The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-07-23
screwed his Jaws, felt his musclea, and
seemed to smell the battle anear.


Inside of the time demanded. Jack was
seen coming up The street Slightly ahead
of him, looking back eagerly at Jack
earnest GcsticulationS. walked Il youth.
why, eff it amt Billy Noon said
Bob lIatchett 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 in
1uiringly ut Jack and the rest. He was
full six feet high, but would have weighed
not more than one hundred and forty
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 of graphing.
His broad brimmed hat sat .jauntiIy on Il
side of his head. His light hair hung in
curs even below his neck. aud 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 Ogle-
thorpe, curiously contemplating him.
That him. answered Jack.
well my young friend, you don't
want your nanny to know you when
you go home tonight, Ell? Your desires
is to git to the old lady onbeknownst like
this evenin' ch?''
ID lint CT
from Jack smiled. and nodded his head
gayly.
How do you fight -
Billy, after looking at Jack for Il few
with his fists, imaginary grapplings with
his arms, kickings with his legs, and
then seized his own throat with one
hand. and placed the thumb of the other
into the corner of ole of his eyes.
OSlethorpe Josh looked at these ac-
tions piercingly. Turning angrily upon
Jack, he said: "Who's this you fotch
here? What is hep
Its Billy Moon answered by
stander-one Of those chosen as stake
| holder. Hes a respectable man, sir.
as any in this county, or anywheres else,
exceptin' that he's def and dumb
''Deef and dumb said Oglethorpe
".Aint he a egiot?''
''Egiot. No. sir: no egiot: got much
sense as you, or anybody else on this
ground, and as much of gentleman.
''.Jes So; said Jack Hall.
oglethorpe scanned Billy over and over
carefully. Scratching his head, he again
scanned him. He looked down and re-
Elected. After reflection he raised his
head, but did not seem as if, even
when he began to talk, he had reached
definite conclusion.
"Gentlemen-I shall-that is, shall
t-yes-no-in case yes-that iS-gen-
tlenen-I-l shall--ah-I shall NOT fight
it,"
Oh, now. ah now. yes, now. That
did look like fellow comm all the way
down from Oglethorpe and openin'
school for teachin' people how to fight.
Oglethnrpc reflected again, looked at
| BillyS smiling face, and reflected yet
again. Then he resolved for good and
all. He said firmly: NO sir>. I shall
not fight it, gentlemen; and gentlemen.
III give you my reasons. You sec. if me
and it fights, nnc or t'nther OF us is got
to git whipped. in the course of time,
more ~ less. Now. cf | whip it, can t
ho!ler. and sla mt know it air whipped.
| That II be Onfair for it. Then. a.in.
gentlemen. and which shouldn't by no
means look for--but nobody. exceptn'
the good Lord. know the futer, specially
in things like it-theu agin, say, eff it
should whip me, and holler. it-it-it
couldn hear me: and that, you see. gen
tlemen, would be onfair for me. Gentle
men, no: gentlemen, | shall not fight
it,
After the explosion ensuing upon this
determined refusal, and some discussion
rs to its import and most proper conse-
uuences it was decided at last. with
entire concurrence on the part of Ogle-
thorpe Josh, that it would be fair to re-
gard the money advanced, not sxactly as
won by Billy, nor as constituting drawn
bet, but that Billy-for Jack said it
should be Billy's interest, and not his
own should have half the deposit of
Oglethorpe Josh.
When Jack had communicated this de-
cision to Billy, the brightness in an in
slant fled from his face and he glanced
around resentfully upon all. Then he
looked upon the ground for moment
thoughtfully, putting his hand to his ear.
Then he raised his head, his face putting
on Il conditional SMILE looked at Ogle-
thorpe, Rugged himself. twisted his legs
about, made long mark upon the
his right, and uttering several cultural
sounds from his throat. looked at Jack
as if he We're not yet entirely through
with giving expression to his ideas.
nglethorpe watched Blly's actions
with earnest and compassionate interest.
Said he: What do it wanto Amt it
satisfied? Ef it amt, let it take all the
money. Sooner than worry the poor
thing, I'd let it have ali got. I'd"
''Jes' so, ies' So. know" said Jack.
But that amt what Billy's arfter.''
lies 50: but me and him 5 neghbors.
and always has been. and we understands
one another same as eft Billy could talk.
Billys arfter wrastle with you, stran-
ger
"A wraste with me-
'Jes' SO: and he say eff you'll give him
a wrastle, ies' Il friendly wrastle, you
mind, you may have u dollar more o
your money. no matter which gifts flung:
and eff you don't, he'll have some more
words to say to you
Words" calculated Oglethorpe.-
~ on call them things words. Words.
more words. Them things was its lang
widgeS. was they" Then Mr.. Ogle-
thorpe Josh Green grinned somewhat,
and the iron in his frame seemed to be-
gin to soften.
les so, answered Jack: land Billy's
got more langwidge> than you ever heerd
of
More words. and in various lang
widges," said O. J. c.. thoughttully.