Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1874-08-20
!" Old PIZEN.m

From Ch ,am6er',s Journal.
GOLD PIZEN.m
In the early d8ys, many years age,
Senator Jones was engaged in mining on
the Stanislaus River, California, at q
place called Cherokee Flat. 1t was a
small camp, containing scarcely more
than a dozen habitations, all told. The
most imposing structure in the camp
was a boarding house, owned by Mr..
,Jopgles. Miss0urian. This Joggles was
a man of sporting proclivities. He
owned a vicious-loOking old bulldog
with but one eye, whose nose was cover.
ed with scars, and whose front teeth
were always visible, even in the most
friendly mood. This dog he was ready
to back against any dog on the river for
fight He also had two or three game
roosters of whose proves he was boast
full But his especial glory and pride
was his fighting horse, a large, power
fully muscled and exceedingly vicious
''broncho," which he called sold Pizen,"
and "pizen" he was to all four-footed
creatures in the region indeed he was
80 mean that be was almost poison to
himself.
This fierce and unsocial beast had
taken possession of a large grassy fiat
about half q mile above the camp, and
would allow no other animal to come
upon what he viewed as his private do
main nor, for the matter of that, TO
come anywhere near the camp. At
Cherokee Flat the old broncho was mon
arch of all he surveyed. He had whip
ped and run off every animal that had
ever been brought to the camp. The
miners several times swore vengeance
against sold Pizen," and would have
shot him but that they liked Joggles,
and the soul OF Joggles delighted in Old
Pizen, therefore they let him live.
Not content with conquering intru-
ders, the old broncho would chase them
for miles, running them clear out Of the
country. The moment he saw strange
animal he laid back his ears and went
for him, using both heels and teeth.
About all this Joggles didn't care a
cent. When told of one of the exploits
- : -. my g1eA 81 laugh in spite of
.t....-s.-..#e..' ''''' 80 = r. ear that Old Pizen
.. s,,est fightin' boss on the
Stanislaus," and that he would 'back
him agin any critter that ever wore ha r. .
llG WOulu tGIl HOW IL -DIHH .ABl6TlCdD
horse, chased away by Old Pizen, was
found forty miles distant with his tail
knawed off to a mere stump. When he
thought of the comical appearance the
MANNED horse must have presented with
his little stump of tail, Joggles would
laugh till tears ran down his cheeks.
The fame of the fighting horse" ex-
tended for miles around the camp.
no l.
animals were warned against HIM. "Be-
ware of the fighting horse!" was the
word through all that section of the
country.
Sonora, the county seat of Tuolumne
county, was the source whence the min
ers at Cherokee Flat drew their supplies
of GRUB and other necessaries. The
town was fifteen or twenty miles dis
tant, and the miners would occasionally
go up there, order what they wanted
and have it ''packed" down to their
cabins.
One day J. p. Jones and one of his
partners went up to Sonora to procure
supplies for their company, known as
the Buckeye" They remained over
night in town, intending to return the
next day. In the morning, soon after
they arose, they heard terrible commo-
tion in a livery stable just across the
street from their hotel. Running over
to ascertain the cause, they found that
big Spanish jack had found his way
into the stable through rear door, and
was on the war-path among the horses.
He had cleaned out several stalls almost
at a dash, and then reached that ocCu-
pied by powerful black stallion. Here
he found work to do. As Jones and
partner entered a furious battle was rag
ing, the horse using his heels and the
jack his teeth. The horse being con-
fined by a strong halter, the jack had
the best of it. After tearing and mang-
king the TANKS of the horse frightfully,
the furious jack, unmindful of the blows
the stablemen were raining upon his
back, suddenly crowded himself for
ward in the stall and seized the horse
by the under lip. Here he held on like
bull dog, the poor horse quivering in
every muscle and moaning in agony.
One of the proprietors of the stable
drew his revolver, and was about to shoot
the savage, when his owner arrived and
n fierce wrangle ensued, the owner of
the fighting Jack drew his pistol, and
for time it looked as though there was
TO be "a man for breakfast.
Finally, however, the owner Of the
lack succeeded in getting him away from
the trembling and mangled horse, and
drove him out of the stable.
II now occurred TO Mr.. Jones that
there was an animal that would make
Old Pizen sick at the stomach A word
of this thought to his partner, and they
agreed, il possible, to secure the fighting
Jack. Following the owner of the jack,
they soon came to an understanding Will
him. They were told that the jack was
good pack animal, and as quiet as
lamb when no horses were about. Wher
he came where there were horses his
whole nature changed and he went fol
them with the fury of a tiger. The JACK
being an unusually powerful animal,' the
owner asked seventy-fye dollars for him.
Jones and partner agreed to run him q
trip on trial, and gave the owner seventy
five dollars, which he was to keep IL
case the jack was not returned within
certain time. ,.,. ss3.s.
Having secured the fighting jack,
Jones and partner packed him and start
ed home in high feather. AS soon as he
was out of town the jack became as do
cile and sleepy as any other old s'burro'
tnat ever lrOLleu tIdll. peLoie So.tine
home the beast became absolutely lazy
and Jones a. Co. began to fear that OIL
his own dunghill their jack was of nc
account as fighter. s.a
1t was about SHUTDOWN when the men
reacked Cherokee Flat and drove to the
door of the Buckeye scompany's cabin.
Their partners had quit work and come
up from the bar. They were getting
supper, but for time discontinued the