The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-07-23


| Sing, spirit. who llnowrst JOYS Oliver
Sing on, by Times INnaway River.
THE VARIOUS LANGUAGES OF
BILLY MOON.
| ''rO surrender ere the assault. '-H"ijbiwS.
! CHAPTER |.
| From Uafpei''S MGa:i0c.
| Not all. and not a majority. of personal
combats III the far South forty years ago,
at court grounds and muster fields, sprang
from personal hostilities, previous or sud-
den. They We're resortcd to often as Il
trial of superior strength, agility, or en-
durance. In such encounters. one who
would seek for pistol, knife, or even
a walking stick, was considered unman-
ly. Not thus. however. at least com
monty. he who, when overcome and pros
tratc, cried Enough" Such conduct
was understood merely as an admission.
technically termed WORD. that the de-
feated yielded for the present only. and
to renew the combat in other circum-
stances 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. by
ISLANDERS. somewhat before such result.
! would drag off the top man. Then both
combatants, though with blackencd eyes
and bruised faces, painting and hobbling.
would repair to the grocery, take Il social
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 GER
tain occasion might otherwise be some
| what misunderstood.
One other item-aS 4 postscript, as it
| We're, to the above-I should mention.
In those times, many country people of
the humber and less cultivated sort.
when mention was made of Il person
| afflicted with Il native incurablc intirn-
| ty, bodily or mental usually spoke of
him or her a. Of the ueutcr gender, en-
ploying the pronoun II.
Mr.. lD.lethorpeD Josh Green. 50 styled
to- distinguish him from his cousin of
that name i'll Ebert. had whipped out
every thing in his section. and in search
of other conquests he once came some
miles southwark. 1t was muster day for
the Dukesborough battalion. \ few
| from the upper borders of the county
had heard of his exploits. and one or two
| had seen him heretofore. \ man like
him, however, needed not to have friends,
or even acqaintances. 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. !.
| G. (as he sometimes called himself and
was called by others. for shorD had
looked calmly upon several fights, he
seemed to be disguised.
''Iou people down here don't pear to
know how to fight, said he. sit pears
like you want to have somebody that do
know how for to come down here and
arn YOU
1t was voice loud, harsh, powerful.
People looked at him. Indeed, he had
already attracted much attention. About
thirty or thirty-two years of age, five
feet eleven, weighing one hundred and
| sixty. or maybe more. dark skinned. his
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,
composedly uttering challenges there did
not seem to be likelihood that he could
find one to encounter him.
Bob IIatchett did say that but for his
fatigue Chaving Just now had a turn with
Bill Giles, and got Bills word) he would
give him trial. and take fcw-.ies' a
sew-of his lessons.
The warrior had money, and he exhib-
tied it as temptation. Holding forth
his bnckskin purse. he said, after begin
ming with a dollar. and gradually ascend
| ing:
Gentlemen, in this here money-puss
is four dollars. lackin' sevenpence. Two
dollars and 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 case, artter sich tightin as | seen
here, shouldn't desires to leave it no
more. leaStways to come this way
Such As that looked like shame.
| Finally Jack Hall, who lived on Shout
der-bone said he couldn't stand it. Jack
himself was man of much power. though
| he might not have encountered O. !. G.
without apprehension.
"Strangcr, said Jack. you pear like
you-you jes' a-spilin for fight"
"That's Exactly what | am sir an
| Swcred the stranger. :" I'm a-Spiln bad.
hain't tit in so long that I'm gittin
badly spilled. You hit what's .ieS the
matter with me- the same rs eff you was
a doctor"
lies so; and YOU would wish to lay
down them.two dollars and a half, sure
enough, would you?'
Here they are, sir, ready for you to
git: and when sich a lookin man as you
do Git EN-. my calkilation will he to move
clean away-to some disolate island"
"Jes' So Jack looked at him and
reflected. 81 amt Exactly i'll fix to-day
myself; but he paused, took out his
purse. and counted his money! hain't
but Il dollar. half, and scvenpcnce. Eff
the boys will help me make up the rest
I'll fetch man here that 'll--that II go
to school to you for while. | won't be
| gone more ten or fifteen minutes.
Certainly the balance can be made up:
there it is already. Good gracious! Il e
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