Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1881-05-28

age | was that shmart as wud astonish
yez. Many time have fogged livery
boy III the school | attended,
How many boysl" inquired
1.-TWO besides maself,-Shamus Grady
and Billy O'Brien. an moighty foine boys
they wor' too; but as wor sayin', they
were no match for me. 1t soon began to
be noised about that Tirrence O'Larey
was QUOT the boy wild his fists in that part
Of the country. and many a trial they gave
me- Ny nImble pins, lang mack, good
eye. an illlgant taste for fight, were to-
with the consate taken intoirly out ov !
thim. Will, sur. at wan time there wor
two fairs in the admin towns, an l wint
to thlm both; ah; the fun | had was be-
yant tillin'. 1t appeared that Shamus
Grady had carried the intelligence before |
me, that Tirrance OLarey intended comm |
to the fairs, an he towld Thin that | was
a broth of boy, an could aisily bate the |
bist Of thin at bout, or boxin' thrlal.
Will, sur, yez will always find that whin
feily wants to put up his hands he will
find somebody to accommodate him, or in
other words, if man or boy is peaceable,
he til.ds paceable people,-lf he is quarrel
some he discovers plenty ov that kind ov
folks, an SO it was wld me. l was quote
elated from the fact that hadn't met my
equal at that time. All day long | was at
1t, first wld wan and then wild another,
until was entire.y tired out. At home
good nights rest restored me, and after
breakfast | started for the fair ln the town
beyond. The news of my conquests the
bay before had gore before me, and my
arrival was eagerly waited by the boys, all
eager to try titles wild me. Billy OBrien
went wild me that day, and it s a mercy
that he did. | don't behave | wud be here
this evenin' but for Billy's yoiD'. Will,
sur, to my surprise entoirely, the very first
boy that came forninst me was too much
for me. He beat down my guard, punched
me in my nose, BACKED the two eyes ov
me, loosened one ov my front teeth and
made it anythin' but agreeable for me.
was obliged to give it up. You must know
that there was great rejoicin' among the
boys, and especially wild those had beaten
the day before. Each ov thlm was anxious
to have another trial wild me, and do you
behave 1t, sur, it was Wild the utmost diff
Guilty that | whipped ten or fifteen ov thin
before time to start for home. Billy
O'Brien says, as we came out ov the town:
"Wouldn't we save lille or 50 by going
cross feldsl'
81 replied that :. had no objections, an
we clambered over the style and were
travelin' along toward home by tue light
Of the full moon which came up airly tb"t
evenin, when Billy says
"'Fot is that see beyont?' at the same
time pointin' to som thin beside the
hedge not far away.
81 turned my eyes III that direction, an
heaven help me, what dye think l sawl
A wraith or ghost as yez call thin in this
country 1t had lang white hair, bi =
black eyes, and full beard of white COW
cred his breast, and when it started toward
us the beard parted in the middle and
flowed back over each shoulder. 1t was
barehc ade1 and had almost a skeleton face.
1t was long ov limb and hgs. Such lgs.
murther! but they seemed like bean poles.
You can aisily see that it was frightfu
affair for two poor boys in the noight time
away from the roads, and a moile perhaps
frum any human bein'. To make matters
worse, a big cloud came at that mint over
the moon and darkness added to our tirror
Down we wint on our knees, fol We wer'
we'll brought up boys, dye mind, ant
prayed to the holy mother to save US tron
the harm approachin'. 1t came near u
until it saw us kneelin,' and then it van
ished into the shadow of the adjoinlu
hedge. The moon came out and mad
light the dusty places, and we strained on
eyes to the utmost, but 70 wrath was t
be seen. Trembling We arose, and Bill
says
| " Bad luck to us that we didn't kape i
the highway; I'd give the tin shilllngs
, have lift If we were there anyway.
oh nonsense, says |, I'm nc
afeared Of him any more, now I've fount
the way to dispill hlm.
: "'On. murther.' says Billy, .fot do yo
spose ails that ould crathur to be lawn hi
!, grave that wayf'
!, I'm sure don't know says |.
''TLe words had hardly lift my mout
before felt sone:hin cold on the back u
! my neck, an ,urnln' my head saw thos
awful eyes wIdln' fut cv my face.
gave one scream, an that was the last,
remember till heard my old mother tel
in the childer' 10 kape quiet, and be SUI
;, not waken me as | was havin' the fir:
= good slape had had for many day. 70
see what wild the excitement of the tw
days, boxing, and the batting received,
), had gone out OF my head, and Bill
= O'Brien was the lad that stuck to ME till
. reached home wilder than a March bar,
;. \ brain fever sat in, an for long time,
was PROSTATE, an nigh unto death, a
: Billy he aften tod HE ailher. that be hi
the biggest job gettln' me home ,ha, iv
he had. You may well blave it, for to tai
g crazy fely home for miles across field
: an be seein' ghosts all the way, an fiel
4 in ye, wud be no alsy task.
y "How did i, happen that OBren sa
!, The wraiih:''
'v ''On. he didn't see anythin' Of the kin
but saw tia; | was out oy my head 81
= purtinded 50 10 pacify me
;s ''Turlnc.? Tirrince." screamed Mr
N Ol.arey: your supper's all cold 10
20 why don't you come homel'
= I'm comm. Good hight to yez"
es Good night, We said, and went 10 /
4, - dream Of boxing, fairs, ghosts anu cra
er folks