Year: 1874

In the early days, many years ago, Sen
ator Jones was engaged in mining on the
Slanislaus River, California, says the Vir-
ginia City New Enterprise, at a place
called Cherokee Flat. 1t was small
camp, containing scarcely more than a
dozen habitations, all told. The most i'm
| posing structure in the camp was a board
ing-house, owned by Mr.. Joggles. a Mis-
sourlan. This JOggles was man OF sport
ing proclivities. He owned a vicious
looking old bulldog, with but one eye,
whose nose was covered with scars, and
whose front teeth were always visible,
even when in the most friendly mood.
This dog he was ready to back against
any dog OH the river for fight. He also
had two or three game rOosters of whose
prowess he was boastful. But his especial
glory and pride was his fighting horse, a
large, powerfuily-muscled end exceeding
ly vicious broncho," which he called
"Old PiZen." And "pizen - he was to
all four-footed creatures in that region; in
deed, was so "mean" that he was almost
poison to himself


This fierce and unsocial beast had taken
possession of a large grassy fiat, about half
a mile above the camp, and would allow
no other animal to come upon what he
viewed as his private domain; nor, for the
matter of that, to come anywhere near the
camp. At Cherokee Flat, the old broncho
was monarch of all he surveyed. He had
whipped and run off every animal that had
ever been brought to the camp. The min
ers several times swore vengeance against
&c Old Pizen," and would have shot him,
but that they liked Joggles, and the soul
of Joggles delighted in Old PiZen, therefore
they let him live.


Not content with conquering intrud-
ers, the old broncho would chase them
for miles, running them clear out of the
country. The moment he saw strange
animal he laid back his ears and went for
him, using both heels and teeth.


About all hisJoggles didn't care cent.
When told of one of the exploits of the
animal he would laugh in spite of himself,
and would swear that Old Pizen was the
"biggest fightin' hOSs on the Stanislaus,"
and that he would back him agin any
critter that ever wore har." He would
tell how a big American horse chased
away by Old PiZen was found forty miles
distant with his tail gnawed off to mere
stump. When he thought of the comical
appearance the MANNED horse must have
presented with his little stump of tail.
Joggles would laugh till tears run down
his cheeks.


The fame of the "fighting horse" extern
ded for miles around the camp. Prospect
ers passing that way with pack animals
were warned against him. "Beware Ofthe
fighting horse ~ was the word through all
that section of country.


Sonora. the county seat of Tuolumne
county, was the source whence the miners
at Cherokee Flat drew their supplies of
''grub" and other necessaries. The town
was fifteen or twenty miles distant and the
miners would occasionally go up there, or
der what they wanted, and have it ''pack-
ed'' down to ther cabins.


One day j. p. Jones and one of his part
ners went upto Sonora to procure supplies
for their company, known as the ''Buck-
eye." They remained over night in town,
intending to return the next day. In the
morning, soon after they arose, they heard
a terrible commotiOn in a livery-stable Just
across the street from their hotel. hun
ming over to ascertain the cause, they found
that big Spanish jackass had round its
way into the stable through a r, door.
and was on the war path among the horses.
He had cleaned out several stalls almost at
a dash, and then reached that occupied by
a powerful black stallion. Here he found
work to do. As Jones and partner enter
ed a furious battle was raging, the horse
using his heels and the jack his teeth. The
horse being confined by strong halter
the jack had rather the best of it. After
tearing and mangling the tlanks Of the
horse frightfully, the furious jack, unmind
full of the blows the stablemen were rain
ing upon his back. suddenly crowded hun
self forward in the stall and seized the
horse by the under lip. Here he held on
like bulldog, the poor horse quiverlng in
every muscle and moaning in agony.


One of the proprietOrs of the stable drew
his revolver and was about to shoot the
savage ass, when his owner arrived and a
fierce wrangle ensued. The owner of the
fighting jack drew his pistol, and for a
time it looked as though there was likely
to be "a man for breakfast"


Finally, however, the owner of the jack
succeeded in getting him away from the
trembling and mangled horse, and drove
him out of the stable.


1t now occurred to Mr.. Jones that here
was an animal that would make Old PiZen
sick at the stomach. A word of this
thought to his partner, and they agreed, if
possible, to secure the fighting jackass.
Following the owner of the jack, they soon
came to an understanding with him. They
were told that the jack was a good pack
animal. and as quiet as a lamb when no
horses were about. When he came where
there were hsrses, his whole nature
changed and he went for them with the
fury of a tiger. The jack being an unus-
uallv powerful animal. the owner asked
S75 for him. Jones and partner agreed to
run him trip on trial, and gave the owner
S75,which he was to keep in case the jack
was not returned within certain time.


Having secured the fighting jack, Jones
and partner packed him and started home
in high feather. As soon as he was out Of
town the jack became as docile and sleepy
as any other old "burrO that ever trotted
trail. Before getting home the beast be-
came absolutely lazy, and Jones q Co. be-
gan to fear that off his own dunghill their
jack was of no account as fighter.


1t was about sundown when the men
reached Cherokee Flat and drove up to the
door of the Buckeye COmpany's cabin.
Their partners had quit work and come
up from the bar. They were getting sup
per, but, for the time, discontinued the
work of frying bacon and baking slap
Jacks to come out and ask 81. Z. =" and
companion how they came by the big
donkey.


In as few words as possible Jones made
them acquainted with the character OF the
beast. When he had finished his account
of the scene at the livery stable, every man
of the Buckeye Company was firmly con-
vinced that the big jack could "walk the
log" of Old Nick himself, but mum was
the word. No hint of the fighting quail
ties of the animal was TO go out of the
cabin.


Presently Joggles, whose boarding
house was Just across the street, espied
the jackass, and came over to where he
was being unpacked.


A smile struggled about the corners OF
his mouth as he came.


Walking up to the beast and eyeing him
from stem to stearn for time, Joggles
said:


''Purty good chunk of a iackass. Bin
buyin' him?"


"Nell," said Jones, II don't know.
We have him on trial. We may buy him.
He is big and strong, and seems nice and
quiet-may be trifle lazy"


Joggles, who seemed to be calculating
about how many mouthfuls he would
make for Old Pizen, at last said


well, yes, he seems rather quiet"


Having unpacked the jack, one of the
boys gave him slap with strap, as
much as to say ''You are now at liberty,
old fellow; go off and enjoy yourself as
YOU please"