The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-17

| 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 fell
| low from the East who had come TO
town and was always talking 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
young fellows surprise even Jim said
he would bet that Nose would be licked
in 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 couple of dogs look cheaper
than 30 cents He wouldn't have 1t that
way and said he would bet clean
500 that Nose would win. That looked
Ike picking up money for us all ana we
went into the game with zest, taxing care
fist that jenkins should nave his money
I'D. We had no difficulty in putting up
our money and even JisA invested S2o
aeainst his own pet. That sum was
fortune for Jim, but it was such cincn
that he risked every cent he hau OF
could borrow.
e.Well the fight came on. We met IN
san old barn one Sunday morning. II
was hard to keep straight race. We
knew we had the dead kitten IN the par
rel and we knew from experience that
Nose would turn away in disgust as SUM
as he saw it, Some of us feit as IL we
were committing robbery, it was so easy.
There was a mighty quarrel, as usual
about the referee. We couldn agree on
any one 1t all wound up by agreeing
~ accent Jenkins He objected. He said
he didn't know the rules of the game:
We said never to mind that; any olo
rules would do. We had commence thdt
he would give us a fair deal even II he
was an interested party and had bet on
Nose. We told him openly that we were
sorry for him, but he said his confidence
in, Nose was undiminished and If 1t
wasn't for the strong personal attach
ment between Nose and Jim he would be
willing to buy Nose. He wouldn't think
of separating them, however, and SO
would Just bet on Nose first last ana
all the time.
1--WE had got through our squabbling
and were ready for business. Jim held
Nose in front of the barrel and death
like stiffness ruled. The timekeeper was
to give the word when Jenkins was to
pull the string.
Pull cried the timekeeper.
Jenkins pulled, Jim pushed Nose to-
ward the barrel, the head came out ana
then with one accord the twenty-five men
fell upon Jenkins and began to pound
him and shout IN outlaws that could be
heard a quarter of mile. There never
was such a rolicking crew. Men held
their sides to keep from being hurt with
their laughter. No one paid any atten-
ton to Nose or the barrel Jenkins
shouts finally were heard above the
laughter.
"'Let me up he cried How can I
referee this fight with all of you crazy
men on top of me? Don't you see there's
a fight going on? Give EN- room! Give
'em roomp
"By crackey, if there wasn't Nose hav-
ing a fight with an animal then and
there and none of US had seen it. Nose
made one final jump and shook the life
out of real live badger. Some one had
played a trick on us and had put a
badger in the barrel and we had lost our
money. Jenkins decided that he was the
winner and walked off with the stakes.
He simply said:
''I had that trick played on me last
winter over near Madison and I thought
it was about time to get even with the
smart men of Appleton
1--WE took Jim home tipsy. He soon be-
gan to peter out. l don't suppose he
ever drew a sober breath after that.
When he passed away we did every
thing we could for Nose, but he pined
for Jim. He couldn't understand 1t all.
He had done the best he could and he
soon lost heart. He reflected upon the
cold and mysterious way Of a cold and
cruel world and soon he was buried by
the side of Jim AS 1 said, he was I'M
doubtedly the most remarkable animal
that the state of Wisconsin ever. pro-
Guced"