Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-22
LEARNS TO PLAY POKER
AND REDEEMs FAMILY
Billy Witlers Applies Himself Most
AssiduOusly to the
GRmc.
TAKES TOO MANY CHANCES
Deacon Pettigrow Finally Catches
Him ut 1t, So He Tells Jury, Which
Acquits Him on the Ground of
Self-DcfcnSe.
ny DAVID A. CURTIS.

And here he paused. Indicating by his
manner that he had for once come
across problem too intricate for him
to understand clearly. 1t seemed to
trouble him.
'Theys been Il heap said" he con-
tinusd finally, "c'ncernin' Job havin'
been n ALFRED patient man. long O
tho Lawd hav!n' done smit him with
To- bilcs, but ! done had six on 'em
now inside o three months. an Amt
discovered what thcy's anythin bout
bile what makes a man patient. nor
hain't found what they is any good
place TO to have 'em. Pears like they
must he sumpin' wrong"
"Oh, don't know" said Mr.. Owen
Pepper in an airy, triling manner II
al'ays found what they was one place
what man en- have n bile onto what
don't cause him no inconvenience to
speak Of"
where's that?' demanded the old
man sharply. He was not always toll
Grant Of Mr.. Peppers remarks.
Onto other mans neck" said Mr..
Pepper. Then he went away from
there.
Some time afterward the old man re-
turned to the little saloon in Arkansas
City which he conducted. and i'll which
his bungstarter back in the corner
where he always kept II, he sat down
and breathed heavily.
THE wicked fees when they amt
| nobody p'sun' of EN-" he said. but
It's some different with Pepper. When
he sets in the sloon I'm gently re-
minded o the man in the Good Book
what went into temple To- to pray.
He done give thanks 70 not bein' like
what other men was. Pears like
cordin TO that Pepper d ought TO TO
be prayin' most o the time stead O
settin round maxim painful impress
sions."
"Spenkin' o. biles." said Sam Pear
SAIL they is times when man don't
give damn whether he has EN- or
not"
Not II he's sober, they amt" de-
clared the old man very positively
We'll" retorted Pcarsall. "he amt
liable TO- to be sober much o. the time
IL he's married"
SILENCE Is BROKEN
Bf JAKE wINTERBOTTOM
Nobody seemed TO think OF any ade-
Quate rejrindcr TO this. and gloomy ST.
Iencc ensucd. II was broken soon after
ward by Jake wintcrbottom, who said
| In discouraged way:
u alays Regarded "A s'loon as q
place TO TO be jovial into. Pears like
this I'm is sittin' to he c'nsid'abic like
IL mo- ers bench at camp mcetin'.
what with matrimony an hilcs am
SIGH. reckon everybody Isl got troubles
OF his own. done got wounded my
ownself into the wah. but don't never
p'rade the scyar. Pears like it's mo-
decent Ike to keep things like that 10
yo'self'
"Gawd knows" said PearsaI earn
es,ly. Il don't feel like I was pradin'
nothln' long o nein' foccd to 'chnowl-
edge what IS Il married man"
NO" satd the old man. who also
seemed to fec! the sting OF Wintcrhot-
TOMS rcbuke' nor they can, nobody
say what Is done put none o thcm
six biles on exhibition. reckon | en-
suffer silent AN be strong IS well S
the next hut It's al'ays hathaway
TITS like what the Good Book says:
Drink an they's themll drink with
go IL alone Pears like If "a man hap
pens To dcludc to "a tribilation what's
| 9ribilatin OF him, all lie gifts is n en-
tcmpchous boot"
We'll" said jim Blaisdell coolly. II
Aain't never seen yo' all display no
what's done lose his wad into n game
O poker"
That's how little 20 knows" re-
torted the old man with much heat.
my heart aches TO- 'em, mo- special
when they pears to bo a chanel o they
their spot I'm arays ready TO TO
give 'em boat fare ruther N To have
'em stay round under them circum-
Btants. It relieves my feelin's an
comes cheaper. bein's ! has to pay mo-
IN half tho taxes what's elected into
this yer town.
They was n cnspicyous 'Xhmple o
that In Grcenville when I was on'y n
young man what never forgot"
SIR. PEARSALL ORGANS
AND LEAVES SALOON
At this moment Mr.. Pcarsall groaned
dismally. and rising from his chair
left the saloon.
pie" continued the old man. lie
want much diff'rent I'm none o the
other young fellers what was CROWN
up at the time, on'y his pa done n
elected his edication somepin' shame
full.
iziu' sense o. the obligations of par
emf, an lie hadn't never gave him no
instructions bout the fine p'ints o
poker. Consequently. Billy growed up
mo- r less ign'ant.
90 co'Sc they was some others III
the c'munity what learned him how to
play the game in a elementary kyind
of way, but just nachully they want
ptic'lar interested into his future, like
his pa ii ought TO to been, an they
didn't learn him no expert knowledge.
Just showed him enough SO g t he cd
set in an lose.
Worst Of it 'peared to be what he
had the Nnakin's Of player into him
on'y TO not havin' had no proper train
in. That come to he recliZed alter
wards when twas too late. Billy's
pa had done cashed in. afo' that. so he
never knowed what he done missed,
but the c'munity was learned greet
moral lesson what hain't never TO-
got. nor ] don't reckon what l never
will.
90 co'se. 'twa'n't nothin to me
whether Billy Withcrs ever mounted
TO nothin' or not. He want no kin O.
mine. nor he didn't owe me nothin'.
but he was sho 'nough quality, an I
aTays did go to see them that was
reel quality go wrong. Pears like
faint what the good Luwd done meant
TO- to happen when a man is bon into
that class. An Billy sho was bon
into 1t long o. his pa. what was ledge
hei bitrI,