The Clearwater "River"
'Twas a lonesome summer night along the creek. A lone wanderer rode into Rawlings and asked a local lady where the nearest tavern was, one where he could wet his whistle and spend the night in a warm bed. "To the Clearwater over yonder!" She said to him.
"Thank ya, kind lady." said the traveler as he tipped his cap and made his way down to the Clearwater Inn. He rode on up to the establishment and could here the fine sound of liquor being poured and the laughs of good ol' boys. Changing his dip, and tying up Patsie outside, he wandered on into the establishment with a cockeyed grin and some swagger in his step.
"Welcome to thee Clearwater stranger! What brings ye here tonite boy?" shouted the bartender.
Tipping his hat, and with a wide smile the wanderer spoke up "Well ides in thee neighborhood and needed to get me some good drink 'n sum place for me to rest tonight."
"Well ye have come to the right place, if I do say so meself! It'll be 1 Moon for the room on yer top right sonny!"
Striding up, the stranger pays up and gathers his belongs and takes them up to his new room before coming out around 10 minutes later to find a intense card game open before him. He sits down at the table, and cashes in.
"What's yer name there boy and what brings ya here? Ain't never seen you around these parts" asked mean lookin' middleaged man.
"Name's Bettencourt, Charles Bettencourt. You be right mister, I ain't never been around these parts but was hopin' for a good rest and some Moonman hospitality this faire night."
The mean lookin' man smiled and said "Well i say welcome to ye. Now, me name's James Stokes, but they'all know me as Big Jim." he chuckles "Now, mr. bettin'cort, I hope yer ready to lose all yer money cuz Big Jim ain't one to lose to outsiders."
"We shall be seein' 'bout that one Big Jim!"
2 hours later
Charles, being the scoundrel he was, was cheating the whole time with cards he hid up his sleeve. The bugger cheated so well these country bumpkins never knew what hit them! He had about reduced them to rags and had sent all of them home except for Big Jim. You see, Big Jim was a drinker and so was Charles. And there ain't nothin' worse than two drunkards playin' cards and one of the bastards cheatin'. Jim had lost about everything to this cheeky bastard and was getting fed up. He would win it all back and teach this son of a bitch a lesson.
The dealer dealt the men the cards and old Jimmy was looking good. He had an Ace of Spades and a King of Hearts. The Flop came:
Queen of Diamonds, Jack of Diamonds, 2 of Clubs
"Holy shit, I got this bastard now thought Jimmy." He gets out the very deed to his house and lays it on the table
"All in."
"Y-You sur-"
"Why yes I am Earl!"
"Very well, Big Jim."
"I call that one!" said Charles
Next came the Turn
9 of Hearts
"hahahaha, you feeling a little too cocky there boy? Earl, gimme us the fuckin' river and me the damn victory so I gets all me money back."
The River came:
10 of Diamonds
"Alright boys, show yer cards."
Jim showed his cards, he had a straight and he was smiling ear to ear knowing that son of a bitch could not have got-
Charles turns his cards over Ace of Diamonds and a King of Diamonds with a sly smile. A Royal Flush, about impossible to get.
Jim's face turns blood red. He knew something wasn't right and he knew this son of a bitch was cheatin'.
"YOU LYIN' THIEVIN' SUNABITCH ILL 'AVE YA SKINNED AN' YOUR HIDE TANNED!"
Jim flips the table and Charles grabs all of the money he can, including the deed to Jim's house while Jim pulls out his gun. The hidden cards fall out of Charles coat as he runs up the stairs to make his great escape. Jim screams "I KNEW IT!" and fires a shot at him with his pistol. Charles dodges it, grabs all of his possessions and jumps out the window into a haystack. He quickly runs over to his horse, only to find Jim waiting for him with a shotgun. Charles, however, pulls a classic trick.
He says "Now now, calm down, Jimmy. I'll get yer money back just give me a moment to get into me pockets. You win!" he puts his spurs into Patsie and she takes off "Gotcha halfwit! hahahahhaha. Cmon girl!"
Jim fires and misses "FUCKING CHEATING SCUM, ILL HUNT YOU down and kill..."
Charles is gone, with all the money, the deed to Jim's house and his possessions in 5 seconds. Jim tries to gather a posse to track this young trickster down, but by the time he gets the boys together, Charles is long gone. In fact, he is in the next county checking into an inn! Big Jim never would get him, and Charles went to bed that night a yet richer man, having cheated another foolish drunk out of his money. One day, he wouldn't half do this to survive, but he knew he still would. 'Twas too much fun for the rascal.