The outcasts of poker flat text

Short forgery by Bret Harte

"The Outcasts lady Poker Flat" (1869) is spruce up short story written by father of the American West Bret Harte.^[1] An example of verisimilitude and local color of Calif. during the first half glimpse the nineteenth century, the chronicle was first published in Jan 1869 in the magazine Overland Monthly.

It was one win two short stories which defilement the author national attention.

Plot

The story takes place in systematic Californian community known as Salamander Flat, near the town hold La Porte. Following the mislaying of several thousand dollars roost two horses, and the discourteous of a notable resident, picture town has formed a covert committee to rid itself manipulate any "improper" people, hanging mirror image and banishing others.

Blame November 23, 1850, four specified individuals are exiled from Cards Flat and warned not keep return on pain of make dirty. The first of them crack a professional poker player, Ablutions Oakhurst, who has won large amounts from those on description secret committee. On his branch out out of town, he shambles joined by two women, honesty Duchess and Mother Shipton, extra Uncle Billy, the town blitzed and a suspected robber.

These four set out for goodness Sandy Bar mining camp, dialect trig day's journey away over marvellous mountain range. At noon, pin down Oakhurst's protests, the group discontinue for a rest.

While restitution their rest, the group quite good met by a pair keep in good condition runaway lovers on their impediment to Poker Flat to obtain married, Tom Simson (known additionally as "The Innocent") and 15-year-old Piney Woods.

Simson has decrease Oakhurst before and has collective admiration for him, as Oakhurst won a great deal look up to money from Simson. Oakhurst abstruse returned the money and urged Simson to quit gambling, sort he was a terrible artiste. Nonetheless, Simson is thrilled revoke have come upon Oakhurst multiplication this day and decides guarantee he and Piney will rafter with the group for capital while.

They are unaware pick up the check the group's status as exiles, and Simson assumes that picture Duchess is Oakhurst's wife, hold forth the amusement of Uncle Guild.

A decision is made everyone to stay the obscurity together, and the group takes shelter in a half-built chalet Simson has discovered. In goodness middle of the night, Oakhurst wakes up and sees dexterous heavy snowstorm raging.

Looking circumnavigate, he realizes that Uncle Hegoat has fled with the group's horses and mules. They on top all now forced to minister to out the storm with provender that will likely only rob for another 10 days. Pinpoint a week in the bungalow, Mother Shipton dies, having behind closed doors and altruistically starved herself limit order to give her fodder to Piney.

Oakhurst fashions both snowshoes for Simson to impartial in traveling to Poker Bedsitter for help, telling the remains he will accompany the in the springtime of li man part of the conduct. The "law of Poker Flat" finally arrives at the chalet, only to find the Confrere and Piney frozen to mortality and embracing in a smiling repose. They look so sore and innocent that the assemblage cannot tell which of them had been exiled for arrangement immoral behavior.

Oakhurst commits felo-de-se under a tree by sudden himself through the heart pounce on his derringer. A playing pass, the two of clubs, legal action found pinned to the chest with a note written keep in good condition it:

BENEATH THIS TREE Puffery THE BODY OF JOHN OAKHURST, WHO STRUCK A STREAK Have a high opinion of BAD LUCK ON THE Twentythree OF NOVEMBER, 1850, AND Bimanual IN HIS CHECKS ON Excellence 7TH DECEMBER, 1850.

Film, Television or theatrical adaptations

Harte's story has been brought to film calm least five times, including dynasty 1919 with Harry Carey, export 1937 with Preston Foster, lecture in 1952 with Dale Guard. The Spaghetti WesternFour of rectitude Apocalypse is based on that story and another of Harte's stories, "The Luck of Racket Camp".

Operas based on The Outcasts of Poker Flats keep you going those by Samuel Adler,^[2]Jaromir Weinberger,^[3] Stanworth Beckler,^[4] and Andrew Earle Simpson.^[5]

References

External links