Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-07-23

| lars for him. Jones and partner agreed
| to run him trip on trial, and gave the
| owner seventy.fvc dollars, which he was
| To keep in case the jack was not returnea
| within certain time.
| 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 az do
cilc and sleepy as any other old burro'
that ever trotted trail. Before getting
home the beast became absolutely lazy,
| and Jones 81 Co. began to fear that OIL
his own dunghill their jack was of no ac-
count as fighter.
1t was about shutdown when the men
reached Cherokee Flat and drove 10 the
door of the Buckeye Company's cabin"
Their partners had quit work and come
up from the bar. They were getting sup
per, but for q time discontinued the
work Of frying bacon and baking slap.
lacks to come out and ask d. r." and
companion how they came by the big
donkey.
In as few words as possible Jones
made them acquainted with the cbarac-
ter of the beast When he had finished
his account Of the scene at the livery
stable, every man Of the Buckeye Com
pany was firmly convinced that the big
lack could "walk the log" Of Old Nick
himself; but mum was the word. No hint
Of the fighting qualities of the animal
was to go out Of the cabin.
Presently Joggles, whose boarding
house was just across the street, espied
the Jack and came over to where he was
being uDpacked.
A smile struggled about the corners Of
his mouth as he came.
Walking up TO the beast and eying
him from stem to stern for time, jog.
giles said:
Purity good chunk Of a jack. Bin
well" said Jones, 81 don't know.
We have him on trial. We may buy
him. He is big and strong, and seems
nice and quiet--may be a trife lazy"
Joggles, who seemed to be calculating
about how many mouthfuls he would
make for Old Pizen, at last said:
"Well, yes, he seems rather quiet"
Having unpacked the jack, one OF the
"boys" gave him slap with strap, as
much as to say: You are now at liberty,
old fellow; go off and enjoy yourself as
"Whatr' cried Joggles, opening his
eyes in amazement, you amt going to
turn that jack loose hereY The first thing
you know he'll poke of up to the fiat
where Old Pizen is. Then he'll be a
dead jack as sure as you live! Why, he
wouldn't make a mouthful for Plzen"
"Well, / don't know" said Jones; the
jack is II very quiet old fellow, and l
guess Old Pizen won't think him worth
bothering with. Besides, the chances
are that he will stay and pick about
camp--won't find his way up the fiat at
all"
"Well, just as you please" said jog.
giles, pretending some concern; but you
know what Old Pizen isP'
eyes, / know" said Jones; "but Pizen
is getting old. guess he don't thirst for
the fray as in his younger days. /
shouldn't wonder, now, If the old jack
were to whip HMM case they should
get together" added Jones, laughing.
What" cried Joggles, turning red,
shat blamed old jack whip Pizenl Not
much! III bet you $l00-ycs, III bet
you $200-he can't whip one side of hint
Come, Bow!'
"The trouble u.s." said Jones, that the
jack is in strange place. He might not
fight. However he looks as though there
might be some fight in him. If the two
ever do get together think he'll make 1t
warm for the broncho."
"You do, ehY" said .Joggles. "Well, |
DON'T HIcre--here, now-back up your
opinion or take water. Here's $20Ol I'm
willin' TO jist let the animals alone-let
them find their way to each other--and
! bet this $500 that when they do meet
Old Pizen whips-that he eats your jack
up alivcl Come, nowl Pixley, here, shall
hold the stakes See me, see me! come
downl Two hundred goes that Pizen
whips!n
Thus urged, 81. p" covered the coin
in PiyIey's hand, and once IL was done a
better pleased man than Joggles was
never seen on the Stanislaus. lie thought
he had the deadest thing in the world.
The bet made, away ran Joggles to tell
all the "boys" in the camp what dead
thing he had on Jones; always winding
up with: "Old Pizen'll 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
jack'll be chawed up--chawed up aliveP'
All the evening the jack remained
browsing about the camp, and the next
IHOTulUk WAS Sliil "iei
head down and eyes closed, dreamily
moving his ears and lazily switching his
scanty tail.
Joggles smiled contemptuously every
time he locked ut the old jack. Standing
on his porch ms the miners of the camp
passed on their way down to their claims
on the river, ,Ioggles facetiously inquired
whether any of them would like to back
"That thar ferocious beast against Old
Pizen for another $200Y"
At last all the men of the camp were
down on the river at work. About
o'clock In the morning one of the men of
the Buckeye Company happened TO 90
from the bar up to the bank Of the river
for something. A moment after, grinning
gleefully, he called out to those below
"The impatient Joggles Is going to bring
on the game. Therell be some fun be-
fore long; I 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 to 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,