The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-28
He Iro-"d It in the Poker Game,
and ne Had His Nerve
With Him.
CLEVERNESS OF HIS PLAY
Reused Blaisdell's Admiration
and the Bungstarter Was
Warded OFF.
by DAVID A. CURTIS.

S"t ieSiuents VI tnat place. Wnether
1t was that they recognized the phe-
nomenal nature of the event, in that there
appeared to be no reason whatever for
stranger to go there, or whether IL
was that they were alive to the pos
sibilities of accruing profit that existed
travellers having, as a rule, more or
less actual money in their possession,
10 not perhaps, an important question.
The fact remains that they were always
Interested, not to say more or less
puzzled, by the occurrence of such an
event.
When 1t happened. as 1t did at rare
intervals, that the stranger tarried
within the confines of the town for
longer period than was absolutely nee
esssary. and failed to avail himself of
the first opportunity that presented IT.
self OF getting away. the interest of
the citizens was greatly intensified. and
their puzziement grew into condition
OF wonder that was closely akin to
aInazement
"Somepin's got to be did" said old
man Greenlaw on one such occasion.
FIN what | done been told. pears
they s been a stranger up to the hotel
TO up'ards o. three days now, 'thouten
a thing bein' did about il. Must be
somepin' wrong or he wouldn't "a
stayed that long afo comm in here,
seem tn amt nothin else TO to be did
nowhere's round
II reckon he'd "a been in here all
right" said Joe Bassett. whose official
duty as Sheriff was to have cognizance
OF any and all suspicious happenings in
his bailiwlck. "on'y 70 him bein' mo-
r less drunk ever since he come asho'."
Plausible, and even reasonable as this
explanation was, il was offered with an
|. air OF indifference that failed to COM
mend itself To old man Greenlaw's APP
proval. He spoke again. more earn
estly than before.
"If he's drunk" he said. that's all
the mo- reason why somepin' d ought
70 to be did, an did To oncet. Stands
TO reason he must have money or Sim
mons d "a throwed him out afo now.
An If he's got money Simmons II do
him outen it some way or other,
'thouten they is steps took TO his p'tec-
ton.
simmons Is onprincipled an how he
ever got "a license TO to keep a hotel
an sell liquor is a myst'ry to me. But
that amt no reason why he sh'd hawg
all the liquor trade they is.
IF the gent is drinkin' he'd ought
TO to be lowed choice o. where to
buy. Somebody d ought To- to tell
him how simmons amt runnin' the
on'y bar they is In Arkansas City"
Hes done been told that Already"
seldom required proddng to rouse him
10 activity. But pears like he's sat
isfed to stay where he is"
"prOyes how he's into n danp'rous
c'ndition" said the old man. very ear
nestly. That's the wust o. drlnkln'
Simmonss rum. GIFTS "A man so s I he
don't give a boot where he's at.
Mo- n likely II he was to reelze how
things is. he'd pier playin' poker.
rather n to drink hisself to DEATH an
he'd ought TO to he fetched here afo'
Simmons gifts all his money"
This impressed the old mans hearers
as being a suggestion worthy OF at
tention, and accordingly Bassett and
Jake W1terbottom set out for the tav-
ern, whence they returned after no
great delay, accompanied by the
stranger in question.
81 done been travlin' the river TO- a
SPELL he said. after ordering a round
of drinks, "lookin' TO 'xcitement. till
done got plumb wore out. Pears like
they amt nothin' dddin onto the boats
no mo, an | done come asho' to get
drunk"
'1-hem boats Is bad observed the
old man with some bitterness. "whethe
man is drunk or sober. II he's drunk
the cap'n is liable TO to interfere with
him, an il he's sober he gifts In bad
comp'ny. They's cnsid'abe crooked
play goin' on most o. the time onto
L., L. liz.
up"
Not IL he Understands the game, he
don't" replied the stranger boastfully.
81 set in with couple o. tnhorns the
night afo' l come asho'. They was
reck'nin' on gittin' my wad, but | had
their'n afo' they knowed where they
was at"
swell o. co'se," said the old man,
III man Is a sho' 'nough expert like
yo' all must be some player to git away
with two on 'em, he en- affo'd to take
a chanst, but even at that it's some
dangerous. II them two d "a been like
some o. them pirates what travels the
boats hsbch'l, yo' all d had a fight
onto yo' hands"
"They was a little argument" said
the stranger indfferently. but as yo'
say. they want on'y two on em, an
done beat 'em up some. Alter that
was all over the cap'n sent 'em asho'
in row boat. Said he wouldn't have
no poker played onto his boat. That
was a other thing made me come
asho'."
Some o them cap'ns is gittin' dret-
full narrer minded. recent" said old man
Greenlaw with strong disapprobation.
eff man cant set into game o.
poker when he feels 'sposed pears like
they amt no use alvin"
81 feel that same way, my ownself,"
said the stranger warmly. 9TH amt
nothin' ! 'nioy mo- n game o. poker.
Pears like faint al'ays they's one to
be had, though" he added with an APP
pearance OF some regret. "Th' amt
nobody said poker to me oncet since
done come asho', Pears like they amt
no public sperit In the town"
THAT sho' Is mysterious" declared
the old man, looking reproachfully at
tne others in the room.
"Pears like yo' all Is amazn' lucky
yo' done come here when yo' did
h don't never play poker myself