The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-09-17
Curtis Writes Another of His
Poker Yarns about the Old
Man GreenIaW.
az DAVID 4. CURrISa

(By DAVID A. CURTIS.)
Arkansas City, during the time when
Old Man Grcenlaw kept saloon on
the only street there which existed
permanently was not much frequcnted
as a summer resort. Even then there
were at intervals what appeared to
have been designed for streets, else
where than along the levee, where
the saloon was. They were used as
thoroughfares. however. only inter-
mittently Much of the time the
floods covered them so that the sa-
loon was the only place to go TO.
Even when there was respite in
flood conditions there was nowhere
else to go, so that the main industries
of the place naturally found center
in the saloon. These industries were
only two in number, but between the
profits Of the practical monopoly Of
the liquor trade which the old man
enjoyed and the greater, but less con-
slant profits Of the poker game. in
which he had large interest. he eked
out a living and was believed to have
accumulated a considerable surplus.
At all events, he never seemed to be
short OF money. If Arkansas City had
been much frequented as a sumner
resort, il is highly probable that he
might have become inordinatcly
wealthy, but, as was said, ii was not
50 frequented.
Never Truly Resort.
Neither can 1t be truthfully de-
scribed as a resort at any season OF
the year. Such as 1t was, 1t was toll
cradle well known, and for the most
part intelligent people stayed away
from It, Those who went there were
either impelled by business necessity
or usually were the victims OF mtsap-
prehension.
Finding themselves there, they al
ways went away from there at the
earliest opportunity, but there would
naturally be an interval between the
time OF their arrival and Of their de-
parture and the duration of that in
terval was always uncertain. The IA
cilitles for travel were limited. Boats
stopped there sometimes and II was
sometimes n railroad terminal. At
other times 1t was not. That would be
when there was flood
The lo'.dng population Of Arkansas
able, except at such times as there
were floods Then i was larger, even
though there were fewer visitors 1t
has been alleged that web footed chill
dren have been born in Arkansas City.
SO intelllgently does nature provide
for the contingencies of existence.
Provided for Contingencies.
Old man Greenlaw was also intelli-
gent in some respects and he also
provided for contingencies with con-
siderable wisdom, in that he always
kept ready for immediate use a serv-
iceable bungstarter, Of which more
anon.
A man came into his saloon one day
and looked around. There was moth
ing in what he saw that impressed
him by its novelty. The room was
neither very large nor very small. 1t
contained bar OF the usual appear
ance with two shelves behind 1t, on
which stood bottles and glasses. There
were three or four large oil lamps and
half a dozen chairs there besides
few windows and door which evil
IDENTIFY opened into back room II was
Just such a saloon as might have been
found near the waterfront in any OF
the towns along the Mississippi river
There was nothing else to look at eX-
cepting the five men who sat there
using tobacco. There had been some
conversation few minutes before and
the dove OF peace had gone elsewhere.
The poor bird was lean from over
much fitting. but of course the stran-
ger did not see that.
SorUtiniyn tLa Sfruntvnr