The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-07-17

uXk9SE1AXN man who was calling on
G9ssNges@1Sl Nellie Daintys parents
that evening, in their
home in Helena, on the banks OF the Misss-
sippi Jimmy Burke had spoken for her y
only the night before, but the engagement
was not vet announced, and she did not
care to have old man Catlin the first TO
learn Of il, so she answered evasively:
s.Oh, | see him at Sunday-school occasion
ally, J" picking at her dress to hide the blush.
Sunday-school, ehlp exclaimed the old
man. That's something new for Jimmy.
Should have thought trying TO swim the Mis-
sissippi River again, like he did last fall when
you tried TO coax him not 10 do it, or going
higher up ricketty hagpoles than any other
lad, would be more in Hmmy's line. SO he
tends Sunday school, does he?"
YES, Mr. Catlin. He has the class next
mine" she answered softly
"Well, well" laughed the old man, throw
ing back his head They do say those dare
devils turn out all right sometimes. kind
Of recollect when Jimmy used TO keep all the
other boys busy studying up something that
Jimmy would be afraid to do, but they never
hit il, so far as I know"
Il believe Jimmy is inclined to be little
venturesome, Nellie admitted, looking not
at all displeased.
"Venturesome! the old man almost
shouted. "Why, bless my soul. He's the
greatest daredevil | ever heard tell Of
Didn't he walk right into the barn UP at the
grocery when that barrel OF naphtha was al
most ahre and throw sand on ii, and every one
else in town was making for the leyeef"
III think | heard something about that
once, remarked Nellie demurely. She had
not only heard it, but had told ii at least a
hundred times.
Well, the old man went on, /" Jimmy's a
young man now Must be nigh on twenty
two; but he hasn't lost his dislike for not tax
ing dare. heard only last night that he
aas thinking Of tackling that cattle mems
po1cr game Z"
Oh, | am sure he would never do such a
thing as that" exclaimed Nellie quickly
Jimmy plays cards occasionally, but he
never mixes with regular gamblers.
'MaYbei" observed the old man, medita-
.iyriY. All know about it is that some Of
the boys in the village were saying they didn't
believe he had the nerve to tackle that game,
and all Jimmy did was to ask for more par
iic4lars about it, and how to get in il, and
wheai was due down the river again-Helo,
Here Games Annie and your mother, so | cal
cuiatc Ns-n have to be starting for home )"
aud Tie old nan stood up and shuftled toward
tas other end Of the porch
tle.ie in her room that night, and all the
next day, there was only one thought in Mel
lic'a mind. Jimmy was engaged to her now,
bat he was actually thinking Of venturing int
the cattle mems poker game
Che sould not remember the time when she
had 10. iieard men talk in whispers about
;ha. game. Having always lived on the
banks ri tle Mississippi and being familiar
wirh the icie lore oi all the famous boats that
passed ri home and with stories OF. many
tl.as asd Piled the stream in the old DAYS it
seemed 10 her that the cattle mems poker
game vas to the Mississippi River pretty
rsieh what the Lorclei was tq the Rhine
Il was more than twenty years, her father
had told her once, since that game was
started b. some men iron Texas who tray-
st-f up and down the flyer several times a
y-af. they called themselves cattle men,
al,h5eesh pcopir s1iA they werc nothing but
gamblers They played fo- big money, and
they p.asre continuously t.ord one end e the
s,s.srncv to the other They seemed to vel
ocde any onc who wisi.c,. 70 ioin them, but
sun5ehow OF other, they nlvays won his
sroaey; never he theirs.
Many gambler had sal in Ha4 ca'1o with
;.sem, but nopo al .A<m was ever heard TO
boss, Of having haze il 7; 'rls Sometimes
Whispers thsi mcn hsd b-en lnown % 20
on board a ',oat and &7l the cattle mems
money and never been h-srd OF again Old
card -sharpers grew s,rlnge.y slort when that
game was mentioned, an1 Nike Hopper, one
ofthe cleverest OF the old iye--soort.. used a.
ways to place his right hand over ME left, 90 as
10 hide an ugly looking scar. whenever the
conyersation turned to the cattle men and
fiseir poker game Although he would never
admit il, il was said that the scar on Nike 5
hand was made by Bowie knife in the hands
of acattle man that caught him putting the
wrong half OF the pack on the tor after the
sards were cut =
SO the boys have Been daring immy to
trv his luck in that game" thought Neide.
= OF course il was only talk, she told herself.
Jimmy was not a gambler, although he PLAYED
billiards and pool with the BOYS and occasion
ally SAT In the little ten-cent limit game at the
boid on Saturday nights To dare MIN to
Dlax poker with those dreadful cattle men
would be like asking man who could hardly
manage horse and buggy, e drive IRE en-
zine through the streets at midnight.
: The next time she saw Jimmy Burke, she