The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-03-06
How q Rooster Was Oonousred.

To illustrate what he meant by the
phrase 'tgarlicking a stock" q New
York broker told the following story:
Is was during the flush times 1850. I
~as 4 pretty sick man in San Francisco.
and the doctor ordered me up the
country for Q change of air. Tom
jenkins was then running q ranch
among the hills, and as he and / were
old friends, / resolved to pay him q
visit. Tom had q fine barn-yard of
fowls. and among them was . great
game cock. He was as big as an ostrich.
but game TO the backbone. We'll, there
wasn't a rooster in the whole country
side hat he hadn't tackled and got
away with. Tom had tried all he knew
10 keep him quiet. He had looked him
ap 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 momen. he was off
.. full speed, and stopped until
be had licked him. Well, when l ar
rived at TOMS ranch he had built a big
cage, and inside sat the rooster, looking
very melancholy. while Tom told me
the whole story. He would gladly give
$1,000 to any n who would find a
cock that could lick his chicken, but C.
the same time he did not believe that
there was u bird in all California that
eould do it.
Now, l had heard from an old chicken
fighter that if n little garlic was rub
ssd on the head and under the wings of
q game cock; nc other rooster would
attack him; so l asked Tom what odds
he would lay me that l did not get a
rooster next day which would defeat
his famous bird. Tom at once offered
to lay ten to one, and we put up q con-
siderable sum on the event l took
Toms buggy and drove down to the
town, where there was o poultry mar
ket. There were lots of ROSTERS of all
kinds and breeds. but nothing very gamy
boxing. At last / struck q sporting
looking poulterer. who said that he had
an aged game rooster whose father and
mother he had known, and who he was
sure would show fight. He was old
and dilapidated-looking. but he was
the best I could find. so I closed the
bargain for ono dollar. Then / 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 filed the windows Of the house with
the ladies Of the neighborhood, all
anxious to see Toms rooster get away
with the stranger. The amount wagered
by US was large, and the whole county,
then srsisely inhabited, turned out en-
mssse, tl:s majority knowing the supe-
rior fighting Of Toms rooster, Offering
immense odds OF the fowl. and as usual,
finding somc willing to accept, I fixed
my bird up as well as / could, and
l rubbed the garlic under his wings
and all around his head. When
l appeared In the yard where tho
fight WIS to take place there
ssood tho great game cock. looking
ciore like q Cochin China. and strut
ting round looking for something to
lick. I kept my bird In . bag until the
last moment, and as soon as time was
called 1 took him out blinking in tho
strong sunlight. He look round for q
moment. rubbed his bill once or twice
on the ground as IL sharpening it. rails
ed his wings to zee II the joints were
stiff. and made at once for his gigantic
opponent. Toms roos.cr took two or
three jumps in the air, poised his head
SO as to take good aim, and few right
at the stranger; but tho instant he
smelled the garlic that rooster turned
and fed like a yellow dog with his tai
between his legs.
Mrs. jenkins almost tainted, and
there WAS 4 good deal OF profanity
among tho male spectators. who mad
lost on tho home bird. The last thing
] saw of t,at rooster vas his tail. as Le
crossed n biuff near by. witt Tom ia
full elias. after him with a double-barrel-
cd sho. IN. swearing that he would
never allow any thing 10 DO beaten oS
his ranch and escape alive