The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-22
ONE EYES TRICK
BADLY INITIATED
And the Man Who Tries It in
Arkansas City
Fails.
GREENLAW OPENS COURT
~ AVE- A. CURTIS.

~ DAvrD \.
THOSE who knew much about the con-
dftions that obtained In old maj Green
laws saloon In Arkansas City were either
chary Of sitting In at a poker game
In his little back room or being Of q bold
And adventurous spirit we're somewhat
ov~eranxious to do so. And as time
went on and more especially as the
poker playing went on the number of
those who became informed as to those
conditions increased rapidly, until nearly
ell Of the sporting fraternity. which was
70 say the major portion OF the male pop
ulation of the Mississippi Valley. came
to be exceedingly we'll acquainted with
the place by report. II not from personal
experience.
Among those who had more than
academic knowledge Of these conditions
was O swashbuckling outlaw of no.
madic habits who was himself widely
known throughout the region mentioned,
though curiously enough no one seemed
sven TO have heard his name mentioned.
His identity. however. was well estab-
lishcd In the public mind by reason of a
certain physical peculiarity, generally
supposed to be the result OF a hostile
encounter with some other desperate at
an early stage in his career. And a
reference 20 this physical popularity
was considered equivalent TO a mention
Of his name. II one referred to One
Eye, there was no doubt in the minds
Of his hearers as to the person indi-
Gated.
Much interest attached to him In the
minds Of the general public, by reason
Of the many exploits with which he had
adorned a picturesque career. Deeds
OF deviitry and daring hone by him
most unexpectedly at different times
wers told and retold by the ~es.caneers
who sailed the raging river In the big
passenger steamboats,. to the admira-
ton of all hearers. The frequent repe-
tftion OF these stories established him in
the estimation Of the public as one dis
tinguished among his fellows by phe-
nomenal courage md address. As the ex-
ploits increased in number he became
amous and the respect OF his fellows
gradually deepened into a mixture Of
wonder and awe. II seemed impossible
that any could tempt fate so often with
out having even met with any mishap
excepting the loss Of an eye.
OF all the things he did to nx his
fame as a desperate Of quality. none was
accounted SO incredibly rash as his
repeated visits to old man Greenlaw's
saloon after he had established himself
beyond a question on the footing of an
avowed enemy. For he had tricked and
fiouted the old man and his friends
and had escaped the consequences. not
ono Dr. twice merely. but on a consid-
cradle number OF occasions. whereas the
consensus was that no living man other
than himself could get out of the saloon
alive the second time after having out
played, outwitted and defed the occu-
pants 90 audaciously as he had done.
Eminence ever excites envy. Ambitious
competitors there were who would fain
have outshone One Eye in reputation.
and more than n Of them sneered
openly when reference was made to the
amazing character OF this browning
achievement of his. affecting to belittle
II. though for a fact II was truly mar
vellous. Such a one was Buck Topping
ton. a young man OF promise. who had
figured In several disturbances, acquit-
ting himself with credit. and who had
proved himself 10 be a poker player Of
parts. but who had not. up to the time
Of the incident now about to be related,
been fortunate enough to distinguish
Al---N A. -sA-s Al.aN H. ...wAt.lxr
deserved.
IT reckon mebbe this hyar Arkansas
City crowd is mo- r less OF a bluff." he
said. toploftily. when a group of gam
blers on one Of the boats conversed of
certain happenings admiringly.
"Mebbe So said an older man.
thoughtfully, but 1t takes c'nsid'able
nerve 70 to call a bluff sometimes.
'Tain't everybody what's qualified To- to
put up ag'in the combination what the
old man sho' is done got together. First
of, tn amt nobody on the river what
en- give Jim Blaisdell no p'ints on dealin'
an, secondly. tn amt nobody never
licked Joe Bassett into a reel fight. Then
they IL three huskies al'ays sets In with
'em, what en- hold Up their eend of a
argument tol'able good with guards or
guns either one.
.case of a tie" he continued after
q little pause, "the old man hlsself gently
stands by with 4 bungstarter."
"~Bungstarters aint such a much
said Toppington. still maintaining an
air of spurn. II ain't never saw
one of 'em what I was skeered OF
TO no ~'xtent."
"D'pends on who handles EN-" said
the other. 'Old man Greenlaw reckons
what hisn Is some s'perior 10 a gun
but I amt never met up with nobody
what helt no such opinion. Mebbe its
ali in the way he swings Il. They
say he's some quicker'n chain lightnin'.'
WELL" said Toppington with n trace
Of self-oonsciousness. he amt tn on'y
man on airth what's quick"
"N-no.' said the other. as IL no
Wishing to be unduly controversial. 'bu
hs's gently reckoned quicker. Tn AIM
nobody / knows on. 'thouten it's On,
Dye. what has the reputation the OLE
pan has"
'1Oh, One Eye!" exclaimed Topping,
cpn with a sudden outburst of wha,
misht have been thought 20 be jealousy
s~Weu, One Eye has done been thar re
peated. Amt her
s.Sho' has, said the other.
"An' hes done come back alive, ain
her
Tho other nodded.
IAN he brung back velvetr'
sUhhuh."
well. One Eye amt or'y just human
- fairs i en- make out" said Top