The Republican journal., 1881-09-01
The Various Languages of Billy Moon

Not all, and not majority. of persona
combats in the far South forty years ago
at court grounds and muster fields. sprana
from personal hostilities, previous anC
sudden. They were resorted to often as {
trial Of superior strength, agility or en-
durance. In such encounters, one who
would seek for pistol, a knife, or even d
walking stick, was considered unmanly
Not thus, however, at least commonly. he
who, when overcome and PROSTATE, cried
Enough Such conduct was understood
merely as an admission technically termed
''Word,' that the defeated yielded for the
present only, and with the reserve of right
and intention to renew the combat in
other circumstances which might occur,
whether on that same or some subsequent
day. The victor was expected to suspend
his blows at this admission. Sometimes
when the bottom man refused to yield,
and seemed to prefer being beaten into a
Jelly, bystanders, somewhat before such
result, would drag off the top man. Then
both combatants. though with blackened
eyes and bruised faces painting and hob
bling, would repair to the grocery. take q
social grog, and, with mutual compli-
ments, have a cordial understanding to
repeat the fight at some convenient time
after.
This preface was due to Mr. Oglethorpe.
Josh Green, whose conduct upon a GER
tain occasion might otherwise be some
what misunderstood.
One other item as postscript. as it
We're, to the abOye-I should mention.
In, ~
the humber and less cultivated sort.
when mention was made of a person af-
tlicted with a native incurable intrmity
bodily OF mental, usually spoke of him OF
her rs of the neuter gender, employing
the pronoun it.
Mr (Oglethorpe) Josh Green, so styled
to distinguish him from bis cousin of that
name in Ebert, had whipped out every
thing in bis section ana in search of other
conqueStS he once came some miles south
ward. 1t was muster day for the Dukes
borough battalion. \ few from the upper
borders Of the country had heard Of his
exploits, and one or two had seen him
heretofore. \ man like him. however.
needed not to have friends, or even ac-
quantances, as, when a fight was to be
made up, an entire stranger could easily
obtain hackers who would see to the
maintenance of fair play.
When the muster was over, and o. J.
G.. (aS he sometimes called himself, and
was called by others, for short) had look
ed calmly upon several fights. he seemed
to be disguised.
''lou people down here don't pear to
know how to fight" said he 1T pears
like you want to have somebody that do
know how for to come down here and
larn YOU
1t was a voice loud, harsh, powerful
People looked at him. Indeed, he had
already attracted much attention. About
30 or 35 years of age, ) feet ! /, weighing
100, or maybe more, dark skinned, his
black hair cut short, without an ounce OF
surplus flesh, from his head to his feet he
seemed as if he had been wrought out of
iron. AS he walked up and down, com
posedly uttering challenges, there did not
seem to be likelihood that he could find
one to encounter him.
Bob Hatchett did say that but for his
fatigue (having just how had a turn with
Bill Giles, and got Bills word) he would
give him Il trial, and take a feW-.jes' Il
few of his lessons.
The warrior had money, and he eXhib-
tied it as a temptation. Holding forth
his buckskin purse, he said after begin
ming with a dollar, and gradually ascend
ing:
"Gertlemen, in this here money puss is
four dollars, lacking Seyenpence. Two
dollars and a half O. that money it would
be my desires to put into the money puss
Of the man that can git my word in a
fight here to-day. The dollar one and
nine that would be left would be enough
to take me back home, and which, in sich
a case, arfter such tightin' as seen here,
| shouldn't desire to leave it no more,
leastWays TO come this way
Such as that looked like shame. FL
nally Jack Hall, who lived on Shoulder
bone, said he couldn't stand it. Jack
was man of much power, though he
might not haze encountered Q. J. G..
without apprehension.
"Strlnger," said Jack, 'you pear like
you-you jes' a-spilin' for fight"
THAT'S Exactly what | am, sir an
swered the stranger. "Im a-spilin' bad.
| hain't tit in so long that Pm gittin'
badly spilled. You hit what's jes' the
matter with me, the same as et you was Il
doctor"
''Jes' so and you would wish to lay
down them two dollars and half, sure
enough, would you? ?'
"llere they are, sir, ready for you to
git and when sich a lookin' man as you
do git 'em, my calkilation will be to move
clean away--to some disoated island"
''Jes' So" Jack looked at him and re-
tlected. II amt Exactly in a fix to-day
myself; but''-he paused, took out his
purse and counted his money! hain't
but dollar, half and sevenpence. Ef
the boys will help me make up the rest,
III fetch Il man here that'll go to school
to you for a while. ! won't be gone
mOren ten or fifteen minutes"
Certainly, the balance can be made up
there it is already. Good gracious. the
idea of a whole battalion, as it were, be-
ing run off it's own battlefield hy one
man, and he Il stranger
CHAPTER H.
Inside of the time demanded Jack was
seen coming up the street. Slightly
ahead Of him, looking back earnestly at
Jacks earnest gesticulations, walked a
youth.
"Why, eff it amt Billy Moon :" said
Bob Hatchett and others. "Why, Jack
Hall, Billy's too young to cope with that
man."
''Jes' so, boys; never mind
They came up, and Billy looked inquir-
ingly at Jack and the rest. He was full
six feet high, but would have weighed
not more than I40 pounds. He was
straight as an arrow -straighter, in fact,
for his back was slightly swayed. 1.-the,
sinuous, tense without constraint, his
long arms seemed well capable Of striking
and graphing. His broad brimmed hat
sat jauntily on Il side Of his head. His
light hair hung in curls even below his
neck, and his blue eyes fairly danced with
fiery glee. He did not seem to be over
one-and twenty years old
''Is that your man :" asked Ogethorpe,
curiously contemplating him.
HThat'S him y answered lack