, 1874-07-11
"OLD PlZEN."
The Fighting Horse Of the
Stanislaus. ..
A Rcmtniscenco Of tho Ear1y Mining Life
Of Senator Jones, Of Neyadn.

Ii NAb emAl! caNP. CONTAINING scarcely moro
thpn dozen habitations, nll told. Tho mont I'M
posing structure In tho oamp MAS boarding.
ho,1Hc owned by A1r. Jogglos, . hlisBourian.
Tllis JogRles waa man Of sporting proclyitios.
Flo owned vicious-lookug bulldog, with but
ono oyo, wl,oHe noao was covered With scars aud
~hoBe front tccth woro always yieiblo, evon whom
In the most friendly mood. this dog ho was
rcady to back against any dog on tho river for
fight. ue also Ind two or throo game roostora
of whose prowess ho was boastfn]. But hia os-
pcciAl glory and pride was his fighting horao, =
largo, powerfully -muso1ed, md exceedingly VIZ
cious /" broucho," which he called Old Pizon."
Aud "pizon" ho was to oil four-footed creatures
in tint region; Indeed waB SO 'n,pan that he
MAS almost poison to himself.
Thia fierce and unsocial bcast has taken pos
session Of large grassy fiat, about half q milo
above tho camp, aud would allow no other ani-
NAL to come upon what ho viewed az bis private
domnin; nor, for tho 1nattcr of that, to como
anywhere noar the camp. At Cherokee Flat, the
old broncho was monaich OF all ha surveyed. Ho
had whipped and run of every animal that had
over bopn brought to tho camp The miners
geveral timos swore vengeance agalnst "0ld
pigor," aud would have shot him, but that they
]hcd JoGgleB, and tho soul Of Jogglos delighted
III Old Plxcu therefore they lot him live.
Not couteut With conquering intrudoss. the old
broucho would ctaso them for miles, running
them clear out Of the country. THE naomont ho
oaw q strange auina1 he laid back his cars and
went for him, uBiug both heols and teeth.
About all tliH JogglcB didn't care cent. When
told Of one Of tue, exploits Of the animal ta
would laugh In spite Of himself, aud would swear
that Old 'Pizcn Was tho
'sptaaEsr FIonriS' 11oss ON THE sTAH1aIAus," /"
aud that le would II bauk him agin auy crittor
TINT over wore har," Ha would toll how big
American horso chased away by Old pizen waa
fouEd forty nlies distant with bis tail snawcd
OF to more stump. When ho thought Of the
comical apposrauco the MANNED horse must have
would luugh till tears would run down lla
checks.
Tho fame OF the "hghting horst" extended
for miloa around tho camp. proapoctors pass.
ing Tint way With pack animals were warned
against him. Beware OF tho lighting horao!"
~us lhe word through all that aoctlon OF tho
country.
Sonora. the county soat Of Tuolumno County,
1yas tue Bource W4oHCo the minors at Chcrokea
Flint drew thor supplies Of "grub" and other
necessaries. The town was AGteea Or twenty
miles distant, aud the miuors would occasionally
60 up there, order what tlloy wanted, aud have 1t
"paoketl down to their cabina.
Ono day J. r. Jones and QUO of llfs partners
wont up to Sonora to procure supplies Tor their
company, known ns tho "Buckeye." They ro-
manned oyor night III town, intending to return
tho no1t day. ln tho morning, coon aftor they
arose, they heard a terrible coln1notLon IN liY-
cry stable just acroHa the street from their ho-
toI. l.uunlug over to ascertain the cause, they
found thak
DIG spAv1sH JAcKAgs
had found hia way into the Btable through q rear
door, aud was on the war-path among tho lplHes.
Ho had cloanea out several stalls almost at q
dnall, and then renchcd that occupied BY pow
erfnl black stallion. Aese he found work to do.
As Jones aud partner entered furiouB battlo
FrH4r rnrS t1uf ta11 md
jack hls teeth. THE horse beiuR confined by
strong laltor the jack had rat,or tho best of it.
Alter tearing aud manR!ing the tanks Of tho
horse frightfuly, tho furious jack, unmlndtul Of
tho blows tho HtnbcmGn were talninS upon bis
back, suddenly crowded himself forward in tho
stail and Betzed tLa horse By tue uudor-lfp. Hero
hc held on like bulldog, the poor hotao q1iy-
erilg Ill every muscle and moaning In agony.
Ono Of the proprietors Of tho stable drew hls
revolver anu was about to shoot tho savage ass,
when Ills owner arrived and q flarce wraug1e en-
Bued. The owner Of the fighting jack drew his
pistol. aud for time it looked as though thore
1saB likely to be ''n man for breakfast"
Finn!Y, however, the owner OF tho Jack auc-
cceded in getting him aWay from the trembling
aud 'mangled horso, and drove him out Of the.
1t now OCCURRED to Nfr. Jones that there WAS
an animal that would make Old pixoa
sloK At TEE sroMAoH.
A word of this thought to his partner, and
they agreed il possible. to secure the lighting
jackass. Following the ownor Of the jnck, they
Soon came to NJ understanding with him. They
were told that tho jack was good pack animal,
and as quiet III lamb when no lorae8 were
about. Whoa he came where there wcro horAcs
his whole nature changed, and ho went for theln
usually powerful animal, tho owner asked S75
for him. Jones and partnor agreed to run him
n trip Oh trial, aud gave the owner 975, which
ho was to keep in case tho jack returned within
u certain tstne.
Having secured tho fighting jack, Jouea and
partner packcd him aud started homo in hign
feather. Al aoon as ho was out OF town, tho
jack bccame as docllo aud sleepy az any other
otd "bnrroa that ever trottod Il trail. Before
getting horne tho boast beca1ne absolutely luzy.
and Jones g. Co. began to foar TINT of Ills own
dunyhil tholr jack was OF no accouus as a
fighter.
1t was about eundown when tie mon reached
"]3uckeye Company's cabin" Tho partners had
quit work and come up from tho bar. They wnro
getting supper, hut, tor time, discontinued tho
wusk Ut frying bacon and hShiag slap. jacks to
tiev came by tho big donkey,
III a. teW words a. possible Jones made them
acquainted with the character of the bpaht.
Wlol lug had finished his account Of the sceue
Compahy was firmly convinced that tho biz jack
could "walk the log" Of Old Nick himsoif but
MuM wAR THE WORD.
NO hint OF tue lighting, qualities Of tho animal
Wuh 10 70 OUT OF tue GhQlt1.
prosontly Jogglas, wloso hoarding-houBe waa
fugt acsoss tho street, eapicd the jaokasa and
caMe aver to where he WAS being ,iupacxed.
smile struggled about tue corners Of his
noasA as he came.
Walking up to tile beast and cycling him from
stem to stcru for time, JogglpB said
"purty good chunk OF jackaBs. Bin buyin'
him I"
"Woll," said Jones, II don't know, We l,aye
him on trial, We may buy him. 1Io is bug and
etrong, aud scolnB uico aud quiot-,uay be triiIe
lazy"
jogglcs. who aoamod to be calculating about
how many saouthfuls hc would make Tor Old
pi1en ut iaHt said:
"Wull, yes, lo seems rather quiet"
Having unpacSed the jack one OF ths "hoys"
gave him slap with strap, III much al to
6ay:
'.You gro now at liberty, old fellow; go OF
aud enjnY yourself az you tileaso."
''Wliutl" cried JoKgleH, opening Ills eyea In
auaxoulunt, nyou amt going to .llr, that Jack
laoAu lrre2 Tue arAt thug YOU know hell uoko
oil up Tho t1at whare Old Fjzon IL. Tlea
HELL DE lead JACK
az suro na you live! Why, he wouldn't mallo
mo,.thlul fur plzoul"
"Wcll, don't know" said Jones; "the jack
ID n very qnist old fellow, and guess Old P,zon
won't think him worth botl,ering with. BeBides,
tisu oAanueh ore That ha will atay aud pick about