The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-02-01
GAMEY BIRDS
OF The STATE.
MIssouri's Official Flock Of
Fighting Chickens.
ARE KEPT IN The STATE HOUSE
Purely Ornamental Now That the Executives
Have Given Up The Farmer Sport
Of Cock Fighting.
ARE KEPT IN The STATE HOUSE

old Governor Bob Stewart OF Mizzoura.'
remarked Uncle Josh Fuller. as he tipped
back his chair and lighted fresh cheroot.
Now. hail from Bowling Green. Pike
county, in old Mizzoo, myself. The
Hon able Champ Clark, the screamin ea-
gle of Congress. is fellow townsman OF
mine. Nice fellow. Champ. but he's
plumb cross-eyed on Democracy.
1T will be between him an Governor
Bill Stone as TO who gifts the Hon able
George Graham Vests shoes as senator
from Mizzoura some OF these days. pro-
vidin'. of course. their peculiar brand OF
Democracy is popular long enough.
But git back to Bob Stewart. He was
an eccentric sort of chap IN little things
an independent as "A small boy with "A
new drum. When Governor Bob said
good-by TO the governors mansion at
jefferson City he left behind him the
name of a game man and a passel of
game chickens.
Yep. l mean list what / say; game
chickens. The state OF Mizzoura has for
years been the only state in these United
States that possesses In its own right,
title clear and free OF all membranes,
a superior breed of lighting fowl.
THE chickens live in a comfortable
house on the grounds surrounding the
executive mansion. Governors come and
governors go. but the states game chick
ems remain so long as the breed holds
out.
They do not become the property of
the chief executive I'm office, who may
admire 'em, an'-well, no. 1 don't think
the governors of these degenerate days
ever night chickens.
Its kind Of gone out OF fashion TO
fight chickens. so the Mizzoura game
cocks jist strut aroun an look purity.
but don't fight none. 'ceptin', of course.
among themselves.
HOW THEY FIRST CAME THERE.
How'd they come there? Well. Gov
ernor Bob Stewart was nightly fond OF
game fowl. He had a hobby that a way.
an he raised some fine birds. When he
retired as governor he jist naturally left
the chickens on the place. an the chick
ems jist as naturally liked the country
an stayed where they was.
"Out in old Mizzoura they have a state
official whose business Ii is To look af-
ter the state buildings an grounds at
jefferson City. the state capital. He's n
sort of commiss'n OF some kind, an
draws a salary of about $1,000 year.
"Y'see, We don't pay no big sums TO our
buy a few good segars an a little Ticker
occasionally ought TO satisfy any man as
isn't naturally a graspin' monopolist.
For many years the man who held
that Job was Ashley Ewing, relative of
Senator Francis Marion Cockrell.
Ash was an old bachelor an lived
alone durin the summer. an in winter
times he mixed In with human bein's
more by reason OF bein' sergeant-at-arms
OF the state Senate.
Ash took a special pride I'm the states
game chickens an gave great deal or
his spare time 10 improvin' the breed,
SOS finally that flock became one of the
finest In the world.
OCCASIONALLY Ash would mack a present
of a bird to some prominent man. an
nothin' was ever said bout II, because
Ash had been in office so long an was
such a good fellow that people kind of
got to thinkin' he could do purity much
as he pleased.
THE chickens were there when I was
at JEFF City few years ago, and /
reckon they or their descendants are still
scratching for worms in the mansion
house grounds.
You couldn't be more honored than TO
receive present OF one of Mizzoura's
game chickens. A turkey at Thanksgiv-
ing time is nothing compared To such
gift.
when John s. Marmaduke was COVER
nor OF Mizzoura he had a little room just
off the main entrance 10 the executive
mansion ntted up as a sort of private Of
fee and reception room.
II remember calling on the governor
there one winters day. IL was the first
time i had ever been In the mansion, an
OF course 1 was n little curious about the
fittin's of the place. After exchangin'
the usual Inequalities among gentlemen
in that part OF the country, settled back
In my chair an looked around the room.
"Nhat struck me most was that there
was only one picture in IL. 1t was an oil
paintin', done in extra fine style. an hung
directly over the governors desk.
AN OF what do you think IL was n
picture? Genl Jackson? No. Genl Lee?
No. JEFF Davis? Not by q - sight. IL
was a paintin' of as fine game cock as
any man would care to see.
Yes. sir "A game cock, an the only pic
ture I'm the governors private office.
Now don't that show that old Mizzoura
is proud Of its own pet breed OF game
chickens?
MARMADUKE's LOVE OF CHILDREN
Governor Marmaduke, like Ash Ewing.
was a single man. He was a graduate OF
West Point stood six feet three, and had
a fine Confederate record as a soldier.
'tsONernOf U nOne
in society 20 speak OF. an there were
mighty few shindigs for grown-up folks
at the mansion during his time; but IL
was lively around there jist the same.
THE governor was simply crazy about
children He loved 'em all until they got
into long dresses an trousers, an the
children had the run OF the house while
he was In office.
ION festival occasions like Jacksons
birthday which Is always celebrated in
Mzzoura the governor gave a childrens
party. at which he was the only adult
present
''rhe children bout ruined the billiard
table an the carpets I'm some of tho
rooms. an played hob with the furniture
hut they we're the governors friends. an
that settled g.
q remember once meeting Governor
Marmadulse on his return from trip TO
New York. lie told me be had bought q
magnificent picture 10 hang In the man
sion: said the place needed a little ar
tistic toning up.
Then ho showed me tho picture. and
what do YOU think 10 was? General