The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-14

of his comb, are of that bright SCARLET VIII
bstoksns the top notch of health and cd
dition. His black, round eyes have IL
fire and CLEAN which would make ever
child aware of the desperate courage a
ferocity that centuries of selection a
with. He is in full feather as yet. a
the little nobs on his legs which will
spurs an inch and a half long a year fri
now-.if he doesn't get k~illed-betoksn !
young bird. They have not been cut of,
is necessary with older cocks before !
steel spurs can be put on. War Horse y
been matched, that is. his weight ca
birds brought in by a visitor, and he ID abb
to be ''cut OUT for the first match, which
to be for $50 a side. Probably close
$1,000 will change hands around the pit
the result of this opening contest.
Ever see a bird cut out for battle?"
An assistant takes War Horse in both ]
hands, holding him with his head to q
Barbee. Grasping a huge pair of shears
one hand, and the bird by the neck in I
other, ths old trainer looks indeed az if
was going to out tho birds head off.
will not though: he merely ruffies the bir(
hackle, finally getting all the long feath}
above the circle made by his thumb a
forefinger, when with two quick outs of
big scissors he has the birds neck as Gle
CrOppeu ab q DNTp6E poie. war !lor1e =
OUT white. That is, his neck is white
stead of brown or red. when the feath1
are cut off short. Next, Barbee takes w
Horses left wing and spreads it ont to
full length, holding his left SHOW the VIII
close to the birds head for the chick
manifests an intense desire to sample "Bi
bee's'' hand with his beak. The 10
feathers of this wing are shortened q tri
at the end, perhaps an inch, with
stroke, then each feather ID what ia cal
pointed" The other wing is treated
the same way. care being taken to get thu
even. Old cookers go in very strongly
this pointing of the wing feathers, claim
that their birds opponent is liable to K
an eye any time that he ducks up under
wing, as cocks will dc when fghting. AT
the wings, come the tail; the sickle feath{
are clipped off close to the rump on b.
sides, leaving only the stiff black feathi
of the fan, which is trimmed or shorten
slightly. Amateurs nearly always make
error of shortening the tail too much.
game cock needs his tail to fight with j.
as a rat wants his to run with-to steer
The clipping off Of Il few feathers und
meath and around the thighs complete Y
cutting out of the bird. Now comes 1
heeling. On this depends everything. I
bird is perfectly heelod. though only q "
ordinary fighter, and with the greatest Cd
of condition against him. he has every q
vantage. In a regular main the birds
heoled In the training rooms, but to-nie
is u fighting night, and we ollow Barbee
to the pit, whore he delivers his charge
his employer, Mr.. M, the Wner of t
place.
Tho pit is a pandemonium by this tin
tho crowd has surged up from below, p
ssnted it's tickets and now betting is goi
on at a furious rate. Men you would m
out on the street and never think they h
more than enough money to buy a dri
with, arc shouting out offers to bet $40. 4
800 on their favorites at a rate VIII
makes you think they are only "blufin
or are betting with confederate money.
money is put up, every body knows eveI
BODY else. or it DOESN'T make any differel
whether he hoes or not, for q man refusi
to settle a bet wouldn't stand much char
of getting ont alive, and even i he did
"houss'' would settle the "Welsh." r
lights flicker. the crowd presses down me
closely on the pit and a subdued cheer I'D
up az War Horse and an opponent, viii
by the way, is n silver duckwing,
brought In almost simultaneously. W
Horses owner seats himself on the edge
the pit, and the owner OF the other co
take u seat in the same fashion
the other side Of tho enclosure. wv
spurs will you have2' well, we'll I'd
for choice" Tho four, sharp steel point
New York regulation-with their leatl
sockets. are tossed on the carpet OF the Il
and a penny decides tho choice. There
little or no choice in New York reRuiati
spurs, but to make assurance doubly su
in mains, tho rule Ia to change spurs eve
fight. Columns might be written on st
spurs. There in rs much difference betwe
the place or point thess tiny gaifs are ma
to occupy as there ia between the hit a
miss Of q rifle ball. A sixteenth, a thirt
second Of III meth makes all the dilorc