River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-05-03
How They Got Even.

A practical Joke was played nearly 30
years ago at a cocking-main in Havana by
some sailors belonging to an American
man-of-war. The sailors had been bet
ting and losing day after day at the cock
pit. which was the amusement that they
most affected, until they were all left
without cent. In that plight the sail
Ors were when the man-of-war was Or
dered off to San Francisco. 4 number
of months afterward the vessel returned
to Havana, and the Jack Tars had fully
matured a scheme for vengeance. Draw
ing all their pay, and borrowing all the
money they could in addition, at the first
shore-leave they started for the cock pit,
carrying with them their gold and bag,
about which they preserved a great deal
of mystery.
Some of the ships officers surmising
that something was in the wind, followed,
but not even TO them was the sailors Sc
cret divulged Scarcely 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 car
ried magnificent game-cOck; in his right
hand he flourished bag of dOublOons, and
he yelled forth a challenge on behalf of
his bird against anything that wore
feathers.
No other challenge could have been
half so welcome to the sailors, for during
their former unhappy experience he had
been their bete aOir, raking in their gold
pieces almost as fast as they could bet
them His verbose and grandiloquent
defiance was promptly accepted, the money
was staked, and the Americans shook
their champion out of the mysterious
bag
A nondescTipt creature he was with a
great solid body, roughly covered with
chicken feather and tar, its wings and
tail clipped, its head broad and adorned
with a keen curved beak, with long, sharp
talons at the ends of its toes. instead Of
gaffs upon his legs. Despite its strange
half-disguise, the officer recognized il at
once as an American eagle. But the
Spaniards knew nothing abut it, and the
one who had made the match was furi-
Gus, deeming himself insulted by the pitt
ting of such 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
TITO ptl. II WIS lCANtN 10 n2lAs Vi
course, for a game-cock of good blood
would not hesitate to attack bird as big
as the tabled roc. So, the first notice the
American game-chicken, as the sailors
had christened their bird, received of the
presence of the enemy was fierce attack.
He looked calmly down upon the game
cock strutting threateningly before him.
The sailors were not without anxiety lest
the keen gaffs might settle their eagle be-
fore he got warmed up 70 his work. but
fear was quickly dispelled. The game
cock dashed forward again. In less than
a second the Spaniaras Witnessed an as
founding sight. The American
chicken placidly stretched out one
great claw, sliced his antagonist by the
head. drew him up, and applying the
other claw to his body, tore his head of
with a single pull Then he proceededto
eat him. A storm of imprecations and
shouts of establishment rent the air, but
the sailors we're too well armed and too
numerous for the Spanisrds, and 50 they
got their money and returned aboard the