Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1877-05-10

1 AS1A@ANo0AS OuAdSAhOOcs ~ "Uo
discovered that the gaffs were tip
ped with some deadly poison, prob
ably the Indian "woorari." The
Spaniard make his experiment
near Mobile, it is said, and he il
there yet, with tall grass waving
over him. 3re e1 1 "a
A practical joke was played
nearly thirty years ago at q cock.
ing main in Havana, by some sail.
ors belonging to an American
man-of-war. The sailors had been
betting and losing, day after day.
at the cock pit, which was amuse.
ment that they most affected, un-
til they were all left without a
cent. In that plight the sailors
were when the man-of- war was
ordered off to San Francisco. A
number of months afterward the
vessel returned to Havana and
the Jack tars had fully matured
scheme for vengeance. Draw,
ing all OF their pay and borrowing
all the money they could in addi
tiOE, at the first shore leave they
started for the cock pit, carrying
with them their gold and a Tag,
about which they preserved a
great deal of mystery. Some of
the ships officers. surmising that
something was in the wind, fol.
lowed, but not even to them was
the sailors secret divulged. Scarce
ly had they reached the pit when
an excited Spaniard sprang into
the little arena, where a battle
had just ended. Under his left
arm he carried a magnificent game
cock, in his right hand he flourish.
ed a bag of doubloons, and he yell.
ed forth challenge on behalf of
bis bird against anything that
wore feathers.
No other challenge could have
been half so welcome to the sail
ors, for during their former un-
happy experience he had been
their bette noar, raking in their
gold pieces almost as fast as they
could bet them. His verbose and
grandiloquentdefance was prompt.
ly accepted, the money was stalk
ed, and the Americans shook their
champion out of the mysterious
bag. A rondescript creature it was,
with great, solid body, roughly
covered with chicken feathers and
tar, its wings and tail clipped, lis
head broad and adorned with a
keen curved beak, with long,
sharp talons at the ends Of it's toes,
instead of gaffs upon lis legs. De
spite its strange half.disguise, the
officers recognized it at ence as an
American eagle, But the Span
iards knew nothing about it, and
the one who had made the match
was furious, deeming himself in.
suited by the pitting of such a
miserable looking creature against
his splendid fowl. The alcalde
ordered, however, that the fight
should take place, according to
the terms of the challenge, and
the Senior tossed his bird into the
pit. 1t was readyto fight, Of course,
for a gamecock Of good blood
would not hesitate to attack a
tird as big as the tabled roe. So,
the first notice the "American
game chicken" as the sailors had
christened their bird, received Of
the presence Of an enemy was a
fierce attack.=He calmly looked
down upon the game cock strut
tiugthreateningly before him. The
sailors were not without anxiety
lest tbe keen gaffs might settle
their eagle before he get, warmed
up to bis work, but fear was quick
ly dispelled, The game cock
dashed forward again. In less
than second the Spaniards wit
messed an astounding sight. The
"Americsn chicken" placidiy
stretched out one great claw, seized
his antagonist by the head, drew
him up, and applying the other
claw to his body, lore bis bead