The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-05-06
Uncle Johns Dog.
TNCLE JOHN lived and moved in

anu uorSo ThCeS anu uOB uRhbS WeIe HIS
chief delight. Few men could beat him
at game of "old sledge." His horses
had lightning in their heels while his dogs
(bull dogs and fighting dogs were fashion
able in those days-they were the genuine
"dog days'O carried the swift arrows of
death in their bristling fangs. But it is
seldom given to one man to excel in three
pursuits at one time and in all places.
However in respect of cards, horses ard
dogs, Uncle John had never met his match
until fate took him to Sparta, then as now
a fourishing little village in White county.
Even there he beat everything in sight as
far as birds and horses were concerned, but
his dogs were badly worsted. The Spartan
inn keeper had the king dog of all his tribe
"a ferocious "bull' that chawed up and
spit out' everything that came along.
Uncle John put fifty dollars in specie on
his own "Tige," but if Tige had gone
through Cincinnati sausage grinder he
could scarcely have looked more ragged
than he did when he came out. As went
the first so followed the second, faster and
faster, till it seemed unmerciful disaster
had overtaken Uncle John, in the dog line
at last. He travelled many weary miles in
search of dog that could whip that tav-
ernlseeper's dog, but all to no purpose.
He was losing his money fast and worse
than all he was losing his temper and his
patience. Faith in the "try, try again.
had almost deserted him. He went out on
what he vowed was his last hunt and was
near Sparta on his return late one after
noon, gloomy and detected, for he hadn't
found the right animal yet, when, as good
luck would have it, just as he got within a
few miles of that inn which had been the
scene of so many disgraceful defeats, he
met backwoodsman driving an OK team
with great vicious looking wolf chained
behind the wagon. He was not long as
certaining that the wolf was as wild and as
savage as hyena that he but an hour
before had been caught in trap, and that
his owner could be induced to part with
him for valuable consideration.
"I'll give you two dollars and half in
hard money for the critter;' proposed
Uncle John.
"Not enough yet," said backwoods.
"Well," said Uncle John finally, "if
you'll just help me strap him behind my
saddle anil take five dollars, it's trade
And they traded. elf don't whip
that Observation-Disclosures dog this time"
muttered Uncle John to himself as he
drew toward Sparta "he may take my hat
for a corn basket"
AS it was quite dark when our hero
reached the inn, he cautiously unstrapped
the terrible beast, and pitched him into a
deserted clubhouse, which fortunately
stood hard by, fastened him in securely and
dog that'll chew yourn up this time" re-
marked Uncle John to the major-domo
after passing through the usual salutations.
"You really think you've found him at
last, do you?' chuckled the master of the
king of dogs, and tipping sly wink at the
crowd, "Well, what do you say to lettin'
em together in the morning ?"
GAN right" said Uncle John. "Im
bound to be off home mighty airly in the
mornin', but if you'll be ready directly
after breakfast, won't mind just giving
You one more turn, anyhow"
The rumor soon spread through the vii
lage Of Sparta that great dog fight was to
come off next day by sunrise and the whole
vicinity was on the qai oioe. Our hero ex-
planned that his dog was so cigrus that he
was obliged to keep him closely confined.
"Blamed" said he, eff believe he knows
his own master yet So it was arranged
that his dog was to remain in the out
house-an old crib or barn by the way
and that the dog was to be unclaimed and
turned in with him at given signal
By daylight everybody was up and ready
for the fray. The old barn in which Uncle
Johns dog was shut was so dark at that
hour that only his outlines-just enough to
indicate that he was "sho'nuff dog
could be detected. Bets ran high, the odds
being all in favor of the great victor in SO
many hotly contested fights. Uncle John
staked a round hundred against like sum
of the inn keepers. Time was called. The
ferocious bull dog shifted his antagonist
through the cracks of the old barn, growled
defiance for a moment, and when unchain-
ed and the window opened, lit in at single
bound.
All then and there was hurTying to and
fro and sputterings Of distress, and cheeks
all pale which but an hour ago blushed with
quart of rum or something less. Men,