The sun., 1916-09-03

fasSf
Way II sounded to me. they want
no mention o. Greenvilie men. not
TIL yo' all got skeert. Sam. Mebbe
that gent the old man was talkip'
u done come from Little Rock, or
some'res. Mought be well to find out
40 havin' any argument"
well. o. cose, II that's 3d." said
Poarsall readily enough, 9TH aln't
nothin' mo- to be said" and he settled
back IN his chair as II entirely satis.
hed.
The old man. however. was still
provoked. "Yo' all didn't ought TO-
TO 'cuse nobody O. f~rivoling afo' yo'
knows" he said. testify. but he put
away his bungstarter.
Il donno whether Buck Packard
come I'm 0reenviile first on. or
whether he didn't" he said. as ono who
would not surrender Internationally.
Don't mako no p'tic'lar difference. II
he come I'm thar he didn't never say
so, but"
Showed c'nsld'able sense in that"
said Pcarsali.
Tho old man giared at him doubt
fully. but w~intcrbottom. for some UNI
explained reason. seemed anxious to
avoid strife.
was the gent q poker player7" ne
asked.
mot II he come I'm 0reenvilie. he
want" interposcd Pearsall. and the
old man grew purple In the face.
IF yo' all Ia hell-bent onto II, yo'
en- have IT," ne said explosively. but
II yo' wants to hear the story. YOU
keep yo' trap shet a while"
There IL little doubt that Pcarsall
would have spoken again. He was
very obstinate at times. But when
winterbottom said -Sho' DO" al II
he really 9 II, tho man who had
married a girl from Greenville shrug-
ged his shoulders and began filling his
pipe.
Seeing this. the old man produced
a cigar from his vest pocket and bit
It in two. One piece he ate and the
other he lighted. After that he said:
when Buck Packard como to
NatcheI. first OF he didn't know no
mo- bout draw pokcr'n a hound pup
o. the wilderness knows about the
plan o. salvation. but no hadn't been
thar long ofo' he seen what the only
way what they WAS to git into good
s'ciety was TO- to learn the game, an
lie done went at II manful.
They was three or 70 O h best
players they was In hatcher 'peared
to take c%'nsid'able int'rest n him
when they realized what he was amin
to do an they Was good naturcd
enough TO to give him lessons s
frequent s he cd raise the price OF q
stack. Feared like they didn't none
on EN- bcgrutch the time II took. nor
they didn't nobody say nothin' harsh
to him when he done made mistakes
like beginners gently does. N fact
they didn't say nothin'. Just left him
TO find u 70 hisself what the mis-
takes was
IT reckon mebbe II he hadn't "a had
some c'ns!d'able reso'ces TO money
when he begin. he wouldn't a went
fur afo' his edicat.on Il a been nipped
in the mud. but he done KEEP on a dig
gin an a buyin' an a putin his mind
70 the game till b.ineby he done begin
TO win out occasional. Not frequent.
~ co'se, but. of'n enough to nj Surage
him, an be.n' a p'sistent cuss BY dis
position he KEEP right on. They was
some few in Natchcz made q Twin
right easy TO a year or so. but after
that 'peared like he was liable to
s'po't hisself 'thouten havin' to go into
no lire o. business what required no
I hard work.
Then he 'peared to see a greet white
light son.c'res round. an he says to
me what he reckoned he was gitt!n'
mo- Of IA insight into the game n what
he done had afo'.
Looks to me- he avs n night
alter the game was over. an he hadn't
did as good as he reckoned he was
swiue to. like this yer poker game
was one what calls TO ~c'nsid'able mo-
skill n what no n man Is liable TO
have. all 20 his self. Pears like the
odds is too greet when IA man sets In
alone ag'in five or six
"'Yo' all IL now ready ! tells him
TO to b'sin go higher edication All
yo' Ia done learned &C fur Is on'y the
alphabeticle co'se. A man IL got to be
beat c'nsid'able in poker afo' he sees
how IT'S did. Pears like yo' all IL toll
able nigh ready 70 to boone \ expert
II yo' keeps on. but they amt many
what en- do II single handed. Takes
at least two good players TO- to make a
pertinent success
That's what ] been thinkin'.' he
says. an reckon IT'S about time ] got
back some o. them ~ill-gotten winnin's
what these hyar pirates is been takin
of'n me TO- c'nsid'able while. ! CIR
hold my own tol'able we'll now. but ]
reckon when I brings a new sucker
into the game. me an him en- just
about skin the gang alive. him bein
my brother. but nobody not KNOWN 1t,
"I done been spend!n' a couple o
lays a week learnin' him what these
crooks is bcen learn!n' me- he says
with a happy grin. an III amt nary
one on EN- got no mo nachul talent n
what he's got. I reckon this yer town
D Natchcz il Just about due 70 a
shak!n' up. an I got the earthquake
all p'parcd.' he says.
"'Itll sho' bc int'res.!n'.' l says. an
II sho' was Buck p'duced the sucker
neXt night. an the gang set in to ,o
him up. They done II all right. too. 70
his brother. what called hisself Stroth-
crs. didn't pear to know much mo \
what the hands was. He bet wild an
lose accordin'. but Buck win tol'ablo
nigh as much as he lose. SO tn invest
ment van ru'nous.
Blu the gang WAS 'ncouray ed an
the next night they was all out 70
blood. kDowcd what vas liable To- t.
be did. an | was loOkln' on, SO | lone
seen II my OWE self. 1t sho' was
'eXcit!n'.