The sun., 1909-02-21
A STOPOVER IN
a ARKANSAS CITY
Mr.. Skaggs illustrates Greenhut's
Remarks About the Two Glasses
Of Men Who Play Poker.

.Nure'n likely the good Lord done
knoved considerable about what he was
,lmin' at when he done mado men so all
fred dT'rent as they be Diff'rent
IN, each other. | mean" said old man
,,reenhut in manner which betokened
his entire satisfaction with the existing
or.er Of things
Some necessary violence had been EN-
pln 'ei "A few moments before, and pos
shlg little unnecessary violence as
we'll in the election Of an undesirable
citizen from the old mans saloon In
Arkansas City, the undesirable being
pertinaciously insistent on being served
with more red liquor after the fact had
been established that he had not the
wherewthal,
With notable self-restraint the old man
had refrained from using his bun gstarter
while putting the man out. but as 10
to reward himself for his own for
hearance he had planted a mighty kick
on the precise spot where 1t would prove
most effective just as he reached the
doorway. and the intruder's blasphe-
nous protests were Snothered In the
mud into which his countenance was
plunged when he fell in the middle OF
the road.
After watching the unfortunate man
As he foundered up with difficulty
and after listening with profound in
difference to his Incorporate language
for few moments the old man closed
the door and lighting a fresh cigar re-
turned to his fav vorite seat by the window
ard putting his feet on the sill deliv cred
himself Of the remark quoted.
That therell hold good" he con-
tinued after he had smoked for a time,
in more things besides the liquor bust
ness. O. co'se there wouldn't be no
object in sellin' rum il everybody was
like that there yap Il was just throwed
out Any fool cd see that But it's just
as true in all the other pfessions Take
boss tradin', for example. or preachin'
or most anythin'
-Th' amt no business what man ON
take up what's got better chances into it
nor tradin' hosses IL n mans RELY got
tn gift. but il everybody was to trade
hosses f'r a livin' there wouldn't nobody
he rnisin' hogs an there wouldn't be no
meat f'r anybody but them dagos what
eats hosses. That there'd bring tn hull
world down to the level o. them onfortnit
races what don't know t hogs was meant
for To feed mankind
Same IL everybody was to he a
preacher. o. cose a reasonable number
o preachers is needful for to keep women
folks I'm payin too much attention to
their husbands, but II everybody was
TO take to preachin' f'r n livin' there
wouldn't be nobody to pay 'em salaries.
ar just nachully the hull plan o. sal
,a;ion d collapse
An it's just so into all kinds o. busi-
ness. T wouldn't be no good for to be
into any on 'em IL everybody else was
in 'em too
"Oh. don't know said Mr.. Owen
Pepper. who was sitting among the reg
ular fre1uenters OF the saloon listening.
as the others did. with mixed emotions
20 the outpouring OF the old mans wis
dom. Pears like I've heer'd you say
consid' Table about how anybody what's
anybody al'ays plays draw poker
The others Immediately sat up and paid
attention. knowing from experience some
thing Of what was coming to Pepper. but
old man Greenhut only shook his head
a little sadly and replied:
i reckon the prophet must "a had
YOU in mind, Pepper. when he writ into
the Good Book: Then we knew that he
neqer could know an never could onder-
stand nothin' about anvthin' on earth
or over the earth or into the waters under
tho earth. world without end, amen!'
Likely tn amt nobody I ever lived came
higher bein' the one Unlimited idjit what
the man O. God had reference to when he
writ them words nor you do.
II you knowed enough to fall Gown
when you slip you'd understand Z there
sint no way f'r them what's done been
TO flourish playin' poker II them It's pre-
destinated f'r to be suckers didn't play
too That's what makes 1t the bounden
duty Of oil men f'r to play poker. bein
as how the hull destiny o the human race
hangs onto tn opportunity what every
man had ought to have f'r to make his
own Twin.
II you'd listen more when your betters
il tellin' things and not be 30 hell roarin
siren GUS about 'xplainin' how you don't
know nothin' mebbe you'd come to see
himeby what a gre't part draw poker
plays into the Almighty's plans f'r the
letterment o mankind.
First of, faint meant fr everybody
10 work f'r Twin. Work was p'vided
f'r mules an niggers an trav lin salesmen
I'm Tennessee an SIGH but a reel South
ern gentleman amt made f'r no sich
purpose. He amt fit for 1t an 'taint
fl for him.
All the same, a Southern gentleman
is heedged f'r to live. same's everybody
Else, an sence the war. not bein' able
10 own his niggers. it's needful f'r him
10 git his livin' some other way, an that's
where draw poker comes in. bein' genteel
an profitable to them what understands
It sufficient f'r to play 1t proper. an
know somepin about where the cards is,
alter he's dealt. his own self.
-Rnt il there want nobody but him
an his kind playin' poker, just nachully
he couldn't get no profit outen the game.
40 its done been p'vided Z them what
don't play skilful shall play all the same
nos to p'vide opportunities fr them as
takes II up fr Twin.
There wouldn't be nothin' made outen
the game il there want no suckers into
II, Consequent, the man as don't play
draw poker is shirkin' his share O. the
work o maintainin' the human race:
lie amt no service to the o'munity. bein'
what the Good Book calls cucumber
N ground
Taint likely I you en- see through
thIs, Pepper. but done thought mought
swell xplain il to you. so q { you wouldn't
consider it needful to tell no mo- about
what you don't know every time draw