Year: 1876

"Have you got game ruster 2' said Jake Frink to me one morning last week, as he came over to our house.

 "No, haven't. Whats up now9" ] inquired.

 "Why, you see, Squire Bunker, that boy of mine, up in the White Oaks, has got it into his head that if he can raise some game chickens, heAcan make his fortune in ashort tme-says he won ten dollars on bet last week on 8 fghtin' cock-at little set-tos some of his neigh bors had in his barnyard, and if he had some smart rusters that would stand steel every time, he could make more money in 8 cockpit in one month than he could peddlin' charcoal in hull year and I guess he's rite. Says he's got two bullets that is all rite, and if he can git ruster that is dead game, he would raise some chickens next season that would have the grit in 'em, and he would bet on the White Oaks agin the hull State of Connecticut. knew you kept blooded fowls, and didn't know but you might have some of that kind"

 "No, don't keep that kind. Why don't you use printers ink ?'

 Printers ink !'' exclaimed Jake, "I should like Jo know what that has got to do with it. I've heerd of printers ink for canker worms, but never heerd of it for rusters-how dye apply it 2''

 "Just put it in the Hookertown Ca zette under the head of Wants-lke this: Wanted to buy yearling cock, warranted dead game, Jacob Brink, Hookertown, Ot."

 "Never did sich thing in my life. Taint no use. I never read advertise ments, and guess nobody else don't. They're pretty much all doctor stuff. Might be some use in it of was steam doctor"

 Just try it," said I, "and if you don't hear of roosters in less than 8 week, I'll pay the bill."

 I didn't much think Jake would ad- vertise, but the notion seemed to work, especially my paying the bill, and I guess the thought of getting that on to me had more to do with it than his faith in printers ink. He made straight wake for the Gazette office, and told the printer to advertise for game rooster as above, and send the bill to me. The Hookertown Gazette is printed on Thursday, and distributed to town sub scribers by carrier, and the rest sent off by mail. Jake got his paper the same evening, and for the first time begun to look at the advertisements. It was quite while before he could find his rooster, and when he did it only occupied the space of two lines, and seemed so ridicu- lously small that nobody could notice it. He certainly would not have seen it if he had not known it was there and been looking for it. He thought he had struck Timothy Bunker this time, and would get square on the horse pond lot trade. Next morning Jake was walked just after daybreak by loud knock on his door. Jake poked his head out of the chamber window, and shouted "who's there2"

 Billy Peckham's voice answered from below : "I saw your advertisement in the paper last evening, MT. Brink, and l thought I'd catch my rooster this morning before he got off the roost. He has licked in six fights, and will kill any rooster in town. He was 8 year old last spring, and cost me ten dollars But if you want him for Kier you can have him for five dollars. If the White Oaks are goin' in this business, guess I'll sell out"

 Couldn't think of giving that, !" Jake answered, and shut the window in disgust. He put on his clothes, and while he was kindling his fire in the stove, another rap at the door. Ben Porter had brought up his rooster in a covered basket, said he saw the notice in the paper, and thought he would bring up his black-breasted red game, that he would warrant to stand steel, and lick all the roosters in town. The bird cost him fifteen dollars, and he had made hundred on him, knowing just how to bet. He could have him for twenty dollars. Didn't care a cent whether he took him or not. Two men were after the bird, and he only offered him as matter of neighborly accommo- dation.

 "Twenty dollars,'' exclaimed Jake, that's all feller can git for two-year- old steer. ain't fool quite."

 Jake started to milk his farrow COW, and on his way to the yard he met a boy with game bantam cock under his arm, in earnest to sell. He admitted the cock was small, but he was true as steel, and had whipped Deacon Smith s buff cochin, five times his weight, in 6 pitched battle. He hated to part with him, but would sell for three dollars cash on the nail. When Jake had done milking, he found at the barnyard bars two more boys waiting for him, one with cock in bag, and the other with a bird under his arm. They were only common roosters, and Jake declined to buy. As he came out from breakfast, and was going to yoke the cattle, Mike Flaharty met him with dressed fowl in basket-"And sure it was 8 dead-g game rooster that ye were wantin', and I thought Mistress Brink might. be hay ing company to dine, and I brought him up airly." Jake thought there was a difference between dead game cock and a cock daad hnt failed to rnaka