“The Outcasts of Poker Flat” 521HarTE, brET “The outcasts of Poker
Flat” (1869)
“The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” one of Bret Harte’s
most successful and anthologized western frontier
tales, was first published in the January 1869 issue
of Overland Monthly, a magazine Harte edited. The
story of individuals exiled from a hypocritical society
who form a community of love and compassion in
the face of impending death, it shows the goodness
that exists in all humanity.
Four outcasts, shunned by the town of Poker Flat
in a fit of moral cleansing, are being sent to Sandy
Bar. They are led by the philosophical gambler, Mr.
John Oakhurst, who appears in several other Harte
stories, notably “The Luck of Roaring Camp”
(1868). It is Oakhurst who prompts the town’s
outrage by winning several thousand dollars of
their money in a card game. The other three—“The
Duchess,” a prostitute; “Mother Shipton,” presum-
ably her madam; and “Uncle Billy,” a drunkard and
thief—represent all the moral ills that Poker Flat
deems worthy of exile. Before the four can reach
Sandy Bar, however, they must take shelter at the
foot of the Sierra Nevada of northern California.
By fate or chance, they are met by Tom Simson,
an “Innocent” from Sandy Bar, and his 15-year-old
fiancée Piney Woods. They all struggle to accept
their individual and collective fates. After Uncle
Billy steals a horse and their mules, and a snow-
storm leaves them no way out, we see illustrations of
themes common to Harte’s work, such as commu-
nity, fate, heroism, innocence and experience,
nature, social class, and survival.
Though the story ends in tragedy (of the six,
only the Innocent survives), its true message is that
appearances are deceiving. The “outcasts,” by their
selfless love and sacrifice for one another, are shown
to be morally superior to those who shunned them.
Gary Kerley
Fate in “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”
Because the events of the story revolve around
the actions of Mr. John Oakhurst, a professional
gambler from Roaring Camp, fate, chance, and
circumstance play a major role. At the beginning of
the narrative, Oakhurst senses an ominous change in
the air of Poker Flat. On the morning of November
23, 1850, he is aware that the citizens of the town
are experiencing a virtuous reaction to his winning
several thousand dollars. He accepts the sentence
because, as a gambler, he knows not to tempt Fate.
His gambler’s experience tells him that the odds
are always in favor of the house, in this case the
town of Poker Flat. Though some in the town want
to hang Oakhurst, he is escorted out of town at
gunpoint, accompanied by three other undesirables:
“The Duchess,” a prostitute; “Mother Shipton,” pre-
sumably her madam; and “Uncle Billy,” a gold thief
and drunkard. Because he accepts his fate, Oakhurst
does not grumble or curse as do the others. In fact,
he remains cheerful and philosophically calm; he
even gives his best horse to the Duchess.
Halfway between Poker Flat and Sandy Bar, the
next town, the outcasts camp in a wooded area in
the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Oakhurst believes
that they do not have time to stop; he senses some-
thing fateful in the air, much as he did the morning
of their exile. The sky is ominously clouded and, in
his gambler’s vernacular, they are throwing up their
hands before the game is played out.
Fate again enters the story when the outcasts are
joined by Tom Simson, the “Innocent” of Sandy Bar,
and his 15-year-old fiancée, Piney Woods. Tom is on
his way to Poker Flat to marry Piney and seek his
fortune. Tom and Oakhurst had met a few months
before when Oakhurst won all of Tom’s fortune, $40,
in a game of cards. Oakhurst, knowing Tom’s naiveté
and inexperience, returned the money and told Tom
never to gamble again. Whether the meeting is
coincidental or fated, the addition of Tom and Piney
further complicates matters. There are now two
more mouths to feed, and Oakhurst cannot persuade
Tom and Piney to travel on toward Poker Flat.
As snow begins to fall, Oakhurst discovers that
Uncle Billy has stolen a horse and the mules and
deserted his fellow outcasts. Though none of the
others are surprised, Oakhurst alone is truly aware
of their predicament: They are too far away from
either Poker Flat or Sandy Bar to make it on what
provisions are left. They have food enough for only
10 days. As the others in the party amuse themselves
with music and stories around a campfire, Oakhurst
is more and more aware of their impending, dire
circumstances. Always the gambler, Oakhurst likens