The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-12
ONE EYED MAN SENDS
AN EMISSARY AHEAD
TO Propose That He BE Allowed
to sit in the Game
Once More.
HIS REQUEST Is DENIED
But a Mysterious Man Plays and
Mr.. Owen Pepper Offers
a Surmise.
HIS REQUEST Is DENIED


tidtous, generally speaking. with regard
- the personality Of the men who
came to his little saloon in Arkansas
city, though there was one particular
in which he was infexibly stubborn
lin Judging whether or not they were
entitled to become guests OF the house
lie entertained at all times strong
retudice against any individual who
was not in the possession of money
Aside from that. he was fairly 10 be
considered as being entirely without
prejudice so far as the personality OF
his customers was concerned.
What might have happened II the
customs of the community had been
different is another matter. Had
woman entered the place with a view
- enjoying its privileges he would
almost certainly have made objections
to, entertaining her for his prejudices
against the female sex were so ex-
tremey violent as to seem unreason-
able. But happily for his peace of mind
It was unheard OF for any woman in
Arkansas City to do anything Of the
sort.
Given therefore that the customer
who came In was a he creature with
hlVHty bu MS pflSbll II llldht niue ull-
ference to old man Greenlaw who or
what manner Of man he was. 1t IL
true that no individual OF the colored
race would have been welcomed as a
gdest, but the colored people of Ar
kansas City were fully aware of that
fact, and none such over presented
himself in that capacity. II can fairly
he said, therefore, that whoever chose
TO go into the saloon could feel assured
OF reception with which he could find
no reasonable fault.
There was. however, one notable ex-
ception which must be made to this
statement. The frs time the one eyed
man went TO Arkansas City, he being
one who visited many places in the
regular course of his business, he had
done what most people did who went
there. That is he went to old man
Greenlaw's saloon. There was nothing
else for visitors to do.
Having entered. he was treated with
all due consideration. 1t was something
Of a disappointment to the old man to
lind that he was not addicted to the
habit Of drinking strong liquor. but he
freely admitted that he had no objec-
ton whatever to playing draw poker.
and the old man Immediately proposed
10 certain friends of his own who hap
pened to be in the saloon at the time
that they should get up a game for
the entertainment of the gent
As II appeared that these friends
were also void Of prejudice against the
great North American pastime the mat
ter was arranged readily, and a party
Of Ave persons, namely the one eyed
man, Jake Wnterbottom, Joe Bassett,
~ Co Daarga1 in.pe1
in a sitting, of which nobody. excepting
The one eyed man himself, had any
pleasant reCollections.
He however was so well satisfied
with his experience that he visited the
saloon again the next time he found
himself In the town, and again he
abused the confidence that was be-
slowed upon him.
Escaping with his life and III gained
booty Of a considerable amount, he es-
saved further attempt after an inter-
val, the incidents Of which were so
painful 10 old man Greenlaw and his
friends that one Eye realized clearly
that any further visits he might make
would be undertaken at a considerable
risk.
Being an adventurous person, how
ever, undaunted by any ordinary peril,
he had repeated his appearances at ir-
regular Intervals through period of
years with singular good fortune. com
porting himself on each occasion with
such shameless duplicity. and showing
such remarkable resource in the way OF
personal disguise and such a mastery
Of devious methods in the art of play
ing poker, that a prejudice against him
sprang up in the minds Of the old man
and his friends.
Joe Bassctt. being by nature a man
of strife, was outspolen in declaring
his intention to commit murder in case
<he opportunity should present Itself,
and at the merest mention Of the one
eyed man old man Greenlaw's fingers
would twitch and he would look at his
hung starter with an expression OF deep
yearntng,
A due consideration OF these facts Is
all that is required to explain why One
Eye was not fairly entitled 10 a cordial
welcome in the saloon. Mr.. owen Pep
per was on a different footing It is
true that he had sometimes been made
to realize that his continued presence
was not desired. but the antipathy
which he sometimes provoked by caus-
tic utterances was merely temporary.
Aside from these two, there was no
person who might not have entered the
saloon without reasonable expectation
OF violent treatment. on the contrary,
any visitor would find that his pres
ence was considered desirable.
Furthermore. Il was well understood
throughout the greater part Of the
Mississippi Valley that such was the
case, for the fame OF the little saloon
had spread abroad in the land chiefly
by reason of the excellence OF the
game OF pokcr played by the old mans
friends, so that many card players of
repute made pilgrlmages for the ex-
press purpose of sitting in.
1t was somewhat puzzling to the old
man therefore when stranger came
in one evening holding a revolver In
each hand His first impulse was TO
lay hold OF the bung starter which he
was always careful to have close at
hand for use in case OF emergencies.
And the others In the room put their
hands toward their hip pockets. 1t |
was not easy to surprise any of them.
second glance, however showed
I'm that the stranger grasped his
weapons by the barrel. and was holding
them out as II intending 70 present