The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-22
FARLEY KNEW WHEN
TO QUIT THE GAME
Thereby Compelling Blaisdell TO
Acknowledge His Good
Poker Sense.
TWO BAD PLAYS ENOUGH
To Prove That lie Was Not in
Proper Form for Play
ing a FreezeOut.
TWO BAD PLAYS ENOUGH


Arkansas City was approximately to be
reckoned upon as producing a certain
percentage OF profit on the business
His wares being rated among the staple
uecessaries of life and his saloon being
the principal distributing station, II
naturally followed that the greater part
OF the revenue derived from the sale OF
those wares In the community accrued
10 him. And this revenue was to be re-
lied upon as fairly regular. though II
was subject 10 fluctuations, tending
mostly In an upward direction.
In explanation OF this 1t was to be said
that the community drank more some
times than at others. rather than to say
that II drank less some times. There
would be periods during which q feeling
Of hilarity would pervade the population
and the natural expression Of the feeling
would rebound to the Old mans profit.
though the subsequent depression would
seldom result In loss.
There was no obvious cause for these
occasional ouebursts OF indulgence. I'M
less they were to be attributed to the
necessity which existed of throwing OF
the settled melancholy which was
naturally caused by the SURROUNDINGS
1t was practically impossible to remain
d.ncy without recourse to spirituous aid.
ana the fundamental fact was in reality
the cornerstone OF old man Greenlaw's
prosperity.
Permanent residents of Arkansas
City. being chronically dispirited. suf-
Tered less acutely from this condition
than strangers did. They were used to
Il and seemed In a manner to be resigned
20 II, but the effect on strangers was
little shoit OF maddening. so that II
commonly happened that outsiders after
a brief stay In the pace would be willing
20 barter their entire worldly possessions
for almost any kind OF diversion.
And the only diversion that was pos
sible in Arkansas Guy was most easily
found In Old man Greenlaw's saloon
In his back room 1t was almost always
feasible TO engage In more or less eX-
citing contest with sundry gentlemen
who were fairly well skilled in the game
OF draw poker. And this further fact
was fairly 10 be estimated as the key
stone of the arch OF old man Green
avs prosperity.
II followed that strangers were az
ways welcome in the little saloon. ant
this was true to such an extent that In
the rare case OF an outsider not nndine
his own way to the saloon within Few
hours of his arrival In town steps would
De taken to induce him 10 go there
Mostly, however, they came or theti
own accord, more especially in times OF
hood. when II was only possible to e
away from Arkansas City at certain. oi
more accurately at uncertain. times.
The arrivals and departures OF the
river boats were never very regular, and
in Hood times were especially Irregular
and the train service on the railroads
WAS not to be implicitly relied upon
1t Is true that there was train which
ordinarily Ieft Arkansas City for Lift Z
Rock three days In the week returninf
on uhe following days. but floods would
sometimes interfere with this schedule
and strangers would find II impracti
cable 10 escape.
In ;h's case one well known In the
sporting fraternity as Buck Farley
found himself one day when. on his wa,
20 Little Rock. he was told there woulc
De no train that day or the next. Having
some knowledge from hearsay or thu
game phat was played in Arkansas CT,
he hnd no inclination to sit in a'one
but the necessity he felt for some DIS
| traction forced him after a time to seel
! The old mans bar. where. in accordance
with established custom. he invited th'
assembled company 10 join him In
drink.
The company responded readily Il
the invitation. and having nothing els'
10 do he responded with equal readiness
20 the old mans advances toward con
versation.
lis yo' all reckni on stayin' roun'
1hese parts long?" was the opening
remark.
"Not 'thouten I en- find some va!
a. leaylu'," was the earnest reply, II
which the d!sparag!ng tone was em
phatic enough TO turn the apparen
meaning OF the words completely about
The old man understood ambiguous a
the form was, and he was disp'eased.
"They Is wuss places n Arkansas
city" said he sternly.
"I hatn't never been to EN-" re
corted Mr.. Farley. and the dove
peace nuttered.
"Yo' all amt been much OF trav1e'
y reckon" observed the old man. as on
who entertalns contempt for another.
II dunno how yo' all reckons travel,
retorted Mr.. Farley loftily. Il don
been goin' up an down the river torab'
steady To- somepln' like fifteen year"
Been onto Use boats most IN
time, likely" said the cd man as
DESTROYS of feeling his ground befor
venturing further.
+ "Nachully." said Mr.. Farley. not seein
the drift
at "a "a been heap mo to 20 credl
TO TO stayed asho' some'res.' declare
the old man with the manner OF on
.-ho administers a crushing rebuk'
"They Is hell roarin' po' comp'ny abo
the boats. Them river gamblers
pizen." =
Mr.. Farley was evidently stuns b
this. hut having practised self-contrt
j, he answered cooily: They Is son
Nhat 'bjects to 'em. but mostly It's SON
sucker what's been did up into gam
MIGHTY few o. them Is spots but
fur's I've saw the gents what pay
reg',ar they is heap better n ths'
ssossroads tin-horns what lays roun
hum, waitin' To- strangers"
There was q moment OF hesitat'o
following this utterance, but while u
old man was choking up, preparation
10 AN explosion. Jim Blaisden spoke vel