The sun., 1908-12-27
I'm WINNING AT
" DRAW POKER
The Arkansas City Circle Diaeusses
Charms, Sknl In Dealing and
Other Factors.

lheIe "ehy thinBb nappenb II
pIayin poker said old man Greenhut
what goes 10 show how q man is blam,
sight better on to put his trust in Provi
dence nor he is fNf to -fhink he's the hui
works his own self.
Take that there winnin' Z Pete Ken
ney made outen tn on'y royal flush 't'I
been held Legitimate In Arkansas CltJ
fr matter O. twenty years or more
'Taint noways likely Y he'd "a did nigf
90 we'll II he'd "a been one o. them players
what 70 ces their luck holdin' cards uI
their sleeves as he done pluggin' along
patient till such time a. tn good Lord
seen it was proper an fittin' f'r him to
hold that royal
"Oh, don't know said Mr.. Owen
Pepper. Il amt sayin' nothin' aR'ir
Providence as a gen'l proposition, but
cordin' to what been told about that
hand o Kenney's pears like he KEEP
hisself tol'able nigh dead broke fr some
years al'ays pullin' f'r e royal an no,
considerin' nothin' lees n that wuth
playin'.
90 course he win out in the end, but
reckon 1t must "a been more or less
accidental seein' as how there aim;
much dependence TO be put on Provi.
dence in the way o. film that kind o. a
hand o. course tie Allied sometimes
but more often 'tain't.
Looks to me like It mought be well
enough fr to look to Providence, as you
say, but it's helluva lot better rr to
plug the game y'r own self when It comea
TO flln' hand. I notice Jim Blaisdell
is some good player when 1t comes to
havin' the cards drop where he wants
EN- TO, but hain't never give Jim credit
rr settin' round waitin' f'r Providence
to send him any p'tic'lar card he may
happen to need"
1t was not often that Mr.. Pepper said
90 much as this at one time in old man
Greenhut's saloon, one reason being that
the quality Of his remarks was usually
such as TO- move his hearers TO interrupt
ton, often OF q violent sort. This time,
however, the boldness. not to say the ir-
religious, character Of his challenge
Of the old mans statement seemed to
compel attention.
Even old man Greenhut himself, though
be looked thoughtfully at his bungstafter
for moment, sat as If stunned. offering
no reply. and the others stopped smoking
while they gazed at the irrepressible Mr..
Pepper in surprise. Presently Joe Bas-
sett said. with half laugh:
Il reckon les up to you, Blaisdell.
FIN what ON understand this here
zap I'm Tennessee, pears to have the
idee t you'm bit more skilful nor the
rites O. draw poker calls for
Blaisdell knocked the ashes from his
pipe and put 1t in his pocket. Then. pro-
ducing a plug Of tobacco from another
pock ct, he bit OF a corner and began eat
ing it with ev ident satisfaction. e
-Speakin' o. dogs he said after n CON-
siderable pause. "there's a niger lives
up in the woods a mile or two to the
no tn ard O. town what's got a bulldog
what's consid' able p p'cooliar, f'r a bulldog.
He amt mite quar'lsome.
AIRY one o. the pups on the place en-
humble his ears r even steal his victuals.
an he won't growl. Pears like he hain't
got no use f'r nothin' In a fghtin' way
thouten it's full sized dog
Again there was period of silence.
while each man in the room paid strict
attention to his tobacco. There seemed
TO be general impression that Mr.. Pepper
vas about to speak ant disposition to
sllow him to do 30 without interferenoe.
That gentleman, however. had no appar-
ent interest in anything but his pipe for
aonne minutes.
Then he said: Queer how some'll put
faith in Providence an things when they
plays poker. There useter be q school,
teacher up in TIL Cumberland Mountains
what had that trouble tol'abie severe.
| never heer'd him say nothin' about
Providence, but he had q niger baby's
thumb t he useter carry into q hogs
bladder hung round his neck what
voodoo priest give him, he said. He
sure did get away with the chips when
be set in.
Feared like he couldn't never lose.
There was sone said his own thumb was
moro use to him nor the voodoo charm
was. bein as the boys want none on EN-
slick dealers up In them parts. an they
just pachuliy mistrukted him count o.
him a'ays winnin. but reckon 4 he'd
4 been crooked he'd "a played nore'n
ne did.
Might "a been Just practisin' up
country, though. heer'd he took to
the river boats later on
You sure do make q man think o. the |
sloshin' O. water when you talk. Pepper
said old man Greenhut. Il reckon them |
voodoo charms is some powerful f'r some |
purposes. but / hain't never heer'd o.
one t d work into poker game
Amt sayin' 1t did, said Mr.. Pepper,
shortly. "Al's said vast he sl'ays win
when he played
There mought be somepin' into it,
said Jake Winterbottom. whose early
days had been spent In Louisiana. ANY
ways, | amt hankerin' to play poker
With no man vino carries q genooine
voodoo charm
i wouldn't mind,' said Blaisdell. Il
reckon 'tain't worse a a gun
oh, don't know" said Mr.. Pepper.
They say the reel voodoo's tol'able dan
serous.
'aebbe you mought get ohanst o.