The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-06
THE ONE EYED MAN
BACK ONCE MORE
Uc Proposes a Game Of Draw
Poker to Blaisdell. Who
Refuses.
GREENLAW HAS A SCARE
~ DAVID A.. CURTIS.

one eyed man had visited Arkansas
City. Up and dow the Mississippi
River there were. at irregular inter-
walls. many other places in which he
could. without great difficulty, find
opportunity for the exercise Of his I'M
deniable talents n from one to an
other of those places he went with
no more thought, apparently, OF or
derry sequence than a honey bee dis
PLAYS in flying from one clover BIOS
som to another
Always in quest of the gains to be
obtained by the practice of his some
what precarious profession he showed
no marked preference for any one To-
cality. but gathered in whatever he
might wherever he could from any
and all who were willing to engage
him in contests of skill.
Therefore III found great gratiica-
ton in going occasionally to Arkan-
cas- city. During the period in which
he f'ourished the game Of draw poker
had greater vogue than It ever had
before or since and the Mississippi
Valley was the section Of the country
In which It was developed to its great
est potentiality.
II was the pursuit rather than the
pastime Of a large percentage OF the
population and 1t was played not only
more fercely but more skilfully there
than elsewhere, and of all the different
localities in the valley Arkansas City
was the one in which 1t was played
more iercely and more skilfully thar
in any other. Probably nowhere else
in the world was any such game
played as was to be found in the little
back room Of old man Greenlaw's sa-
loon on the levee that protected the
settlement from he dangers of the
periodical floods OF the mighty river.
The primary attraction which drew
the one eyed man thither was un-
doubtedly the fact that in playing
with the regular f~requenters of the
saloon he was matching himself
against the acknowledged masters Of
his profession. He was himself a
player OF renown, though the historic
fame which he achieved was really
due TO the chance remark OF a
stranger who sat in with him on one
memorable occasion more h IL was
10 his many notable achievements.
The remark. simple II earnest as 1t
was. was hailed by those who heard II
as a masterpiece of wit II has been
repeated many millions OF times.
The stranger was irked by his per-
sistent losses in the game and finally
seemed to become somewhat suspi-
cious. Leaning back in his chair. he
addressed the company briefly.
II amt sayin' they is anything
crooked in this yer game" he said,
''but If | do catch anybody cheatin'
I'm sho' g'wine To shoot his other eye
out"
Thereafter the one eyed mans place
In the annals of fame remained fixed,
and by many he was considered the
hest manipulation OF pasteboard in the
business. Nor did any deny his great
ability. though the prevailing opinion
in sporting circles was that one Jim
Blaisdell, who played in old man
Greenlaw's back room, was his SUI
perior. They two respected each other,
but both being confident, each as to
his own qualifications. either one OF
them would willingly have travelled
miles at any time to join the other in
. contest.
Mr.. Blaisdell. therefore. entertained
no objection to the presence of the
one eyed nan in Arkansas City. but
there was a violent prejudice against
Il on the part of Mr.. Blaisdell's assoc
.sfatas a.a - III, - paaa,, -.
name, having openly declared his fixed
intention of killing the one eyed man
AT sight in consequence of things the
latter had done when. on various oc-
C%as!ons, he had visited the saloon in
question.
Because of all this the one eyed
man greatly desired to revisit Ar
kansas city and so d. string he did IL,
but not without preCaution, First he
whcttod his knife with care, though,
rs that was his daily habit, it might
have had no special reference to his
project. Next he procured a glass
phial of no great size and filled it with
a colorlcss liquid. after which he
placed it in his breast pocket. Then
he stepped boldly ashore from the
bat which had just tied up at the
landing place in Arkansas City, hav-
Ing first assured himself by careful
scrutiny that Mr.. Bassett was not in
tho immediate ncighborhood.
Jake Winterhottom, however. was
thcre, ard walking directly up to
hin the one eyed man exclaimed,
'IIowdy."
"]iowdy,' responded Winterbottom
with n grin. Then, after a slight
pause, during which neither la prof
red his hand, he continued, still
rrinning, is go all lookin' TO- Bas-
sctt' He sho' will be right glad to
Geo yo'."
"No,' said the one eyed man. ~
eint 'NaCtly what yo' mought call
- .kin' fo' HIM, hut ! reckon I'm liable
f. to see him afo' | leaves town"
Mo n likely yo' WILL said Winter
bottom dryly, "'thouten 20 gifts back
aho'd the boat right soon. Mebbe that
molght be go best way"
"Mehbc," said One Eye carelessly,
"hut was reck'nin' on stoppin' over
q SPELL
"Wcll." said Winterbottom with
equal Indifference, "'tain't nothin' to
ne II a man is he'll BEN on suicidin'. =
longs he's got to die some time. faint
no mo- n right 70 him 10 pick his
" way o doin' on II, II he has he
Chanst, YO' all pears TO be some