American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-08-08

HluCH- IL net you SlVu-NtS, L II ptt
you S200-be can't whip one side of him
Come, now,h
The trouble is" said Jones, {" that the
jack is in strange place. He might not
fight. However, he looks rs though there
might be some fight in him. If the two
ever do get together | think he'll make ii
warm for the broncho."
You do, eh?" said Joggles. well, l
don't, Here-herc, now-back up your
opinion or take water. Here's 5000. I'm
willin' 10 jist let the animals alone-let
them find their way to each other-and
l bet this 5000 that when they do meet
Old Pizen whips-that he eats your jack
M alive! Come, now. PiXley, here, shall
hold the stakes. See me, see me, come
down, Two hundred goes that Pizen
whips."
Thus urged, -. p" covered the coin
in Pixley's hand and once it was done a
better pleased man than Joggles was
never seen on the Stanislaus. He thought
he had the deadest thing in the world.
The bet made, away ran Jogg'as to tell
all the "boys" in the camp what dead
thing he had on Jones; always winding
up with: "Old Pizen1l chaw him up
chaw him up alivem The last thing he
said to his dodgers that night before he
went to bed was: KNOWN Pizen as he
does, Jones must be goin' crazy. That
iack'll be chawed up-chawed up aliver'
All the evening the jack remained
browsing about the camp, and the next
morning was still Understanding with
head down and eyes closed, dreamily
moving his ears and lazily switching his
scanty tail.
Jogglcs smiled contemptuously every
time he looked at the old jack. Standing
on his porch, as the miners of the camp
passed on their way down to their claims
on the river, Joggles facetiously inquired
whether any of them would like to back
- That thar ferocious beast against Old
Pizen for another $1,000"
At last all the men of the camp were
down on the river at work. About 8
o'clock in the morning one of the men of
the Buckeye Company happened to go
from the bar up to the bank of the river
for something. \ moment after, grinning
gleefully, he called out to those below
The impatient Joggles is going to bring
on the game. There'n be some fun be
fore long; / see him startin' the old jack
along up the valley toward the fiat. He's
on the sly, and is getting rather keen to
see that fight"
Watching Joggles, he was seen in the
edge of the timber throwing rocks to
urge the jack 10 move up streak of
open ground that led to the fiat between
two groves of pines. Presently he came
back and seated himself on his porch
getting up once in "A while and stretching
his neck to see if the jack was going in
the right direction. He was dying to
have the animals get together.
At last man who had climbed upon
the bank reported that the jack was moi
to be seen, and that he had no doabt gone
over the ridge into the flat
All was now excitement among the
men, and two or three of them were con
stantly on the river-bank listening for
sounds of the fray. Presently they cried
out that the battle had begun. All hands
FASTENED to the top of the high. steep
bank, whence was to be had a fair view
of the open ground leading up TO the
ridge, beyond which lay the flat where
roamed the fighting horse. Although
half mile distant a terrible squealing
and braying could be distinctly heard
cries of rage and pain from the contend
ing animals. \ great cloud of red dust
could be seen rising from the ridge. This
cloud. that told of the battle, moved tC
and fro; sometimes appearing to APP
proach quite near to the crest of the
ridge, then again to recede. All this
time there was heard the most fearful
squealing and braying imaginable-some'
times very distinctly, again more family
as the varying breeze waited the sounds
or as the scene of the battle shifted.
Looking toward the camp Joggles was
seen jumping up and down and running
frantically about, evidently intensely ex'
cited. Soon he was observed to get q
ladder and mount upon the roof of his
porch, and thence to climb to the top OF
his house, vainly stretching his neck to
obtain view of the fight.
Now the cloud of lust was seen ia
rapidly approach the crest of the ridge
and soon it came whirling over it. Then
were seen two dense clouds of dust, both
rolling rapidly in the direction of the
camp. Wild snorts and hoarse brays
We're heard. Swiftly the red clouds
rolled on, and soon in the foremost the
form of an animal could be seen. a
puff of wind showed this to be the
broncho-Old Pizen. At the distance OF
three or four hundred yards behind
rolled rapidly-following cloud, as we
winds in playful mood. What was in
this last cloud could not be seen, but the
Buckeye boys" felt their jack was
thar
Down into the camp charged the terri
fled broncho, snorting with fear at every
jump and occasionally half turning his
head in order to see if the terrible jack
was still in pursuit. AS the frantic horse
tore through the camp with nostrils dis
tended, name flying in the wind, and
tail sticking out straight behind, Joggles
was heard shouting wildly from the roof
of his house, whoa, Pizen, whoa
PiZenr' But just at that moment there
was no whoa" in Old Pizen. Down
through the little town he concentrating
directly for the bar, as though in search
of human assistance
Straight on he came till he reached the
bank of the river, here fully twenty feet
in perpendicular height At the brink
he halted, hesitating to take the fearful
leap, and with eyes starting from theii
sockets took one long, despairing look be
hind. There came the venomous and in
domitable jack, never breaking his steady
rolling gallop.
With outstretched neck, ears laid back
and scant tail whipping up and down
with each bound, on he came. The old
broncho erected his tail, took one more
glance at his approaching foe, gave Il
snort of terror, and leaped from the bank
down into the river. Luckily for him the
water was deep. Rising to the surface
he swan to the opposite shore, and came
out all right on Il bar that put out from
the bank on that side. Here he halted
evidently feeling himself safe.
The jack Numbered on, and came near
plunging into the river before heealniHe
aware of its presence. But by bracing al,
L. ,-..srI,nve almost touched
the ground he came to halt But il was
only for moment Seeing the old
broncho on the other shore he stretched
out his neck and, giving a diabolcal
" fee-haw," unhestatingly plunged into
the river and diligently struck out for
the horse.
This reckless and energetic persist