Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-08-13
STOPPED THE FIGHT.

A strange 7iere Of property for Rector
Warnei
There was nothing to distinguish the
rectors red pyle from any worldly fight
Ing cock II had the same snaky head. the
same wicked eyes the same powerful
wings. It's spurs were almost still enough
u force their way unshod through u leath-
er boot leg, let alone through the neck Of
any cock tina, dared TO stand up against
him.
The rector never would have owned him
at all If IL had not been FOR Jake Brs~e.
Jake We. the promoter OF most N r+c
cooking mains between Coalition and Cab
town. Cockfsh,s between tbs two rival
TOWNS wers always popular, but the asht
in which the r,ctor won the red pyle rose
TO the dignity OF historic event The
battle took place at sun-.t on the last Sat
urciay night Of March. which was also pay
day All the sports Of both places Were on
the edgf OF ,the old reservoir above the
Coalpnfhsyfker pud Edwards Was the
re<erS ~ ION White, otherwise known
as :" Ser,' was the stakeholder
Thel % up FOR the best three In
III "a Was only fairly begun. One
speckleH g yesr-oid from Coalton had hcen
disabled. and the rsd pyle entered by the
Coalton party had just worsstd the Cab
town bird The third match was t.sin-
ming when spike Wrights boy slid
down the EN- bank u4ent and broke into the
shouts and oaths Of the ring with al ex
cited gesture:
Cheese ii Here's dc preacher Nj
Warne's night out de udder side o. de
bank
Ths men started UP unessily, the shouts
sinking into cultural silence
Instead Il catching up the birds and
returning until NJ Nsrne Was safely out
Of the way little Nike Flynn. who had
charge OF the remaining Ciabtown cocks
turned them all into the ring at once ard
then di.api-,ar-d s-tore the crowd from
Coaltou could punish him FOR bis troslch-
erv. The red pyle, tos.; By four birds at
once, was dnIEG his best Il hold lis own
III spit, u TIM terrible odd. Avoiding
their attack - well - Possible, he finished
the biry, WIKI which he lad i-,sn fighting
and then attacked the strongest - tie
thr,,e remaining adyer~.rie-z lie Goal;an
crowd. frantic ~ - s5Eht Il tf,,,r cham
pInn - uuiaaa.y I4ats!l,.i. would have
traIu}le,. Gudrr t,-et thu cocks 81 tie Cab
town partv- hnt the referee r,,~ss Instantly
u the occasion and ordered taa.t the n
manning three birds Il the C,st.;.lu crowd
should - added T. The rlE,x
In the lIes,Itllue the rector hid IE-htl
on rapidly until lie came 10 the top - the
/ emhankment He paused but an instant
/ u gain breath and t. survey tho motley
/ crowd fellow. Then he cried out in ring
| ing tones. For shame, men, Have YOU
no manhood to st Gods living, fNe,!ng
creatures 70 f4.r,ure Ole another Ike that
D,,,1.- h., 4
! The rector went On t. urge those nearest
| him To leave such brutal sport ART! come
| with him to separate the fighting ROSTERS
some laughed uneasily, Others moved
/ away, while one or TWO wayered. But as
no one complied with his ilnpa>siont<
! pleas the rector pressed through III, crowd
alone the edge II the ring
! The cocks Herc now IN battle royal a.
most evenly matched They paid not the
slightest heed 10 what WAS going On about
| them The rector waved his hand once or
twice in futile endeay0r to frigirien them
apart and was just reaching out his walk
! ing stick to intercept the ned pyle when
Jake Brcecc siraug forward, presented his
brawny shoulder under the rector's out
stretched arm, whlrled him quickly
around and without needing his protest
began 10 push him backward up the Hill
toward tie top Of the reserS DIR.
! The movement was thoroughly uuclcr-
| ical-more like an awkward colt being
backed out Of the wrong stall than anything
else. The rector would never have found
himself in such an undignitied position If
he had only staid in his study that oatur-
day night There lie would have been safe
and warm and away from al disagrcoahle
sights and sounds Bur the rector had n
haiti NJ
while wandering about the dark corners OF
his parish.
But, If be must 60, why should Le choose
the ght after pay day Of al Tie nights
IL the month: Why not wait until the
wages of the community lad got safely
| into the hands Of the saloon keepers and
the sporting fraternity and the men had
settled down TO grumble AT the hard times
and poor work about the mines: Nobody
wanted the rector To be abroad on pay
night His own people did not like their
| spiritual adviser to see the sights incident
to that lively season, and those who were
outside the church were still less anxious
! to have him ab0ut-unless, indeed, some
member of his flock happened 10 be max
ing holy show of himself about one Of
the saloons Then the scoffers We're quite
| willing that the rector should see all that
was TO be seen.
But to have the rector come upon a man
Of his own congregation drunk was ene
thing and 10 have him catch the men in
the midst of u cockfght was quite another
matter. There might be church law
against drunkenness, but there was statute
law against cockdghting. Rector Warne
was known to deal very tenderiy with the
| weak brethren of his flock who had fallen
under the power of the cup, although the
men whom he visited and prayed with On
the subject did not consider it a pleasant
interview But it was not known just
| how leniently the rector would regard the
| subject Of cockfghring, Indeed, 1t was
| very seriously doubted whether he would
deal leniently with the offenders at all.
| There was a tradition concerning old
| Father Hill, who had been the locum ten
j