The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1901-05-02
should have town pride in Nose;
we TOOK Jim on sufferance.

terrier, did it as slick as grease, and |
he used only his teeth and claws. |
Then one night he tackled the best
known Tom cat scrapper in town
That cats friends and relatives knew
him no more. Then Nose walloped
the best bull terrier in town. Nose
came off little SCARED after that
battle, but his courage was undimin-
ished. After that we had to get I'D
fights with animals, dogs from out of
town.
'Mose never failed us. He had one
quality, however, that we didn't un-
derstand thoroughly, and that was
the undoing of us all. Nose would
never trifie with an opponent an in
stant after the opponent was dead.
He never would touch any animal
he had killed. He would walk away
as if to say: There, have licked
him; now give him burial We came
to love Nose more for this quality.
"Mose had licked everything we
could find in or near Appleton and
it was suggested that he be tried
on some wild animals. Some sug-
gested a porcupine, but Jim kicked
| and said it would be well to try
him first on some easier game. 1t
was about this time that the we'll
known badger trick was being tri, 1
with lots OF fun in the west. You
know about that, of course. A man
from the east would be invited to
see q dog lick badger which was
kept in a barrel. A crowd would
meet with much secrecy in secluded
spot. -.--..
"Vast sums would be wagered as
to the ability of the fighting dog to
lick the badger that was in the bar
rel. Finally there would be an aw-
full dispute as to the fairness of the
referee selected. Then the stranger
upon whom the trick was being
worked would be selected as referee
and at signal would pull the string
to release the badger. He would gen.
orally drag out dead kitten or q
dead rat when he pulled the string,
and then all hands would have a
drink at the strangers expense.
"Jim agreed to use Nose one night
in playing the badger game on a
young fellow from the east who had
come to town and was always talk.
ing about the big things he had seen
in the way of fighting. We knew that
Nose would not tackle anything dead
and so to the youn-- fellows surprise
even Jim said he would bet that
Nose would be licked in a battle with
badger. He declared that Nose had
never fought with any wild animal.
"The eastern man, whose name
might be jenkins, if his real name
wasn't used, had been long enough
in town to catch the local pride in
Nose and had seen Nose make a
couple of dogs look cheaper than 81
cents. He wouldn't have it that way
and said he would bet clean $10t
that Nose would win. That looked
like picking up money for us all ant
we went into the game with zest
!, !, taking care first that jenkins shoult
!. have his money up. We had no diff
ficulty in putting up our money ant
even Jim invested SIS against his owl
pet That sum was a fortune TO
. jim but it was such a cinch that h
. risked every cent he had or coul'
: borrow.
: sWeIl, the fight came on. We me
! in an old barn one Sunday morning
: It was hard to keep a straight face
\ We knew we had the dead kitten i
. the barrel and we knew from expert
| evan 4bo% AoSo xro,,ld turn axyov l.
o disgust as soon as he saw it. Som
of us felt as if we were committin
!. robbery, it was so easy.
h "Inere was a mighty quarrel, c
. usual, about the referee. We couldn
a agree on anyone. It all wound u
o by agreeing to accept jenkins. d
4 objected. He said he didn't know tn
! rules of the game. We said neve
a to mind that; any old rules woul
\ do. We had confidence that he woul
Z give us fair deal even if he wa
. an interested party and had bet Q
= Nose. We told him openly that "
- were sorry for him, but he said h
~ confidence in Nose was undiminishe
n and if it wasn't for the strong PEI
~ sonal attachment between Nose an
W Jim he would be willing to buy Mos
y He wouldn't think of seTaratin
n them, however. and SO would just b'
10 on Nose first, last and all the time.
;s 1--WE had got through our squa
~ bling and were ready for busines
;, Jim held Nose in front of the barr
Il and a deathlike stiffness ruled. II
m timekeeper was to give the VOL
% when Jenkins was to pull the strin
70 "'Pull.' cried the timekeeper.
b. Jenkins pulled, Jim pushed Mo-
e toward the barrel, the head came O.
and then with one accord the 25 me
n fell upon jenkins and began to pour
d him and shout in outlaws that cou
,e be heard quarter of mile. The,
IF never was such a rollicking cre'
H. Men held their sides to keep fro
+ being hurt with their laughter. \
m one paid any attention to Nose
in the barrel. jenkins shouts final
Sc were heard above the laughter.
49, osT Of mo nm, he cried How n.