The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-01-14
TWO STRANGERS
IN BROWNSVILLE
Learn That Other Sports Be
sides Draw Poker Are Liked
in Long Mikes Town.

Events of Importance did not succeed
one another with startling rapidity in
Brownsville, excepting on rare occa-
slons when a whole series would be
crowded together III a single evening.
\ few such evenings as. for instance.
the one which saw the finish of the one
vas driven from town by Long Mike
N one of the big mans outbreaks of
sudden fury, had passed into tie I'M
written though We'll remembered his
sory of the little town. but for the most
part The chronicles OF Brownsville. had
made slow reading.
Yet Brownsville was it's own excuse
and needed no apology. 1t vas the
port of entry from the outside world
20 the fertile Iowa prairieS before the
iron horse was harnessed that later
dragged the prairie products to mar
ket.
which, then monopolized the carrying
trade found at Brownsville one Of
their profitable stopping places, and
The sleepy little burg buzzed with activ-
ity While n of these boats lay at the
landing on the levee. When the boat
left the town lapsed into its normal
l%1!'etudc again.
$50 AAS IN bSNSSVitSElS SLlpliAl
carry for the oncoming of another boat.
as sometimes happened. Then there
were doings. For since there WAS no
occasion for visiting Brownsville with
business in View, it follows that those
Who tarried sought sport, md of sport
there We're the only sturdy sorts most
IN favor among the hardy settlers in
the Northwest. Brownsville was then
Northwest.
The roster of sports was brief. Cock
tights We're there at times. Wrestling
matches We're not unknown. Wassail,
as sam provided it, or its substitute.
in the one tarroonl Of the town, some
the kcenest delights of living for the
reu-bloOded citizens of Brownsville.
Also. there was draw poker. A short
list. none counted it incomplete.
In all these sports, as in the more
serious pursuit OF such business as
was the acknowledged leader. Whim-
steal roistercr that he was he was. at
once. the biggest man. the most des-
peiate fighter. the hardest drinker, the
kcenes sport. the widest Irishman
and the leading capitalist of the COM
ullnity.
While in respect OF these things he
bad no equal in his home town, he had
encountered none among the visitors
n occasionally ann Conscious of
his superiority he certainly was.
but spoiled he was not. None was
democratic. none more convivial.
Wherefore it happened that when two
crossroads gamblers from up the river
stopped over fer Il boat or two Long
Mike greeted them with hospitality not
20 be expected 1t was near the end OF
the season. ta.- the long winter was at
hand when no boats would stop. Bust
ness was already So slack that interest
ia it had ceased, II here was the
prospect OF some hiiaTity before the
h%ibernation should begin; and Long
Mike rejoiced.
Wheeler and Boxer, the two stran-
gers, were naturally elated. 1t was
usually their experience to be regarded
With suspicion if no worse in the COM
nunities they visited. and to establish
footing vas their hardest work, for
they made no pretense OF denying
their profession: but here the leading
citizen of the place had welcomed them
with open arms.
1t was true that Sam, the barkcepcr;
Gallagher, who was Long Mikes fore
man, and Stumpy. who was just Stun
Ply, Irish. shrewd and redheaded, rc-
Sarded the two with disfavor, but
prominent and influential as they We're
their III ava was unimportant il Long
Mike approved.
sure, q" III ooSS play .tnlm dlSlIS
first at poker. him havin' the luck O.
h blissid saints. now an ag'in.'' said
stu,npy confident!aliy to Gallagher
'there'd maybe be no harruln. We cd
s}itart a fought over the game av 1t
wint a2'in US, or. chance. the boss
moight win their money. But. glory
be. he's ahl FIR the red liquor firsht,
Wen ahl be drunk afort, he is only
thin two, an by the time they've
played with us. loike they will, We'll be
broke as we'll"
But Long Mikes present mood was
c%onvivial. and he would not be gain
said. 1t did not Occur to any II even
of Stumpy's mind, to stay away from
the bar room, since that was the only
place in town to spend any time.
And all who We're there had, perforce,
to drink or to quarrel with Long Mike
whenever he slaked his awful thirst:
and nobody who knew him quarreled
with Long Mike.
So It came about at the end of the
third day that only three men in town
were even measurably sober. San,
stayed sober from business principle,
and the two strangers did SO from pol
icy. A situation to the liking Of
the two cross roads gamblers would be
dificult to describe. but when Boxer
suggested to his pal In undertone that
It was high time to suggest q little
game Stumpy overheard, and with owl.
ish gravity spoke up in opposition.
We do play poker hore." he raid