The sun., 1908-06-21
A BETTER GAME
n THAN DRAW POKER,
Shown by Stranger From Yarvard
to the Astonished Citizens
of Arkansas City.

There was yap I'm somehes UP Moth,
onto the boat was on. I'm Memphis to
Helena" observed Mr. Owen Pepper. what
reckoned as draw poker was a sort Of
old fashioned game. Said II a man was
RELY intelli.antlike an was tryin' for to
keep up witt the tines he'd take up with
somepin new Said there was game
they called bridge they was playin' among
intelectuals like him. what had poker beat
to frazzle.'
Didn't tell what sort of game this
draw bridge was. reckon" said old man
Greenhut sarcastically. "Likelyfhe hadn't
never saw poker played.
There is some rs that ignorant. Beats
all what fool notions them pirates gets.
The Good Book tells how King Pharoah
was that stuck up THE had a new game
made an called by bis own name, just
cause he done win to!'able nigh all tn
Israetes had playin' poker. an thought
he cd improvetthe breed O. game there was
in Egypt. But what did Moses dof'
The old man paused and looked around
tfiumphantly, Nobody ventured a reply.
SO he answered his own question.
"He says to hisself. What's the good o.
stayin' in place where the heathen rage
an these here king people imagine vain
thingsT So he passed the word an tn
Israeltes looted the c'munity an went
out in the wilderness, where there wa'n't
no such prejudice ag'in poker. An I'm
that day to this draw poker has been the
one game the Lords chosen sure does
play skilful.
Comm back to this here buccaneer
you was tellin' about, did he p'tend to
gay he knowed what draw poker was when
he was shootin' of his mouth. like you
tell about?'
Sure, he did, said Mr.. Pepper He
let on as he was the champeen poker player
up to Yarvard College. where he went to
school.
Pears there was q powerful slue o.
rich young fellers at school when he was
an he skun 'em all to the bone He lowed
he knowed all there was to it an he said
that was why he took up with bridge. bein'
as there want nothin' mo- f'r him to find
out about poker. Said he was one t was
aays a-strivin' fer to improve hisself"
-Mebbe il he was to turn over on the
other side he'd dream some diff'rent,' said
old man Greenhut drily. But IL he's reely
lookin' for to learn things about poker
he'd oughter keep on playin'it.
Them that gets 1t into their heads as
they knows IL all is sometimes the ones t
sees great white light some sudden.
en- call to mind Englishman t come here
some years ago what was somepin' like
that in his experience.
Pears he was one O. them lord fellers.
| disremember his last name. but II was
Lord Somepin'. He was travelln' with
keeper an they said his keeper had to shave
him, bein' a. they didn't dast to trust him
with nothin' else but money. He sure did
have money to feed cattle with.
There was right smart O. prosperity
round Arkansas City f'r q spell a'ter he
dono showed us how they played poker
in England. Mebbe this here Yarvard
sohoolboy cd be persuaded to come an
show US what he's done learned about poker
afore he tookt up with draw bridge.
More n likely. though, he's one O. these
here mouth players what sets round Cd
tells how things had ought fer to be did.
but fourAushes when it comes to doin'
Of en-
"Oh, I don't know, said Mr.. Owen Pepper
in his own peculiarly exasperating drawl.
"Thore was couple O. pirates"
Now looka hers, Pepper interrupted
old man Greenhut. @You needn't be 90
dodgasted p'tioklar about tellin' US what
you dent know. We all know you don't.
"B'sides, il You get started on that you
won't never get through; S'posin you ten
minute, an besides that it'd be interestin',
just f'r change
-Oh, DON'T" began Mr.. Pepper from
the force Of habit, then lodged a stick OF
firewood Sam Pearsall threw at him.
We'll" he continued sulkily, there was
couple - pirates travellin' along with
the one eyed man on the boat we was on
an the hull three on 'em set in to trim
this here Yarvard man, an they played
up ards o. four hours afore they give it up.
When they quit ard had just as many
chips as he had when they begin"
"D'you say that was the one eyed man"
exclaimed Jim Baisdoll increduIously.
SUE was saidsMr. Pepper.
This here Yarvard is good one, then,
remarked Blaisdell. "No tenderfoot amt
gpin' to get away I'm old One Eye with any
about poker
That's what was tellin ye,' said Mr..
Pepper eagerly when they quit the three
on 'em was fair disgusted. an Yarvard
tellin' about KNOWN all the poker there
was an takin' up with bridge, bein' as
twas more intellectual like.
Said he never played poker to win no
mo- bein' as 'twa'n't fair to them he played
with, but he set in sometimes just for the
fun o. seein' how little the others knowed,
like he done that time
We'll. I'd kind o. like to see this here
phenombedon," remarked old man Green
hut somewhat perplexedly. 90 course It's
all hogwash about draw bridge bein more
intellectual nor poker, bein' as poker is
the origin an foundation of all tn intelli-
genoe they is.
But II Yarvard stood off One Eye an his
pals he must know somepin'. Did he pear
TO have money!
-Slathers." said Mr. Pepper. Looked
like he was nothin' but wads. Pulled 'em
outen all the pockets he had. an / cd "a
swore I seen him pull hundred dollar
bill outen his ear one time he was in
hurry to call a bet. Likely I must "a
been mistook though. 'Tain't likely I
a man'd carry money into his ear
'Eo. 'tain't," replied the old man 1Any-
ways. I wouldn't look for him to carry
none away I'm here that away. II he was
to set In with this crowd. set consid'ble
etore by the moral influences Of surround
in's. an the surroundin's In the back room
is some diff I'm what they is onto
boat. Is there any chanst o. him comm
to Arkansas City?
Il reckon likely there is. said Mr.. Pepper.
He said he was travellin' f'r fun, an was
r'pnatpb tn looL Far n all alone tho ,i,,n.