The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-12-16
AN UNEQUAL CONTEST
A CUR DOG AGAINST A BADGER IN
A GREAT BATTLE.

The Kind of Fun. Imported From
Texas, with which the Conscience
less Inhabitants of New Mexico
Amuse Themselves at Times.
"There is something which have long |
been wishing to tell you, !" writes young |
gentleman who is now at Eddy, N. M, |
"but somehow l never succeeded in trans
porting myself into the right humor to do |
so, This was a description of one of the |
principal and most enjoyable pastimes Of
the Eddy people The folks here have
various ways TO beguile the monotony. |
They have dances, amateur theatricals, |
hunting parties and badger fights. Badger /
fights Oh, what mortal anguish has been |
caused by these cruel, cruel badger fights |
They are of Texan origin, but are now
praoticed all over the southwest
"I had been here about a week when l |
noticed one day all the factory hands |
grouping together and talking about a
magnificent badger that COW punoheT, as
cowboys are called here, had brought to
town. There was to be a badger fight that |
night. A dog was to fight him to a finish.
Bets we're given and taken. Some had seen
the badger, and all knew the dog which
was to fight him. do not like bloody
spectacles and decided not to go, but heav-
en- willed 1t otherwise.
"On my way home from work every
body on the streets appeared to be speak
ing about and betting on the badger fight
People had come in from the country TO
see 1t. One man was pointed out to me as
having bet as much as 800 on the fight.
High bets were transacted in my presence.
l decided to see that fight. Two of my
friends came to my room after supper and
invited me TO accompany them to the fight.
When we got down stairs l noticed the
whole veranda of the hotel crowded with
bOisterous, brawling, betting, disputing,
turbulent multitude.
"When we left, this entire multitude
filed after us. Shopkeepers left their shops
in their shirt sleeves to join the procession
In three blocks the procession behind me
had doubled in volume began growing
excited and believe l should have bet had
some one offered to do so with me. When
we arrived at the arena, large crowd was
already waiting. Betting now went on
with feverish excitement. I had lost track
of my friends in the uproar and therefore
stood aside TO contemplate the scene.
1.-THE crowd had arranged itself in cir
Gle with a large open space in the center.
Within this space stood box all closed
up, rope reaching from the interior ex-
tended diametrically across the open space.
was told by some one that the badger
was in the box and the rope was tied to
him. When the fight would begin, some
one would jerk the badger by means of
the long rope to about the center of the
circle, and the dog would then attack
| him.
1.-THE dog was now exhibited in the cir
cle My surprise was unspeakable when
saw that cur. Instead of a large, fierce
animal it was siokly looking puny wa
ter spaniel. My sincere sympathy was at
once enlisted with the dog
Preparations were now made for the
bloody event. The badger men insisted
upon careful examination of the dog.
Some old sport waltzed up and examined
the dogs teeth, legs, nose and fur to see
If any pepper had been strewn into 1t SO
as to disable the badger After a careful
examination the dog was pronounced
o. X.
ga person was now wanted to pull the
| badger. 1t was unanimously decided that
for this purpose an unbiased person was
necessary person who had not bet on
the fight. The badger men refused to allow
dog man to pull the badger lest he should
injure him by too violent jerk. The
dog men were equally vociferous in their
refusal to allow a badger man to pull him,
| lest the badger man pull him into posi-
| tion unfavorable for q successful attack
by the dog. A clamorous haggling now
ensued. 1t appeared to me that instead Of
badger fight we might have a free for all
fisticuff Every one who volunteered to
do the pulling was for some or another
reason vociferously rejected. Finally a
man walked through the crowd in quest
of a person suitable for the purpose OF
pulling the badger. He questioned many,
but always passed on. Finally he came to
me. He asked me if l had bet. No. He
asked me other questions, to which ap-
parently l gave satisfactory answers. l
was invited to pull My heart throbbed,
as did not wish the task. But by not
yielding l would disappoint the entire
crowd L reluctantly consented.
Immediately storm of objections
arose. This, however, was finally quieted
down, and took the rope. l got careful
instructions how to proceed. was to pull
just so, ON the count of three. l trem'
bled at the thought that l might not do
just so and have dozen or so six shooters
leveled at my face in case made blum
der.
"All noise had now subsded. Every
one was anticipating, Slowly and dis
tinotly the fellow counted One, two,
|
box rolled nice white and clean porce-
/, lain badger, will say.
. ''It is needless to say that there was a
+ sudden violent outburst of hilarity. Ev-
cry one of those wretohes exerted his each
inatory powers to the utmost. 1t took me
q several seconds to realize that the whole
procedure was merely joke perpetrated
upon poor unoffending me, got up wholely
I, and solely for my benefit.
81 could not lick the whole gang II
could, should undoubtedly have done so.
l did the next best thing. l put my pipe
: into my mouth, thrust my hands into my
a pockets and looked as little sheepish as
9 possible. Occasionally when | succeeded
!, in swallowing a large lump which was
| troubling my throat | would utter few
} cultural sounds. These were meant for a
laugh. Since this event am one of the
boys A badger fight is sort of shib'
boleth, an open sesame to the elite OF
K western society.
} "Since then l have seen the same joke
perpetrated on Mr.. -, Chicago man
His sheepishness was uncomfortable. He
K stood for sCme minutes in the midst Of the
). yelling, frantic crowd, with indesoribable
agony He tried to smile, but his mouth
assumed the shape of IA poorly cut slit in 1
pumpkin had sympathy with him, bui
~ nevertheless enjoyed the fun, '-Milwau
kee Sentinel