The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-05-10

suspicion what siren th - SlNtt talrt h' =
reely sot. said old man G%feeuhut ia2s4ns
out az the window AT MS time honofsd
friend, who was walking up the stree.
With Joe Bassett ius satr Was almost
arectouatt. and there WAS 4 riie OF at
solate sincer!ty IN hts voice as he eeii-
tlnucl;
sra . heap truther burst Il hcs q liqnoi
nor to have nuNthln' ser'ous happen 80
Jake on thls !iitle 'Neutsion o. hisa. but
the fact q Joe Blssctt tceltn' u good bit
like / do in the matter pears 10 be a tol
able safeguard ag'ln misfortune for to see
fair play"
The old man said no more ;ill the Two
men had disappeared from his sight Then
he rambled along remtulscently
"Anybody I was for 10 see Jake strad-
din up the street now, with a sim horn %
whlskey into him an two gums in his pock-
ct. lookin for a man I called him a liar. or
somepin.' wouldn't never think o him be
in the timid. delicate nt,le s%plndlin' lad |
en- remenl Der o. him bein', when | tirst
lknowed him.
Didn't seem like Jake had a fair show
I'm the first. bein' his old man went away
atween shutdown an sunnp an want
never seen round home
Pears ther'd been a boss missin' an some
O. the neighbors kind o. s'p!cioned t he
mought know where twas, so they called
round an got him out In the night. for
to go an look for t. 1 never herd o tn
boss bein' found. but there was a man dis.
kivered up T. tree some later t Mad on a
yaller shirt like Jake's dad useter wear.
There VAN no evidence o. who twas, an
the family lowed they'd ruther give 1t
out t he'd Went away an was TO be looked
for to come back.
Il was mentionIn' t a was a peaked
little Teller. them times. He were the old
est o seven. an tn hull seven VAN big
e,,N,rh e. .un Lt. Lake 1irlnl IN failar
twict his size t called his old man a boss
thief. an he got the respect O tn COM
nunity I'm that time on. Feared like he
couldn't do nothin' with the family,
though. They died off one at a time till
he were all alone at Is with nothin' but
ground.
Jake didn't say much. 'Twa'n't never
his way, but after the last funeral he sot
fire to the cabin and disappeared from the
settlement his own self.
CLAY county van much of a place
them days, FIR nothin' spo'ty. o. course,
there was boss racin' an cock hghtin'. an
some poker, but p%oppy!ation was some
skurce. Then Jake was undeniably one o
the po' whites. an hadn't no show with
gentlemen, but he'd picked up some poker
somehow, an what he knowed about
that was his hull capital when he left
home.
L never seen Jdke AGAIN, L SOIIlepll
like twenty year. but I'd heer'd of him FIN
time to time. Pears him an Caleb Mix
got some acquainted. long o. Gale 'tendin
bar on the boats, an Jake travelin' the
river considerable. Then hen 1 took to the
river, like 1 did fr a spell, l run the bar on
the old Belle O. the Bayous, t run I'm
New Orleans TO Memphis.
First man I seen playin' cards on the
first trip I made on her was Jake. Not
that 1 knowcd him. FIR I didn't till after,
but I took notice o. what he did, seem he
did 1t neat. an didn't make no fuss about
1t.
He was playin' n $500 freezout with a
planter t was on his way to New Orleans
to blow in his years crop money, an
couldn't wait till he got there. They was
playin' straight poker. o. course. draw not
bein' knowed them days, an four aces
bein' high hand. count @ the straight
flush not bein' invented.
II was strollin' round the boat, kind o.
gettin' acquainted. when 1 como on the
two of EN- playin' in the saloon, an I
looks on. Pears I come along just at the
finish, fr 1 seen the planter shove his
pile in the pot. an Jake called, takin' toll
able nigh all o his pile to do 1t.
"Well, the planter he showed down a
king full, but Jake had a ace full. an o
course he scooped the pot. The planter he
didn't say nothin' FIR a minute. but he
looked at the cards close. an then he
leaned over an picked up one O. the aces.
That cards Marked he says quiet. show
In a least little bend on the corner.
Jake looked at 1t, tol'able curious, FIR
q minute, an he says. Well. I reckon you
mought call it marked If you was extry
p'tickler. Looks to me, though. like it was
Just used some. like cards is when you
plays with EN-
Then the planter says. You was deal
In an Jake says, as quick as him., Il
.,,-. -,,. yNhot dr. n Ypokn ~ fhafC'
"'Nothin' much says the planter. 'on'y
I reckon you know'd what card that was
afore you dealt it,
III reached for his gun while he was
/ talkin', an 4 reckon II Jake d been packin'
his guns in his breeches pockets, like is
customary, he mought h'a' got the worst
of it. But he 'peared to set still. on'y just
liftin' his hand, an / seen he'd pulled a
derringer firm out his vest pocket. Afore
the planter could get his hand round he
was lookin' into a ugly lookin' muzzle.
H stopped sudden. O. course. Then
Jake says, Drop your gun. an he dropped
it, all right. an Jake says: You was max
in some remark about my dealin', but i
reckon you must "a made a mistake An
the planter says, prompt: 4 sure did make
a mistake. The deal was all right He
want no fool, that planter, If he was some
hasty.
Jake says. very polite, I'm right glad to
hear you say it, Then he turned to me.
an he says, You pick up the gentleman's
gun, an give 1t to him. some later An
he stuffs his winnin's in his pocket an
goes off to bed.
Next mornin' i gets acquainted with
him over the bar, an learnin' who he is I
keeps my eye or him f'r some years. Then
when / settled in Arkansas City here, i
seen what a useful citizen Jake d be, an
l gets him to settle here, too.
'Touchin' this little difficulty he's gone
out to settle with that Vicksburg gazabo
t was playin' here last night faint likely
there'll be no greet trouble. l en- see Jake
an Joe Bassett an the Vicksburg yap
comm down the street now. They m
headed this way, an pear to be friendly
enough. Likely Jake's convinced him he
was mistook. too"
The three men entered and. marching
solemnly to the bar, placed their elbows
on 1T. Then Winterbottom, with a gesture
that included all the others in the room,
said: Lets liquor
After everybody had finished. Sam Pear
sail said. with a spice of mischief in his
tone. IT herd we went gunnin' this even,
in Jake. Dye get yer game?"
Must "a been some mistake said
x3-torhottnr, oroyo11, stNfo ~, J,a 80.