The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-10
A HOUSEHOLD AT
ARKANSAS CITY
Provokes the Righteous Wrath
of Old Man Gfeenlaw by
Its Presence.
JUSTICE FOR GAMBLERS
NJ DAVID A. CURTIS.

occurrence and suggestive of uncertain |
possibilities. There we're no, so many
u these craft afioat IN the Mississippi
River then az there We're afterward,
ana there was always a doubt as to the
srrand on which the occupants NJ one
II them might be engaged. Until that
doubt was solved there was. therefore.
considerable suspicion on the part Of
the resident population az to the char
acter OF the crew.
Sometimes the vessel would he little
more than n raft, carrying some adj
venturous soul who had put his entire
Earthly possessions on board and had
undertaken a somewhat hazardous voy-
age merely for the purpose Of changing
his environment lie might or might
not have his family with him, hut there
would seldom be any other passengers
In such a case Arkansas City took little
interest after curiosity was satisfied.
There were other cases however
which aroused considerable interest
Tho skipper of the boat might I've an
actor who had gathered together
troupe of performers and fitted up his
noat as rude theatre In which he
gave entertainments wherever he could
hnd audiences on his way down the
river. Such adventures sometimes pros
pered 80 well that they repeated the
speculation from season to season. ac-
uuiring substance and reputation.
~ IL even on the record though the
record Is hard to find that one or two
Jealous eNhorters travelled in this
Fashion inspired by lofty enthusiasm,
Solding meetings wherever they could
nd preaching to all who would listen.
I n Impossible To say now. though It
may he known hereafter. what measure
OF success they achieved.
More numerous than thcs, and Sootn
10 say. more interesting tn the com
niunities they visited were the bold
spectators who navirut"d floating
temples OF chance. II that name may De
applied when the element Of chance
was carefully eliminated - far as Il
WIS possible TO do 80. More enterpris-
ing than the "crossroad-. pkers" who
travelled through the backwoods alone
or In pairs. on the same GRAND. usually
combining themselves To- poker. and even
more daring than the poker players
who operated on the great liver
packets. the gentry on those housebhat
often reaped "A houu,eo harvest
among the river towns at the same
time running serious risks. when one
OF these came to Arkansas City there
were dolnGs.
II could not no said with justice that
even in Arkansas City public opinion
was entirely adverse 70 these occa sional
visits. on the contrary. there were
citizens who looked with tolerance IL
not positive appreciation on anything
that offered rel'"f from the monotony
~ life as It was lived In that settle
ment When no one from the outside
world was there, no activity Of any de-
scrlption was manifested. Stagnatiun.
like unto that of a lagoon in quiet
weather pervaded the place.
And the complete absence Of popular
prejudice against aleatnry practices
would have made Arkansas City an
excellent stopping place for one Of the
households In question had It not been
for the strenuous objections OF a single
individual who eXerted much personal
influence among his fellow townsmen
This WINS an elderly person who kept
q saloon.
or itself his occupation was enough
20 give him much Importance m the
community, but in addition to being the
principal purvcyor Of the main staple
81 life he was a man Of strong iudivdu.
atty. forceful in conversation and il
his methods Of action, much given e
having his own way. Old man Green,
law, they called him. And they mad,
him a Justice OF the Peace.
one OF his fixed convictions vas tina
gambling was an unm.tigated curse
There were those who held that Thu
opinion was inconsistent with the fac
that he ran n poker game In the bacl
room Of his saloon,
poker mint gamblin',' he would sa!