登陆注册
5377300000027

第27章

CHEROKEE HALL.

"An' you can't schedoole too much good about him," remarked the Old Cattleman.Here he threw away the remnant of the principe, and, securing his pipe, beat the ashes there-out and carefully reloaded with cut plug.Inevitably the old gentleman must smoke.His tone and air as he made the remark quoted were those of a man whose convictions touching the one discussed were not to be shaken."No, sir," he continued; "when I looks back'ard down the trail of life, if thar's one gent who aforetime holds forth in Wolfville on whom Ireflects with satisfaction, it's this yere Cherokee Hall.""To judge from his conduct," I said, "in the hard case of the Wilkins girl, as well as his remark as she left on the stage, Ishould hold him to be a person of sensibilities as well as benevolent impulse."It was my purpose to coax the old gentleman to further reminiscence.

"Benev'lent!" retorted the old man."Which I should shore admit it!

What he does for this yere young Wilkins female ain't a marker.

Thar's the Red Dog man he lets out.Thar's the Stingin' Lizard's nephy; he stakes said yooth from infancy.'Benev'lent!' says you.

This party Cherokee is that benev'lent he'd give away a poker hand.

I've done set an' see him give away his hand in a jack-pot for two hundred dollars to some gent 'cross the table who's organizin' to go ag'in him an' can't afford to lose.An' you can onderscore it; a winnin' poker hand, an' him holdin' it, is the last thing a thoroughbred kyard-sharp'll give away.But as I says, I sees this Cherokee do it when the opp'sition is settin' in hard luck an'

couldn't stand to lose.

"How would he give his hand away? Throw it in the diskyard an' not play it none; jest nacherally let the gent who's needy that a-way rake in the chips on the low hand.Cherokee mebby does it this fashion so's he don't wound the feelin's of this yere victim of his gen'rosity.Thar's folks who turns sens'tive an' ain't out to take alms none, who's feelin's he spar's that a-way by losin' to 'em at poker what they declines with scorn direct."'Benev'lent,' is the way you puts it! Son, 'benev'lent' ain't the word.This sport Cherokee Hall ain't nothin' short of char'table.

"Speakin' wide flung an' onrestrained, Cherokee, as I mentions to you before, is the modestest, decentest longhorn as ever shakes his antlers in Arizona.He is slim an' light, an' a ondoubted kyard-sharp from his moccasins up.An' I never knows him to have a peso he don't gamble for.Nothin' common, though; I sees him one night when he sets ca'mly into some four-handed poker, five thousand dollars table stake, an' he's sanguine an' hopeful about landin' on his feet as a Cimmaron sheep.Of course times is plenty flush in them days, an' five thousand don't seem no sech mammoth sum.Trade is eager an'

values high; aces-up frequent callin' for five hundred dollars before the draw.Still we ain't none of us makin' cigarettes of no sech roll as five thousand.The days ain't quite so halcyon as all that neither.

"But what I likes speshul in Cherokee Hall is his jedgement.He's every time right.He ain't talkin' much, an' he ain't needin' advice neither, more'n a steer needs a saddle-blanket.But when he concloodes to do things, you can gamble he's got it plenty right.

"One time this Cherokee an' Texas Thompson is comin' in from Tucson on the stage.Besides Cherokee an' Texas, along comes a female, close-herdin' of two young-ones; which them infants might have been t'rant'lers an' every one a heap happier.Sorter as range-boss of the whole out.fit is a lean gent in a black coat.Well, they hops in, an' Cherokee gives 'em the two back seats on account of the female an' the yearlin's.

"'My name is Jones,' says the gent in the black coat, when he gets settled back an' the stage is goin', I an' I'm an exhortin'

evangelist.I plucks brands from the burnin'.'

"'I'm powerful glad to know it,' says Texas, who likes talk.'Them games of chance which has vogue in this yere clime is some various, an' I did think I shorely tests 'em all; but if ever the device you names is open in Wolfville I overlooks the same complete.'

"'Pore, sinkin' soul!' says the black-coat gent to the female; 'he's a-flounderin' in the mire of sin.Don't you know,' he goes on to Texas, 'my perishin' friend, you are bein' swept downward in the river of your own sinful life till your soul will be drowned in the abyss?""'Well, no,' says Texas, 'I don't.I allows I'm makin' a mighty dry ford of it.'

"'Lost! lost! lost!' says the black-coat gent, a-leanin' back like he's plumb dejected that a-way an' hopeless.'It is a stiff-necked gen'ration an' sorely perverse a lot.'

"The stage jolts along two or three miles, an' nothin' more bein'

said.The black-coat gent he groans occasionally, which worries Texas; an' the two infants, gettin' restless, comes tumblin' over onto Cherokee an' is searchin' of his pockets for mementoes.Which this is about as refreshin' to Cherokee as bein' burned at the stake.But the mother she leans back an' smiles, an' of course he's plumb he'pless.Finally the black.coat gent p'ints in for another talk.

"'What is your name, my pore worm?' says the black-coat gent, addressin' of Texas; 'an' whatever avocation has you an' your lost companion?'

"I Why,' says Texas, 'this yere's Hall--Cherokee Hall.He turns faro in the Red Light; an',' continues Texas, a-lowerin' of his voice, 'he's as squar' a gent as ever counted a deck.Actooally, pard, you might not think it, but all that gent knows about settin' up kyards, or dealin' double, or anv sech sinful scheme, is mere tradition.'

"'Brother,' says the female, bristlin' up an' tacklin' the black-coat gent, 'don't talk to them persons no more.Them's gamblers, an'

mighty awful men;' an' with that she snatches away the yearlin's like they's contam'nated.

同类推荐
  • 台案汇录庚集

    台案汇录庚集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 古方汇精

    古方汇精

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 时古对类

    时古对类

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说乐璎珞庄严方便经

    佛说乐璎珞庄严方便经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 慈禧及光绪宾天厄

    慈禧及光绪宾天厄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 三界主角群

    三界主角群

    江小花无意中得到了一台来自异星科技的超能手机,从而人生大转变。超能手机上面,有无穷数的应用,下载之后,主角不但可以随意来往穿梭于现实世界与虚拟世界,更可以将虚拟世界中的人物角色具化携带到现实世界之中!甚至在后面,还可以穿梭异星文明世界,获取无穷的权限和超能力。不过这些权限都需要主角一层层去解锁,开启应用。每一款应用下载都需要“付费”。而费用根据所下载应用的等级和权限,则是对应主角的软妹币和异星币。甚至那些传奇应用,更需要付出生命源点进行开启。校花哥屌炸天的逆袭之旅,就这样华丽丽开启了。
  • 白话聊斋

    白话聊斋

    语文新课标指定了中小学生的阅读书目,对阅读的数量、内容、质量以及速度都提出了明确的要求,这对于提高广大学生的阅读写作能力,培养语文素养,促进终身学习等具有深远的意义。现代中、小学生不能只局限于校园和课本,应该广开视野,广长见识,广泛了解博大的世界和社会,不断增加丰富的现代社会知识和世界信息,才有所精神准备,才能迅速地长大,将来才能够自由地翱翔于世界蓝天。否则,我们将永远是妈妈怀抱中的乖宝宝,将永远是温室里面的豆芽菜,那么,我们将怎样走向社会、走向世界呢?
  • 雷锋1940—1962

    雷锋1940—1962

    从新中国激情燃烧的岁月里走出来的雷锋,恰像是一个“共和国长子” 式的角色。他代表了热情建设社会主义、努力朝着共产主义前进的“无私奉献”的红色一代,发生在他身上的一切对于中国当代年轻人来讲,显得神秘而遥远。 这个让人如雷贯耳的雷锋,当年并不是一个落伍的人。其实雷锋一直都是共和国五六十年代的潮流先锋,他戴红领巾、主动回乡当农民、当政府公务员、学开拖拉机、喜爱拍照片、发表文章、成为炼钢工人、穿皮夹克戴手表、参加解放军、学习《毛泽东选集》……毫无疑问,雷锋的生活正是那个时代的主流生活;而革命,也是那个年代的时尚生活的重要内容。
  • 涩妃VS邪王

    涩妃VS邪王

    在移动手机阅读平台上使用的名称为《涩妃VS邪王》
  • 护你,以爱之名

    护你,以爱之名

    他们的相识从一场异地地震灾区的相遇开始。自那惊鸿一瞥,爱慕的花朵在她的心间悄然绽放。而她却不知,从捡起那个U盘的瞬间,两个人的命运就紧紧的联系在了一起。所有的危险开始无孔不入的渗入她的生活。她因他而开始变得不幸,危险接踵而至,唯一的亲人也惨遭歹人毒手。原以为生命中最后一束爱情的篝火能够照亮她的未来,却不曾想更大的磨难正在等待着她。面对那布满荆棘似乎总是斩不断的光明之路,面对黑暗势力的重重打击与摧残,他们的爱情能否固若金汤?
  • 末世基金会

    末世基金会

    末日来了,很多人都觉醒了很牛“哔”的异能。但步茗崩溃ing——这个攻击为零的基金会究竟是个什么鬼啊?为什么还要和十二个人抢当“董事长”啊!?全篇黑暗系,略重口,反套路,这是一个不一样的末世。 又名《东西方超自然文化在末世的碰撞》及《全世界人都有超能力》 ps.征集章节名,欢迎各位留言。
  • 总裁请守约

    总裁请守约

    7年前的一场意外,她身受重伤,再回国已然失忆。7年前的约定,他依然遵守,然而她却爱上了别人,他如何去夺回她的心。项漠手捧一束蓝色妖姬,站在玫瑰花瓣铺成的爱心桃上,对面商场的落地荧光屏上不断的闪烁着一句话:Mylover,凌雪嫁给我。项漠单膝跪地,举起自己设计的戒指“雪儿,嫁给我。”然而,凌雪却一直紧盯着荧光屏上的Mylover,这一幕好像在哪里见过,低下头困惑地看着项漠……
  • 折狱龟鉴

    折狱龟鉴

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 关河梦

    关河梦

    楼船夜雪瓜州度,铁马秋风大散关。一举收复关河洛,不知消得几分愁。
  • 静如默竹笑颜如丹

    静如默竹笑颜如丹

    原来我跨越时空就是为了遇见你我们互相治愈.