Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-05-30

anu 50 tNtN llNeu long anu ultu III ilh.
and all that sort of thing, eh -
- Mas, non, m'Neu: those people there
never die -
1t is, perhaps, true that they who, through
love, attain unto the purest experience, never
grow old, nor change, nor pass away
Y World
Dog-Fightlng.
a TENNESSEE LANDLORDS FAyoRITE BITING THE
DUST THE QUADRUrED THAT UNCLE JOHN
BOUGHT or \ BACKwooDSMAN.
From the Louisville Courier-Journal
There is at present writing Il member OF
the house whose father was as removed in his
day and way as the far-famed Dayy Crockett,
ofpleasant memory. We will call him Uncle
John" Uncle John lived and moved in
these parts forty years ago. Cards, and race
horses, and d0g-hghts were his chief delight.
Few men could beat him at a game of - old
sledge" His horses had lightning in their
heels; while his dogs (bull-dogs and fighting
dogs were fashionable in those days-they
were the genuine " dog-days') carried the
swift arrows Of death in their briStling fangS.
But it is seldom given unto one man to excel
in three pursuits ut one time and in all pla-
ces. However, in respect of cards, horses
and dogs. Uncle John never met his match
until the iates took him to Sparta. then and
now n hourishing little village in White
county. Even there he beat everything in
sight as far as his cards and horses were
concerned, but his dogs were badly w0rsted.
The Spartan inn-keeper had the king dog OF
all his trihe-a terocious e. bull that ''chaw-
ed up and spit out everything that came
along. Uncle John put up fifty dollars IN
specie on his own - Iige, but if iige had
gone through n Cincinnati Sausage-grinder
he could scarcely have looked more ragged
than he did when he came out. A. went
the first. 50 followed the second, faster and
faster, till it seemed unmerciiul disaster had
overtaken Uncle John in the dog-line at last.
He had Travelled many weary miles in search
of dog that could whip that tayern-keeperS
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 motto - try, try again. had almost
deserted him. He went out on what he
avowed was his last hunt, and was nearing
Sparta on his return late one afternoon,
gloomy and detected, for he hadn't found the
right animal vet. when. a. good luck would
have it, ust as he got within few miles of
the inn which had been the scene Of 50 many
disgraceful defeats, he met a backwoodsman
driving an OK ;eam with great yiciouS-look-
ing wolf chained behind the wagon.
He was not long ascertaining that the wolf
was as wild and as savage As a hyena that
he had but an hour before been taken in
trap. and that his owner could be induced to
/ part with him for a valuable consideration.
III give You two dollars and half in
hard money for that critter,' proposed Uncle
| John.
3. Not enough vet. .'' said hackwoods
"Weu. =" said ncle John. finally, IF YOU Il
Just help me strap him behind my saddle
/ andn take five dollars. its trade. -
And they traded. IF | don't whip that
d-d tayern-keeper's dog this time, nut
tered Uncle John to himself as he drew to-
ward Sparta, '' he may take my hat for
com basket.
A, it was q. lie dark W en- our hero reach
ed the inn. 'e cautiously unstrapped the
terrible beast. Il uitc ing MIN into a desert
( ed out-ho. So fortunately stood hard
bv. and ia-.t sm IN sec-rely, entered
the hotel.
Il think I've fJund dog that can chaw
vour'n up this time remarked Uncle John
To the major domo. after passing the usual
situations You really think You We
]
master of the king of dogs, and tipping s!y
wink at the crowd " Well, what do You
say to lettin' EN- together in the morning -
:. All right" said Unch John. I'm
bound to be of home mighty airly in the
mornln, but if you'll he ready directly after
breakfast. | won't mind giving You Just one
more turn anyhow"
The rumor soon spread through the village
of Sparta that great dog-hght was TO come
off next day by sunrise, and the whole vlcinl-
ty was on the gm rire. Our hero explained
that his dog was so rigrus that he was COM
PEELED to keep him closely confined.
blamed" said he, if bleeye he knows
his own master Wit So 1t was arranged
that his dog was to remain in the clubhouse
an old crib or barn, by the way and that
the other dog was to he unclaimed and turn
ed in with him at given signal. by
daylight everybody was up and ready for the
fray. The old barn in which Uncle John :
dog was shut was 50 dark at that hour that
only his outlines-iust enough to indicate
that he was sho nuif dog could be de-
tected Bets ran high, the odds being all in
favor Of the great victor in 50 many hotly-
contested fights. Uncle John staked a round
hundred against like .um of the inn-keep-
er's. Time was called, the ierocious bulldog
shifted his antagonist through the cracks OF
the old barn. growled defiance for n moment,
and when unclaimed and the window opened,
! he lit in at a single bound.
All, then and there was hurrying to and
fro and flying fur, and sputterings of dis
tress. and cheeks all pale which but an hour
: ago blushel with a quart of rum or orsomething
less Men, women and children were out
side running round that crib, trying to peep
in through the cracks and creyices. Such a
spattering, sputtering, growing yelling,
gnashng OF teeth, and caterwauling has never
: been heard in Sparta from that day to this
The tavern-keeper excitedly suggested that
- forty wolves couldn't keep more fuss than
] them two dogs" Uncle John waited the
? issue with the calm dignity of one conscious
that he holds four aces in his hand and the
1 fifth up his sleeve the only cool man on the
ground. But it didn't last long. Sooner
= than it takes TO tell it, faint whine was
heard at the window. the shutter was thrown
G open, and what was left of the poor - Bull
struggled heavily to the sill and fell in raw
lump to the ground on the outside. This
!, was the first and last time he ever turned hi.
back on an enemy he made one or two
!. nervous kicks and all was over He was il
r a shocking plight indeed, minus one ear, one
e eye, and the greater part of his "innards. ,
: lie might have passed through a threshine
machine and Jared better Uncle John has
: tily snatched the wager from the stakeholder
d mounted his horse, and rode off in a sweep
e ing gallop, yelling at mine host as he bad'
e him adieu that, = Whenever he had any mort
5 fitin' dogs, to please let him know"
d How long the wolf remained in that eril
: as monarch of all he surveyed, or how lonl
+ =. Bulls master was in finding out the M
ture of the dog that sent his favorite to hi
last account, is not precisely stated but i
l. is said that when he became fully consciou
of the facts as they existed. his neighbor
ii heard him swearing for a distance of tw
- miles lie took off his coat. rolled up hi
II sleeves, mounted stump, and gave utter
lie ance to sach maledictionS as were never hear
" before. lis character as dog-fghtist gone
his money gone, his dog gone, and Uncle Joh
e gone (neser to return) stirred the deep foun
dations of his Utmost bile. 1t is stated as
Y fact that he never smiled again and that a
4, any one had to do to get up the biggest sor
ID of rumpus was just to ask that Spartan
le he had any more dogs that he'd like
e bet on.