The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-06-18
4 MAN GREENLAW
TELLS POKER YARN

settlement subsequent to the game.
and as evidence Of his good faith he
set them up. While they were stir
drinking they heard the whistle Of an
approaching boat. and the stranger
said, hopefully:
He mought be comm now. II he
does. he'll be comm In hyar right
soon. I'll keep a lookout on the
levee. an come round AE'in. say In
a hour or so. By that time yO' all
kin git all he's got onto him. II yo'
understands the game"
"YO' needn't have no Rpprehcn.
sion bout that" said old mar Green
law. and the stranger went out. leSv-
Ing him alone.
This yer sho' is what l calls provi.
Dental" he unused. as he bit a cigar
in two and lighted one end OF It. after
TO- them boss thieves Dustin loose
the boy d "a been hyar. an I'd "a
had to split that wad with them 'sted
o. glttin' the hull Of 1t my ownself.
StRggcrs into the Place.
RGgaling himself with these releC-
tions and his cigar. he sat for Il con-
siderable time, devoutly hoping that
no casual customer would enter tho
place before his business with Judge
Hardy and his son could be COnclud-
cd. and II may as well be said now
as any time that his hopes in this
particular were realized. for It. was
no very long time before an elderly
person bearing visible and unmistak.
able signs Of what might be taken
for inebriatiOn entered the saloon
alone.
Looking around inquiringly, this
person seemed TO realize that he was
whore his thirst might be assuaged.
and lurching unsteady toward the
bar he said, Lets liquor"
No valid objection to this sugges-
ton seemed to occur Immediately to
old nan Greeulaw. and he produced
the requisites. But when, after TAX
ing the one drink, the newcomer
promptly proposed another. he said:
II reckon mebbe yo' all is done
had enough already"
NO" said the other gravely, II
may, perhaps, have had too much, but
l certainly have not had enough. In
fact, l can truthfully say that | do
not remember that ! ever had enough,
My desire for more appears to be In.
satiable."
Had Had EcnOugh.
Don't make no difference how in.
suitable It's" said old man Green
law sternly. "yo' all amt gwine to
git nc mo- right now. Let all things
be did decent an orderly, as the good
book says. Yo' en- set hyar a spell
II yo' like. an II that un wears of
mebbe yo' mought have n other bine-
by, but | don't sell to a man
what shows tn effects like yo' all
shO' does. That's the law, an I'm
a law 'bidin' citizen If I do keep a
s'loon."
That's the trouble with all the
saloonkeepers in Helena" replied the
stranger, with much bitterness. They
know the law in that respect as well
as do and they realize that II they
sell me all l want they are liable to
be prosecuted for It. And when tho
case comes before me my oath Of of
nc compels me to punish them. And
that's the reason why | am compelled
to travel from time to time,
But what am l to do?" he con.
tinued. His tone was still bitter, but
n plaintive note crept into II. and he
seemed almost ready to weep. There
isn't but one thing that serves TO nit
igate the pangs l suffer when the de-
sire for drink dominates me II / can
lind a poker game anywhere, | cam
sit In and distract my mind for al
time. but otherwise I suffer. Lord.
how l do suffer-"
No Violation of Law.
They Is some what pears TO git
distracted when they sets into AL
game said old man Greenlaw, very
thoughtfully, but that's long o. they
bein' too many into it. Now, II me
an yo' was to have a little fr~eezeouti
all by ourselfs yO' all mOught gir shut
O. yo' troubles TO- a spell, an mebbe
yo' mind d git mo- cam like, so "a
t yo' cd git mo- Liquor 'thouteu vi
latin the law. sh'd say II was wuth
tryin', anyway"
1t certainly would be said the
other with great fervor. 'If you
would be willing to play o would
render me a great service. They
won't let me play on the boats" And
here his voice became uuerulous. M
was n flexible one.
We'll, tn amt no law agin Joker
not in Arkansas. tn amt" said old
man Greenlaw, cheerfully. "An' II
yO' all is hell bent into a game | dun
NO but what l mought 'commodate
yo'. This yer's n public house, a n |
aims to please. On'y, o. co'se, they
mought be Interruptions. II anybody
comes in TO- a drink I'd have to tend
to EN-, but just nachally yo' all d be
included II they was TO treat, so meb.
be yo all wouldn't mind. l wouldn't
be sellin' yo' all nothin,' SO they
wouldn't be no law broke"
Il wouldn't mind that in the least"
said the other earnestly, and accord
ingly the old man got out cards and
chips and started for back room
OF the saloon, where there was a Ia
Bile that could be used to play on.
But the stranger said:
What's the use Of chips among
two players? We a play with mon.
ey Just as we'll. and a v trouble"
Unable TO Make Killing.
So the old man put the chips back.
1t seemed evident from the very
beginning OF the game that the
NJ Hn "a 9nw vg...