Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-28

-N T. ~ Nv 9A-N
numbers O. friends IN Arkansas city q"
said the old man with an air Of relief. an
faint likely he's fool enough for to start
In to fight a hull c'munity. single hand.
Mebbe he'll listen to reason.
II amt feolin' just easy bout him goin'
away, like he done, under a misapprehen-
sion. When a mans got money it's al'ays
best for to keep friends with him till you
sec 4 you en- get any OF IT."
After thus explaining his mental atti-
tude, the old man sat smoking and medi-
tating till Bassett and winterbottom re-
turned. the one downcast and the other
j~ubilanL.
There amt no use tryin' for to get this
here zap interested into no poker game,
not just yet, tn amt" said Winterbottom.
But continued Bassett, there's a
chanst fr a hellova good scrap. / reckon.
He says he h'ain't no greet notion O.
comm back here by hisself alone, bein' $
he's broke, but there's a couple O. friends
o his'n comm on the next boat, an he's
reck'nin' on takin' up a election I'm them
when they done get here. Says he reck-
ons he en- raise enough for to come back
an pay fr them two rounds what you got
het up about.
There was a kind O. queer look in his
eye when he said Il. More'n likely there'll
be somepin' diddin' when they come"
And there was a look in Bassett's eye
when he spoke which was not to be mis-
Interpreted.
"oh, shucksl' exclaimed old man Green
hut. That's no way fr a man O. prop
erty to talk about trifles. You better 40
back an reason with him some mo. Jake.
Likely he'll think better on it alter he gets
cooled Off.
But Winterbottom flatly refused, as did
the others of the party, when the old man
appealed to them, and It was finally de-
cided, to Bassett's great satisfaction, that
the only thing to do was to await develop
ments.
Hoover Reappears.
1t was not until the following evening
that anything happened. Then Mr.. Hoover
with two husky friends from Tennessee,
stepped into the saloon, and in a matter
Of fact fashion addressed the proprietor.
There was a couple o. rounds o. drinks
what l didn't pay for last night" he said.
Don't know nothin' about it," said old
man Greenhut, but If you say SO /
reckon It's 50, but nachully they was on
the house, bein' as you was doln' con-
sid'able %treatin'. afore that"
"That don't go" said Mr.. Hoover sternly.
There don't nobody pay for no drinks
what l order, on'y me-. You take yo' money
outen that" And he threw a yellow backed
bill on the bar.
"Hain't got no change said old man
Greenhut, pushing 1t back, an it
don't make no difference. Let it go till
next time."
There won't be no next time" said
Hoover, an you en- keep the change if
yo're so hard up. Pears like you felt some
different about Il last night. Now I I've
paid up l reckon I'll settle with you about
that too"
Amt nothin' to SETTLE said the old
man, edging over toward his bungstarter.
We'll, I'll settle 1t, anyway" shouted
Hoover in a sudden fury. You man
handled me fine yesterday, bein' s was
half drunk an you had your gang to back
you, 1 ain't fightin' no crowd single hand.
Now you come out o. there an tackle me
man to man. My pals II stand your crowd
off, an III chuck you in the mud, same's
YOU done to me-"
oh, very WELL" said old man Greenhut,
calmly, "bein' IS you're so hell bent on
trouble l reckon l en- hand 1t out to ye.
On'y itll be man to man, like you said.
Stand back, everybody"
The BunEstarter in Action.
Grabbing his bungstarter and placing his
left hand ON the bar he vaulted over It like
a youngster, and with one wild sweep
fetched the astonished Hoover a tremen-
dous thwack on the chest with his fOrmid-
able weapon and sent him Keeling baCkwa
TIL he fell on the floor. Then with sur
prising agility he leaped forward and seated
himself astride OF his foe, still brandlsh-
Ing the bungstarter.
Now" he said, without the slightest
display of temper, Il reckon more n likely
you'n listen to reason, bein' If you don't
III batter your brains out.
They tell me you're a spot, and IL you
be, you'd oughter know when you're licked.
II you want any mo you en- have 1t, but
/ reckon that's about enough.
I'VE uns don't fight here 'thouten we're
put to it, bein' as tn On'y business l does
is sellin' rum with a little draw poker
on the side, 1 reckin the next round o
drinks is on you all right, an IL you want
to set in with the boys in the back room
that there bill o. yOurn on the bar II
just pay fr one stack"
Il sho' has got enough said Hoover,
as soon as he could get his breath. Il
amt no hawg."
Thereupon the old man arose and giving
his hand to the other assisted him TO rise.
There was at once a confusion OF talk
and laughter and HOover's two friends
gibed him numerically on his ignomin-
iOus defeat, but he took It in good part
and as soon as he could be heard he said
good naturedly;
That's all right, boys. / reckon you
don't know what tits to be kicked by a
mule an l do. 1 don't want no mo Of It.
You heerd me say the drinks was on me-"
Cleaned Him at Oke
Then after there had been a suffioienoy
Of refreshment he reverted to the sub
ject of poker.
III you uns plays poker like you fight"
he observed smiling, II reckon we uns Is
In FIR a tol'able good game. l wouldn't
mind tryin' It bein' as tn amt liable to
be nothin' else dlddin' round town"
As his friends were OF the same mind
a seven handed game was soon in progress.
and some hours later Mr.. Hoover re-
marked that he reckoned Memphis was
good enough for him.
Pears like things is considerable
swifter In these here river towns nor they
be In the city" he said, TO say nothin'
O. the expense. ] don't mind losin' money
reasonable, but when Il comes To BLOWN
n hull gaa IN a nFuhf ra,G., - -