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Show BUCK MURDOCH LEAVES hi5 MONEY ANDJMAN5A6 CITY Proves Himself to Lack Congruity, in the Opinion of the Usual Crowd at Old Man Greenlaw's Place. By DAVID A. CUKTIS. IT was evitlent from tho first, though at first not even old ni;in OirceuUiw himself could see tho evidonco. that Buck Murdoch was a misfit in the company of huskies into which ho had obtruded himself when ho came to Arkansas City. At first, as implied, he pot along with the old man excellently well, and the four outlaws who made the old man's little saloon on the levee their constant resort accepted his companionship without with-out protest. His jovial ways, and, above all, the melodramatic act he performed per-formed at the time of his joining their company commended him to their hearty liking. So, for a time, there was harmonious har-monious hilarity. Hif;h jinks ensued of a wholly unrefined character. . As time went on, however, II r. Murdoch. Mur-doch. 's popularity waned. He had been from tho beginning incomprehensible to all of them excepting 1'earsall. Old man Greenlaw especially regarded it as entirely .beyond the limits of reason that a man in the prime of life, as Mr. Murdoch certainly was, should hand over almost all his earthly possessions to the husband of his niece, as Mr. Mur-dock Mur-dock had done. Hatred of the nephew that would otherwise inherit was perhaps a palliation pallia-tion of the deed, but the old man could not see that even a perfectly natural hatred was any excuse for such mad behavior. Neither could Jake Winter-bottom, Winter-bottom, nor Jim Blaisdell, nor Joe Bas-sett, Bas-sett, when they came to thiuk it over. Bounty Appreciated. To Sam Pcarsall, however, such a thought never presented itself. His newly found uncle's bountv. was certainly unexpected. un-expected. He hod not for a Ions time believed be-lieved that anybody from Greenville, and more especially anybody related to the Murdoch family, was capable of anything so gracious. But at the bottom of his heart he considered con-sidered his newly acquired fortune to be a tardy recognition by an overruling Providence of the Justice that demanded ome compensation to liim for the sufferings suffer-ings lie hail t idured by reason of bis having hav-ing married into the family mentioned. He would undoubtedlv liave admitted, if the point had been raised, that Mr. -1 Hi-dock was eccentric. Almost everybody every-body whs more or less eccentric, according accord-ing to his way of thinking, but he would hiicc resented hotly any suggestion that Ills bcnetaclor was lacking in judgment. His opinion as to .Mr. Murdock's judgment judg-ment was strongly confirmed when the iatier refused to make his home In the i-'enrsali household. "I reckon I'll slay in Arkansas City fo a suell, he said, "but I'd rather live peaceable. I've got enouqh to ockipy my mind hatin' Sally's brother, an' if I was to meet up with her again, now she's done gol to be a ma'ied woman, mo'n likely I'd !:ave mo'n I c'd tend to. "Me an' her is all that's left o' the tambly now. an' I'd a heap drather keep Inendly. o' all c'n do me a good turn Sam. if yo' was to say nothin' to her bout me beir.' In town." Wife Kept in Dark. Mrs. Pearsall was therefore kept in ignorance ol the prosperity that had come '? "err husoand as a partial indemnification indemnifica-tion for wn i; he had endured, and without with-out her privity Mr. Murdock staved on m Arkansas City, but presently, as was, said, lus popularity waned. There was nothing against him. Not even Kasselt. gifted as he was in the Instinct In-stinct or strife, could find a peg on which to hang a quarrel with the big, impulsive open-handed man who was scattering the small remnant of his fortune which he had retained for his own use as freely as it it weie of no more consequence to him than it formerlv had been. "1 reckon I c'n al'ays pick up a livin' at the poker table," he said carelessly when old man Greenlaw remonstrated wun him. lie had grieved and shocked the old man by throwing a half dollar to a darkey. "O' co'se I ain't liable to do it in -r-kansas City," he continued with a grin "I reckon ninh 'bout all the cotton's done been picked 'round hvar a 'ready. But they's other towns, whar they ain't so much native talent, an" I c'n' go to them afo' I'm stone broke." And the old man was forced to admit that, although he was not qualified to sit in against the Arkansas City crowd, he might do fairly well as a crossroads piker. Since Mr. Murdock was not worrying wor-rying there was no occasion for him to oo it, but it grieved him to the heart to see money wasted. "That fo' bits." he said, "mought come in mighty handy if yo' all was to meet tin with three' friends an' have to set 'era up." he said. He Didn't "Congrue." But Murdock only lac-herl. "Time enough to bellyache over that," he retorted, -'when it comes mv turn to set-'em up. Just about now I reckon it's up to the house. Thev's been aev'ral rouiiiis took recent." But tlie old man Ignored this, tlmugh the others grinned appreciatively. They knew the old mnn pretty well, and they bleed Murdock. though for some reason which they did not understand they ii'-d him less than they had at first. "! reckon it must be lone; o' him bein" kymd o' inenngr'ous." said the olrl man one day in Murdock's absence, Pearsall heinsr also away. "He don't 'pear to c'narue with we uns somehow. "Thnt ain't to say what it's nothin' asr'in him. I reckon he was a tol'ahle too,i citizen in Greenville, but Greenville ain't noihin hut a country town, a'ter all. A man what's hriins? up in the country coun-try ain't to be 'xpected to c'nprrue into no such nlace as Arkansas City." "Yo' all done come f'm Greenville yo own so'i". nidn't yo'?" said Jake Winter-bottom, Winter-bottom, delivering; the thrust with an air of innocence.. "When 1 was ynun:? T lived thar.' admitted ad-mitted the old man with lofty Indifference. Indiffer-ence. "But 1 done omsrowed the place. Prob'ly M unlock ain't pro wed up yet. T reckon he won't never 'thouten he takes a fresh start." Even in Arkansas City time poes right on. thou'-rh few of the citizens seem to j realize the fact, and it kept soinc; on when i Vr. Mur-Ioek was there. Not much of it r passed, though, before even Sam Pearsall j '-viid thru his unrle-at-lnw was indeed ln-'on:-i.iu:s, as old mnn Greenlaw had said. Slightly Resented. ' P.im saw it when Murdock said to him cenily, tlie two heinsr alone: "fam, o' uns ion" i pr:ar to play poker in Ar-knr.sas Ar-knr.sas City t he same way what I was leirnpd fo' to." j "As how?" said Pearsall rather curtly. No professlonM poker player is likely ; i to bo tolerant of any discussion as to Ids; ! p!?.y. Murdo'k h;id not joined in tlie! j-r.imp sinL'p the evenins: of his arrival, I !'v;t lie had seen one or two frames in j which outsiders had suffered somewhat "W,!l. fo' one th'nsr," said Murdock, ' "it look? to me like yo'uns kyind o' leans onto each othr fo' spo't. Way I was Varncd ev'rv man's 'xpected fo' to - ';i v u ' o'vn -v: pis irrecva rdiess o who ; ''is wh,:'.s r''in" ae'in him. An' 'tain't ,-'.-s;d.:--d "I-.;- fo" no two or mo" to " 'f'-c. ..'!' .'.-'in onr." t;.:i t 's r'ii." said Pam promptly. " 'T in't pr-t r did. Two to one ain't -. fair, nohow, lo'n thn:, 'rain't leiti-r;.'t'. leiti-r;.'t'. not in poker 'tain't. What made o' .iV re"kin t'iev was anv o' we'uns I .a:--Mo o' ricrb--- that?" "U'c!!." said f-irdo -k. a little doubt-f'i!!v, doubt-f'i!!v, "I dtnc s"cn yo" all raise the pot ! :-"-r rd-';: v. ro,v;n' when Winierhot- j rn-- nn' '? ;'.d:e Wappood was the on'y -r'..-, ,,u;ro done opened the pot nn ! T;.t;r. '-j-r. p'Tsctt and F.:aideil both . "'-; i ;in vo" r i. 1 1 it a boost. All's vV h id wa:; kink' hi ii. fo' I done seen ,V hi"! j "L .'.:. j I: he yo' all was aimin' to ! li scourae-i the 'Squire, so's't Winterhot-tom'd Winterhot-tom'd -.Mil, him L--in" mu' of a in end o' yfju'n 'n the 'r-qune was. Then ween t!ic 'Squirt drnpii.-d .lake bet, tin' yo' ail lose in t" rest into it." Virtuously Indignant. "UVH," ;i it! iVarsail, "tl.at was re.s'ktr enollil1 wasn't it?" His air was one ol" in uous !nd:yua tion. "Mehhfc it was rt-'lar," retorted Mr. Murdock, "but It s'lio Wis s pit lut.s, Looked like yo' ad an' Jake v. as ui ca-tiOuis." ca-tiOuis." "Mu'in'iit a looked s'picious," admittcvl 3a;n, eiden;ly undesirous of :tny haid feeling. "buL yo' all didn't 0'.il,iu fu lo he hayty :n yo' jedment. Mebne 1 dune n.adc a mistake playm' like i dune, but I waa reck inn' on bluft'In' em ouih oui. I bluffs c'nsiu'ale wnen 1 plays. TIT ain't no law aa'in that, is they?" "No," said Murdock, "but if yo' all was reely bluiim' yo' done tjok a almighty al-mighty po' time fo' to du it. Yu' knov,-d tiiey was butii strontjer n yo' ail tts. an' Jake, havin rose the opener, .-hu' ' was terrible oulikeiy to lay dowi. "Pears like it was u inonstrouH pu' play." "I reckon 'twas,'' said Pearsall meekly. "Tlie best players makes mistakes." But as booii as he could et away from his uncle he went to the old man in private. pri-vate. "Yo all wants to keep meddlers f'm Snoopln' round in the hack room when j they's a game on," he said, angrily. " t can't say nothin' my own self when it's I Murdock, hut yo' all c'n make a house rule what 'II keep him out. He's done been pickin' on me long o' me startin' a Eeesaw with Jake when the 'Sguire opened the pot," Then it was that the old man declared that Mr. Murdock was incongruous. "He has his good p'ints," tie admitted, "hut that ain't to say that he c'n he 'lowed to bust up my game. I reckon, though, what th' ain't no 'caslon fo' to 'dopt no ha'sh measures. He c'n he reasoned rea-soned with, first off, seein' he's sot considerable con-siderable of a wad left, an' th ain't no Benee in drlvln' him away afo' lie's done spent it. Mebbe yo' all mought git him to set In again." Thought It Unlikely. Mr. Pearsall thought it extremely unlikely un-likely that he woidd sit in. "Ain't I done told yo' what he's 'spicious a' ready?" he said. "He ain't no fool, not altogether he ain't. Stands to reason he won't set into no game he's s'picious of, but Just nachuily I don't want film to get no po' 'pinion o' me, an' I won't stand fo' him snoopln". Yo" all is got to keep him out'n the room when they's a game," "That'll be did, o' co'se," said the oid man, "but it 'II be did diplomatic. I can't affo'd to lose what money he's got left." Ills indignation was not less than Pearsall's. but well, anyhow, he didn't care to act too hastily. Accordingly, he engaged Mr. Murdock in conversation at tlie first opportunity. "I think a heap o' Jim Blaisdell," he said abruptly, "an' I wouldn't like to see him git riled about nothin', but he sho' is try In at times. He's hell roarin' touchy 'bout trifles." "What's eatin' him?" asked Murdock with some reserve. "Well, Jim's a artist an' he's got temper' tem-per' men t. 'Pears lie don't like nobody outside n the game lookin' on too clost while he's at work. Artists is thata-way." thata-way." "I sh'd imagine what he'd be some sensitive," said Mr. Murdock drily. He bad taken particular notice of Mr. Blais-dell's Blais-dell's dealing several times, though he bad not considered it worth while to comment on it. "He is." said the old man, ignoring the other's tone, "an' he's done ast me fo' to make a house rule ag'in anybody lookin' on what ain't into the game." Assents to Rules. "House rules goes," said Mr. Murdock promptly enough, "an' I ain't one to put up no kick. They's a heap o' things goes in Arkansas City what mousht atfo'd some 'caslon fo' remarks, but I dunno's I feel called on fo' to make 'em. 'Pears like the principal thing fo' me to do, now Pa done "ranged the bulk o' my earthly 1 affairs,- Is to live peaceable, an' I dunno but what 1 c'n do It som'er else full as well's I kin 'round hyar." "Th' ain't no call fo" to leave town," said the old man. "Me an' yo' c'n set hyar peaceable if yo' all don't lteer to jine in when they's a game. I reckon thev won't be nothin' to d'sturb yo' all." "Well," said Mr. Murdock, without enthusiasm, en-thusiasm, "I mought try it fo' a spell. I hain't made no other plans, ivd yet." In pursuance of this one the two sat smoking in sociable silence for several evenings thereafter while poker went on in the back room and the dove of peace b rood ed a bo ve the bar. But at a late hour on the following Saturday the bird roused himself suddenly and fled with a loud squawk as the old man seized his bungs tarter and started for the back room. Mr. Murdock's attention being arrested by these happenings he looked up and beheld an exciting scene. Mr. Bassett was grappling with an infuriated in-furiated stranger who was loudly asserting assert-ing his claim to a pot that seemed to have been the subject of dispute. Apparently Ap-parently there was little doubt as to the issue oX the struggle, but while the others looked on quietly the old man swung his bungstarter. Soon after the stranger was thrown out. "I reckon I'll go away fr m hyar some'ers, Sam." said Mr. Murdock on the morning- of the Sabbath. "Arkansas City don't "pear to be no place fo' a man to be alone Into, an' me an' yo' c'n be just as good friends if we don't see each other no mo'." of .ci'icm'c and ability and pracrice in sell c.prf--iui: ; a 10 with pow er to solve las 0 n problems. A . Sol'. .WKM EXT?. The La: ay cite l'areut Teacher a-so-ciation wiU hold it iu-xt meeting ai i he l.ui'aycite school Thursday, iX-eem-ber 1J, at :.:-: p. in. Mif-s Ange.a IV r- ' ris oi trie puiuir library will a.idress the nicciiii un Tee t'-e ui the Library; aud iiViCi-iMii ui Hooks. ' .She will bru. 1 vwth her a coMeetion of uuos. yu in- ! spt-tiun oi .ii-h wi;l bo nm.-t nclpl'rl : to parents m selecting holiday -itts. Ail 1 patrons and others intercMci arc urucd j to be present, j Attention i once more called to the j meeting of tho home and .school section! of the 1" i ah Ediu at ional association. Thin-. lay morning, i v.-eniuer Li, at L I oVloi-k, in the nallroem. Hotel Uiah.j The Hume and School kano postponed) its regular Hoc em oer nirc i ag in order 1 that it? members might attend' (hi- meet ing. The prugi'aninie will to as follows: L opening audress. .Yii. W. M. Mew-art, Mew-art, piCsiuecl; fcocretuiy "s report, Mrs. John Z. Hrow n ; S, louml tabic, Mr.-, tlcorge M. Bacon, leader; (a) 'I'arcut-Teaaicr 'I'arcut-Teaaicr Associations A Duty and :r; Opportunity m t'ity and Country"; (b) ' ' I' ieids of Activity Local. Hciierm. Community .Service''; (d) " Oiihiculties City and Country ' '; (d) ' How Hil'li-culties Hil'li-culties Have Been Met City and Country''; Coun-try''; (e) " feasibilities in Development of Parent -Teacher Associat ions Open Way to Local Press"; definitely planned programmes and time for meetings iu each district or county; a central agency nece;;-.ary ; is the home and school section sec-tion this logical agency; -lj business meeting. The home economics committee of the league desires to call the attention of all members of Parent-Teacher associations associa-tions to the following meetings of the home economics section of the Utah Educational association, scheduled for Thursday, December 21, at - p. m., iu Barratt hall : "The I'ood Problem, ' ' lieua B. Maycock and Blanche too per; 7:ii'J p. m., in Barvatt hall. "Milk and Mentality,' ' Fred W. Merrill, dairy expert. ex-pert. These addresses will be of inestimable ines-timable value td every parent, and it is hoped that league members will hear one or both of them. Admission is free. Programme for boys' and girls' matinee mat-inee at the Paramount-Empress theater Saturday, December Hi, 10:1a a. m.: Marv Pickford in "Little Pal"; "Miss Nanny Coat Becomes an Aviator"; Dit-mar's Dit-mar's zoo pictures. |