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

u
small camp, containing scarcely more
than dozen habitations, all told. The
most imposing structure in the camp
was a boarding house. owned by MIR.
Joggles, Missourian. This Joggles was
man of sporting proclivltles- He
owned a viciouS-lookiug old bulldog
with but one eye, whose nose was GOV
cred with scars, and whose front teeth
were always visible, even when in the
most friendly mood. This dog he was
ready to back against any dog on the
river for a fight. He also had two or
three game roosters of whose proves he
was bOastful. But his especial glory and
pride was his fighting horse, large.
powerfully muscled and exceedingly
vicious g broncho," which he called old
Pizen." And "pizen" he was TO all four
footed creatures in the region; indeed,
was SO mean" that he was almost poison
to himself.
This fierce and unsocial beast had
taken possession of large grassy fiat
about half mile above the camp, and
would allow no other animal to come
upon what he viewed rs his private
domain; nor, for the matter of that, to
come anywhere near the camp. At
Cherokee Flat the old hroncho was mon
arch of all he surveyed. He had whipped
and run off every animal that had ever
several times swore vengeance against
''Old Pizen," and would have shot him
but that they liked Joggles, and the soul
of Joggles delighted in Old Pizen, there
fore they let him live.
Not content with conquering intruders,
the old broncho would chase them for
miles, running them clear out of the
country. The moment he saw IA strange
animal he laid back his ears and went
f<Sr h hot y, han lS nd
About all this Joggles didn't care a
cent When told of one of the exploits
of the animal he would laugh in spite of
himself and would swear that Old Pizen
was the biggest fightin' boss on the
Stanislaus," and that he would 'back
him agin any critter that ever wore ha +.
He would tell how a big American horse
chased away by Old Pizen was found
forty miles distant with his tail gnawed
off to 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. Pros
pectors passing that way with pack ami
mails were warned against him. q Beware
of the fighting horse" was the word
through all that section of country.
Sonora, the county-seat of Tuolumne
County was the source whence the
miners at Cherokee Flat drew their sup
plies of grub" and other necessaries.
The town was fifteen or twenty miles
distant, and the miners would occasion
ally 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
fhnir
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-
ton in 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 a rear
door, and was on the war-path among the
horses. He had cleaned out several
stalls almost at dash, and then reached
that occupied by powerful black stall
lion. Here he found work to do. As
Jones and partner entered a furious bat
tie was raging, the horse using his heels
and the jack his teeth. The horse being
confined by a strong halter, the jack had
rather the best of it. After tearing and
mangling the TANKS of the horse fright
fully, the furious jack, unmindful of the
his back, suddenly crowded himself for
ward in the stall and seized the horse by
the under lip. Here he held on like a
bulldog, 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 a fierce wrangle ensued. The owner
of the fighting jack drew his pistol, and
Tor nl, &c
likely to be g a man for breakfast"
Finally, however, the owner of the jack
succeeded in getting him away from the
trembling and mangled horse, and drove
him out of the stable.
1t now occurred to Mr.. Jones that here
was an animal that would make Old
Pizen sick at the stomach. A word of
this thought to his partner, and they
agreed, if possible, to secure the fight
ing jack. Following the owner of the
jack, they soon came to an understand
ing with him. They were told that the
jack was good pack animal, and as
quiet as a lamb when no horses were
about. When he came where there were
horses his whole nature changed and he
went for them with the fury of tiger.
The jack being an unusually powerful
animal, the owner asked seventy-five dol
lars for him. Jones and partner agreed
q
owner seventy-five dollars, which he was
to keep in case the jack was not returned
within a 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 as do
Gle and sleepy as any other old & burro"
that ever trotted trail. Before getting
home the beast became absolutely lazy
and Jones & Co. began to fear that off
his own dunghill their jack was of no ac-
count as a fighter.
1t was about shutdown when the men
reached Cherokee Flat and drove to 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 time discontinued the
work of frying bacon and baking slap
jacks to come out and ask 81 F." and
companion how they came by the big
donkey.
In as few words as possible Jones
made them acquainted with the charac-
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
jack could walk the log" of Old Nick
himself; but mum was the word. No hint
Of the lighting 9ual l tjiss5,i f. III" '''''"'
Presently Joggles, whose boarding
house was just across the street, espied
the jack and came over to where he was
being unpacked.
A smile struggled about the corners of
his mouth as he came.
Walking up to the beast and eying
him from tn gf 10 for "a time loo