The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-01

some and fit TO go into a bullet battle. one
day some natives came along with an an
gular misshapen cock that seemed hardly
able TO support its own weight. They
wished 10 match il against the company
bird, and the company, whom the paymas-
ter had just visited. and who still luxuri-
ated in a part of its former winnings. &C
cepted the challenge and gave big odds.
Every dollar that every man had went on
the match. The mascot's excellence had
been due to its qualities as a jumper. When
it had consisted mainly of legs it got into
the air so fast that an opponent could not
strike it. That proved the favorite suit of
the other bird, while the mascot, stuffed
by army commissary and candy. had be-
come so fat that it had no jumping power
left. It's head was spitted on the gan OF
the other bird at the first rush.
AN OFFICERS SCHEME.
Among the officers stationed at Morong,
in the island. was one who felt that his
ingenuity might be equal to curing natives
of the game-cock habit. Besides enter
tanning proper sentiments in regard TO that
habit he had the advantage of hailing
from a section in the Southern States
where the careful study of generations
enters into the breeding of game fowl.
He heard of the bankruptcy of the BacOlod
company and at once saw that it had been
due to the folly of the soldiers in fitting
the bird for the table rather than for the
pit. If he could get a high-jumping bird,
train it in Southern fashion and keep it in
trim the financial ~stringency temporarily
imposed on Occidental Negros might be-
come permanent within the sphere of his
limited operations. Such an example would
naturally be followed by other officers,
and if the natives were thus deprived OF
money they could not fight chickens any
more. That impressed him as a scheme OF
practical reform worth more as a cure for
a vice than all the statutes and preaching
that could be dinned into the people. He
found a bird to his liking, and at last re-
ports the scheme worked as he had
planned. Morong let him have $1,000 in gold
in about three months, and the chief bet
tors in the town have had to quit the bust
ness. He got a transfer across Manila bay,
where the good work so far has yielded
him about 5000. He hopes to clean out
than den before new orders remove him.
He says that if he felt sure that a few
coops from the old homestead could stand
a Trip OF tllS distance ne COulQ take Out u
Luzon alone more money than the Presi-
dents salary every year, and thus in a
few years sap the Ubiquitous sport of all
its vitality.
Monte strikes the unskilled observer as a
game of pure guess. A dealer throws
out two or four cards. Those about the
table lay money on their favorites. The
deal then proceeds and the winners are
those whose card is first matched by a
corresponding card of another suit. 1t
seems to be quite fascinating, as may be
readily understood from the standpoint of
the dealer. A native now in high official
position lived sumptuously for months
while apparently doing nothing. 1t was
given out that he had sacrificed his per-
sonal interests in order that he might de-
vote himself to the service of the country.
Some one asked how he managed to meet
current bills while waiting for the country
to appreciate him. oh" was the reply,
''his wife deals a monte game" The game
appeals to natives of every station. No
American has yet devised a cure for it.
Since it appears to attract equally both
sexes, it may be, in view of the dominant
influence of native women in domestic af-
fairs, that this evil will most readily yield
to the reforming efforts of American
women. FREDERICK w. EDDY.