The Mercur miner. [volume] (Mercur, Utah) 1895-1913, 1905-11-08

The old man chose spot or ieNcl |
ground and set TO work. lie drove one |
Of the little stakes into the ground, I'M
coiled the Irvine, drove another, ana so
on, until he had marked out square, |
about yard on a side. On three sides
the Irvine was carried on the stakes
n few inches above the ground, and
from this fence every hands breadth
or so, hung a little moose OF fiber.
The fourth side Of the square was
wall OF brush, and at the centre OF this
the old man now drove n fifth stake,
and tied his fighting cock TO 1t by n
very short tether. Then he opened all
the little nooSes and spread them care
fully on the ground within the square.
Justin inspected his work.
ut is very good" he announced ut
last. zone would not believe that this
old man could be so wise. The wild
rooster hears this one. lie wishes to
| fight. All roosters wish to fight al
ways lie comes from the wood, dane
| ing, so. This one crows and huffs out
| his feathers. so! The wild rooster
! comes TO the little fence and they look
at each other. So" said Justin, using
tranquil for Illustration. "ITe cannot
pass under the little fence; it is too
! low. lie cannot step over IL; il is too
high. lie hops, so. His foot falls in
the moose, aud so" said Justin, dane
| ing ON one foot ana cackliug shrilly.
"Abaa. II is very good. The old man
is much wiser than one would think
| to look at him."
The old man listened TO this mono
! logup with disgust
"Now we shall 20 and he very quiet.
The manuk del monte does not like
| noisy ones" he said, CHANGING at Justin.
So we went and sat down where
some bushes screened MS and yet left
MS Il view Of the trap After half an
hour Justin curlcd mp and went TO
! sleep. The breeze was cool and the
| grass was soft, and soon followed his
example.
was awakened by n bell-like call
from the forest. The captive rooster
was dancing at his stake Presently he
| tapped his wings and stood on tiptoe
and answered scornfully. They chal-
lenged back and forth till Mt last, with
a boom Of wings, the wild cock, the
very one | had been dreaming Of,
dropped on the grass.
As he caught sight Of the traitor he
spread all his splendid plumage and
crowed again. And the red bird an
swered bravely. After all. II was not
his fault that he was traitor.
The wild bird ran forward with
swift, steady gait very unlike the awk-
ward strides of his tame cousins, and
lowered his head and spread his run.
Then he stood mp straight and
scratched sticks and grass into the air
with sturdy leg and crowed. The
traitor kicked furiously at his tether,
but 1t held. and the wild cock advanced
to the fence.
For a moment the two looked at each
other with lowered heads, and then
they sprang The traitor, of course,
collapsed in an ignominious heap. AS
the wild cock landed inside the fence.
his foot barely touched the ground.
But the touch was enough. One Of the
little nooses frightened about his legs,
and as he sprang again he, too, came
down with a jerk.
The birds were rising TO face each
other when we ran forward. and he
turned toward us at the noise. | ex-
pcctcd 20 see him struggle madly to
escape. But the brave little fellow
faced MS, and Tapped his wings and
stretched his neck. challenging Ms fear
lcssly. In a moment the old man had
tossed n handkerchief over his head
ana looscncd the moose, and held him
between my hands.
| could feel the 1.-the muscles taut ms
steel wires beneath my fingers, and the
heart beating furously, but he made no
sound ana did not struggle. ! looked
at the lustrous markings Of his back
ana wings, and the long. dropping tail
feathers, and then all Mt once came a
picture OF the dragged, spirtless cap
tive back I'm the old mans yard.
pluckcd away the handkerchief and
tossed him Into the air.
His wings beat very loud In the STILL
ness. ana we all started. Then | looked
round shceplshly. Tranquil was star
ing up stupidity, with his mouth in a
big, round q. Justin was laughing, but
suddenly he pointed eXcitedly to Tran
guilds mouth and shouted:
"Look senior! have found him.
There he goes. Look! Look" And il
would be hard 10 say whether the old
man gaZcd at Justin or mo with the
deeper disgust.-Youth's Companion.