Year: 1876

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


"No, 1 haven't. What's up nowa" ]
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, he can make his
fortune in short time-says he won ten
dollars on a bet last week on fghtin'
cock-at little set-tosome 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 cockpit in one month than
he could peddlin' charcoal in hull year
and l guess he's rite. Says he's got
two pulists 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 agiu the hull
State of Connecticut. knew you kept
blooded fowls, and l didn't know but
YOU might have some of that kind"


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


"Printer's ink I" exclaimed Jake, "1
should like TO 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 Ga
zette, under the head of Wants-lIke
this: "Wanted to buy yearing cock,
warranted dead game, Jacob Frlnk,
Hookertown, CT"


"Never did sich thing in my life.
Taint no use. I never read advertise
ments, aud guess nobody else don't.
THEY'RE pretty much all doctor stuff.
Might be some use in it ef / was steam
DOCTOR"


"Just try it." said I, "and if you
don't hear Of roosters In less than q
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 mora 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. 1t was quite
a 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, Mr.. Frink, and
I 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 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, I guess
I'll sell out"


Couldn't think of giving that, I"
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. L amt 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 Smiths
buff cochin, five times his weight, in a
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 tho barnyard bars
t,uo mora bows waiting for him. one