
But this here Pizen Riley he sure is somepin'
more"
Whatever mean?' asked Hooper.
Il dunno" said the old man frankly.
The niggers tell 7 his mother was a
voodoo priestess an his father was somepin
o. the nature Of a rattlesnake. put l don't
take no stock in that. All q l know is t
he lost his right eye when he were a young
ster long O. some %scuffie. n his left eye is
a gimblet. When he looks at you IL bores
in an you kind O. wiggle like. Pears they
s.ow him tol'able vail up in the Ozarks.
an there won't nobody up there play poker
with him no more.
'Bein' as he couldn't make a Twin round
home ne took 10 travellin' the river a year
or 30 gone. an we uns d been a-hearin'
of him considerable count o. tn wonderful
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