The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-12-31
How u Rooster Was Conquered.

hVW hOObtcT WIS COuqueTeus
To illustrate what he meant by the
phrase "garlicking stock" New
York broker told the following story
It was during the flush times In 1850.
was pretty sick man in San Francisco,
md the doctor ordered me up the coun-
Try for change Of air Tom Jenkins
was then running q ranch among the
nils, and as he and I were old friends,
resolved to pay him visit. Tom had a
tine barnyard Of fowls, and among them
was great game cock. He was as biz
ts an ostrich. but game to the backbone.
Well. there wasn't . rooster in the
whole countryside that he hadn't tackled
md got away with. Tom had tried all
be knew TO keep him quiet. He had
locked him up in houses, and tethered
him by the leg, and half starved him,
but it was of no use; as soon as he
heard another rooster crow, that
moment ne was off at full speed, and
never stopped until he had licked him.
Well, when l arrived at Toms ranch he
had built big cage. and inside sat the
rooster, looking very melancholy, while
Tom told me the whole story. He said
that he would gladly give 81 900 to any
one who would find a cock that could
lick his chicken, but at the same time
he did not believe that there was bird
in all California that could do it.
Now, 1 had heard from an old
chicken fighter that If little garlic
was rubbed on the head and under the
wings OF q game cock. no other rooster
would attack him; so 1 asked Tom
what odds he would lay me that did
not get rooster next day which would
defeat his famous bird. Tom at once
offered to lay ten to one, and we put up
q considerable sum on the event. /
took Toms buggy and drove down to
the town, where there was q poultry
market. There were lots of roosters of
all kinds and breeds. but nothing very
gamy looking. At last struck sport
ing-looking poulterer, who said that he
and mother he had known, and who he
was sure would show fight. He was
old and dilapidated- looking, but he was
best could find, so l closed the bar
gain for one dollar. Then 1 bought a
Glove of garlic, and drove back with
my purchase to the ranch.
Next day Tom had asked all his
friends to see the fight, and Mrs. jenkins
had filled the windows OF the house with
the ladies of the neighborhood, all anx-
ious to see Toms rooster get away with
the stranger. l fixed my bird up as
well as could, and rubbed the garlic
under his wings and all around his head
When Isppeared in the yard where the
fight was to take place there stood the
great game cock, looking more like a
Cochin China, and strutting round
looking for something to lick. kept
my bird in bag ultil the last moment.
and as soon as time was called l took
him out blinking in the strong sunlight.
He looked round for a moment, rubbed
his bill once or twice on the ground as
If sharpening it, raised his wings to see
II the joints were stiff, and made at once
for his gigantic opponent. Toms
rooster took two or three jumps in the
air, poised his head 80 as to take good
aim, and few right at The stranger; but
the instant he smelled the garlic that
rooster turned and fed like a yellow dog
with his tail between his legs.
Mrs. Jenkins almost tainted, and
there was good deal of profanity
among the male spectators, who had all
backed the home bird. The last thing
saw of that rooster was his tail, as he
crossed bluffnear by, with Tom in full
chase with double-b -barrelled shotgun,
swearing that he would never allow
anything to be beaten on his ranch and
escape alive.