New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-12-21
MOONLIGHT.
BY II. A. DERTON.

u wac certainly very interesting lit
&i6cuity. Neither the squire, who ha
been at home deacon and justice of I'll
peses, nor Hox ford, the English ex-collegla
kabd either knife or pistol; yet Briar, til
most accomplished ruffan among the minel
~ Fits GuIch, stopped work, leaned on hi
.Yisk, stared as!miriugly at the contestant
A1d wished that uncomfortable const
0Usnses might etonally iDtlct his immorts
part IL il wasn't the gamest fight he ha
ever witnessed. Men who always left tn
Osage or the bar on the slightest indication
Of difficulty, now rem ained; while thue
- whom a fight was the most delightful o
stnarIants. crowded near with eager eyes
These gentlemen did not understand eithe
Of the dnpGtants when he spoke, and tn,
B1hEct ot disagreement was one in whicl
they took nc interest whatever; but they
knew u fighting eye when they saw it, anG
seexeited we're they that many large bets
Nsuld have been made had those who de
sired to risk money felt any confidence il
sher own sh0ty To determine when the
SIGHT ended, and who was winner.
For Hogtord and the squire were talking
theology. The discussion was provoked, in
nscentiy enough, by Peel, the Phil abel phia
baker Peel bs.dC announced his intention
q trying ~ get an eX-prescher, from some
who're az Tie creek, TO come down some
Gy4hQdy anu ADiU eSTNlct. + D.ake,
E)r. Cuts. ana Struggs, the bankrupt con-
tractor f.cm the Cast, thought it would be
S8ood thing to do; HoxiOrd said he would
bo glad To sre some respect paid the day;
and the squire said he should nightly like
10 hear the preacher, if he WAS sound
Then H"Xford, with just the ghost of a
sneer, echoed the single word ''sound = at
which the squire, rightly considering him
self challenged, opened upon HoXiord a
Il t.A firm IF 70
which the colis0ian promptly replied with
ammunition similar TO the squre's own.
Both dlsputants were held in high es-
TEEN IN the camp; the squire had more than
once given up Lls whole dinner 10 hungry
stragglers ffnm elsewhere, ana at the risk
Of his own life he had stopped two or three
serious fights, Of which whisky was the
only cause; while Hox ford, besides possess
Ing generosity ANA pluck equal to the
4quire's, could compound an exceptionally
glorious punch, despite the limited Re-
sources OF the camp. But every Pitts
Galcbite knew tkat the Squire loved an
argument as dearly as he did gold dust; ami
that Hoxford, who had been wrangler at
the University, whose name had been cock
heyized and applied to him, did not intend
that bis talent should rust so long as he
could find some one upon whom to brighten
1t. All other disputa'ious persons IN caisp
had been excessively conquered and 81
fenced by either Iln1 ord OF the squire, 50
that all discussions between these two gen
tlenon were regarded with the attention
due ito use the terse expression Of Brian to
''tussles for the heavy jaw championships"
On this occasion the doughty warriors
had fought each other over almost every
strategic ponto,n the field they had chosen;
and each one of them had occupied, in suo-
eession, positions which they fondly deemed |
iDpregnabe but from which they were |
beaten with great loss or from which they |
safely retreatrd only by the display OF mar |
voIOHs dexterity. Finally, when the squire
announced bis belief IN he iuflexibiii OF |
divine jusrlce, 1t was v ion the air OF soldier
who was not only in bis last ditch. but who
Was fully aE are of the fact, and who felt
Aisseelf inspired with strength equal to that
Of a host. His hat had fallen off, and his |
aoh gray locks had blown away from his
face, hrs strong and decided features
seeased each a little sharper in outline than
EVER before; bis steel blue eyes, though en-.
srefy oe,oid Of teroci'y, CLEANED very
brightly, while the q, & mt pose Of his whole
handled shovel, 80 strongly affected Gam
bog. the unsuccessful artist, that the latter
AAstiiy drew forth a stumpy pencil and an
I'D lctor, ard scraWled a study for a
-Christlan martyr"
"IIR III dead earnest ebOut this said |
he squ'rc, succeeding himself, alter the |
Dontn; or two of silence which had fol-
owed hi7 last argument; Zoos there's lots
4 men calm then selves ministers'of the
Word that are goin' round dom power
al sight OF harm 10y lnosenin' iolkes' idpes
Il right an wrong. Straight is tae road
N narrow's The way says the Book; but
D hear these fellers talk you'd think every
rail led straight up 10 heaven. Ell this
rracher up the creek is that kind, don't>i ,
- il. L., 4, =. 4 IL. |
I We any good"
~Aw-'hn that's not against us il on our :
art,' you know" suggested Hoxford.
MAN is 'gainst MS that goes round be- I
tthn' bis Maker" exclaimed the squire,
rim giug down the long-handled shovel 1
18th savage chop, as if The offending doc ,
me had taken on material form and lay :
nlpless ut his feet I
The worlds full of sinners, an they s
sghtn't TO be- coddled-they ought to be c
'aght that God il just, an holy, an i'm r
ntahle, an uuchaus eable, an o
"a w-luviug, and meroi;ul and long suf- ] b
ripG." said Hoxiord, coming quickly to
q assistance of the squire, as that good
~ hesttAtea while he racked his memory t.
3 soUre more divine attributes which were t.
his owu iasfe. S
-They don't need to he told that sins ~
rong," coutinued the. 70 ire shire walytre- W
I'd Irss OF Hoxford's untiuely aid, "but G
ey need Ia feel that they've insulted the | h
gni,y of Gods law; that they're in awful +,
nser; that God is angry with the wicked a
cry DAY. r,
@Aw-apd that 4 will have mercy and
{ sacrifice you know" said Hoxford, tt
dsing he equre SUCCESSFULLY with his h
bow. The tqnre dropped his eyes for sC
'nrui, upon seeing which a goddess youth II
pbared Peel to tell him if tho squire WAS
ing in; "Briar had bet three TO one on &
squire, an he'd like to g,t the hang OF e.
} dog goned thing" But the squire 81
ckiy treasured B,iar by exclaiming: I'll
.tSud looks not upon sfn with the least Il
!ree of allowance" III
Aw-ke eping mercy for thousands-' OF
Iuxford " as not allowed TO finish his re-
,eier tor same ore interrupted him by n
NJ shouling- II
TbAr COMES PeteT' tn
har . man is the noblest work of God, of
shat uule is, despite certain eccen- ";
itses, very Use ful anims, are fair ex- on
ssaons of current opinion; but even after ma
wing all consideration due both beings,
rau yer At Pitts Gulch would have been do