The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-20
TALL STRANGER FROM
i THE OZARkS.
Arkansas City at Its Best When
Long Drought Of Poker
Is Broken.

There was a big man onto the boat
! come on: mus, a been nigh seven foot =
remarked MIR. Owen Pepper after he had
called for the drinks in Obj man Greenlaw =
saloon in Arkansas City. and the usual
group of friends who sal there. together
with the old man himself had respon ded
cheerfully
He done ast me-. continued the
speaker III knowsd Of a p 'ker game any
where's in these parts Said he was get
tin blue moulded To- some sort o 'xcite-
rnsnt an kind % reckoned little table
stakes mought stir him up n bif p'vidin
there was any good players into the
game.
A long period OF inactivity had reduced
the various individuals to a condition Of
sullen impotence and general intoleran &C
Of the entire scheme Of the universe.
Not for more than a week had there been
any opport unity for the exercise of thar
skill which had made them famous
through the entire Mississippi valley
This interruption to their Gust omary
occupation had operat ed not only to cut
of their sole source OF income but TO
produce doubt IA 10 the future.
Tn amt no telln' whats liable TO
10 happen to the c'munity.- old man
Green law had said q few moments before
Mr. Peppers arrival. IL the principal
industry % Arkansas City ia goin to Ian =
guish plumb of the face o tn" earth
like it pears to he a-doin Of 'Taint to he
'xpacted.- and here he looked gloomil y
around at his cronies. as how I'm goin
10 keep on indefinite supplvin the nec.ssi-
ties % life TO a passed. % citizens what ain Z
bringin' in no revenoo,
20 co'se.- he cont nued hastily "a he
observed certain indicati ions OF temper
in his hearers. its ali right TO n time.
| amt n sayin' but wha, I en- elect TO
what I done supplied IL there's funds
pvided by Providence. but pears TO me
what Providence il shut down on you
lns Looks like il was another case %
ten righteous men not bein' s'tiCient TO
tn stop the walls of Jericho I'm tumblin
down like the Good Book tells about
well. IN be- exclaimed Joe Bassstt
| in hot indignation. but before he cosld
tell what is was that h. would he Jake
White rbottom interpos-d
II done seen dry weather in Ark ansas
CITY afo' now he drswl.d ont with sar-
castle emphasis. but pears LIKE the
dryest kind Of a summer don't never in
terfers with tho floods when the p inte,i
time TO em arrives. II yo' was to read
that Good Book wha: yo'r- aIavs
a-taIkin' about soms mo- r. yo' do vo'
monght fine sump:n' into i, about the
righteous never hein' fo'sook
This defiant sheer a, the "a gs philo-o-
pher of the town was 80 startling to Mr.
Winterbottom's hsarers that they all
.at open mouthed for mornen, and the
old man himself was -peechie-s with IN
tignation
II was az this most opportuna moment
that Mr.. owen Pepper came in With his
announcement
Where l. this gentleman yo' was
talkin' with demanded old man Green
law with far greater interest than anv-
body Wa i'll the habit Of displaying when
MIR Pepper spoke
-Oh, | don't know began Mr. Pepper
and then he lodged Joe Ba-s.tt was
reaching for him with n massive hand.
Jim Blaisci.ll'S hand was in his hip pocket
and old maa Greenlaw was 'n.ing his
bungstaTtsr
-So' want Ia b- some careful how vo
trif,e Pepper" said Jake wint.rho,tom
wrsthfuIly. This AIM no time 70 In
b. not KNOWN rhings
-Yo all pears To ne some ha-ty. -aid
Mr. Pepper soon 40 h- understood he
situation 4 was ~ayIn how | don't
know whether he's done eat h.- supper
vet. but II We has ! reckon he's hot
ioo,in' IL IN this direction l done -old
him bout vo back room. an be -aid
that was the place. b. was look IN 10
Have another drink. Pepper. said old
man Greenlaw. putting down hi- bung-
starter There L. times when w pears
To- know mo II anybody a give -o rr-d!'
fo
And With. they wer. all enjoying This
round the door opened and th.. 'sh man
entered
II was hardly so b" expected hat lac
would he met with any Open demons;ra-
tIon, but even II business policy had not
dictated dIgnihssi reserve mir nb-
-rr.perOu- d.mean1r would have failed
to commend MIN 10 arv gathering ~ self
respecting C.'ILer4- ~ that part Of tho
world
IA one respect his conti,,ct was fault
less Seeing that ID" ,on..any was Just
finishing a drink Ire strod- 20 me bar and
exclaimed. The E.Nt one. "a me-
The bumpiiousnsss - hi- manner. how
ever and the os'-n'atIo!- way N which
hs slammed his money on the bar. while
tt did not deter anybody from accepting
hl- INV ltatInn produced a bad mrre~-
sion
Therefore wher lie remarked after
taking hts r.-i Aq'.Dr IN single gulp
They saw there's some draw played
round here tnrr. vas no Immedla -
RESPONSE
As II in continuation 81 a previous con-
versa-On Jim Blai-eell savi casually
"Sho' has b.en good f-hIn' recent. but
tn amt nobody made no such catch as
Hank Doubleday made last night"
What was that asked sam Pesrsall
showing great interest
Hooked helirosrin' big catfish down
by the point said Blaisdell an when he