Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-03-04
The Affair ut Red Creek.


1t was just nine O'Clock in tn
morning when Joe Billings rod
into Red Creek on his cayuse o.
the saddle before him was woman
about forty years old. The momen
Joe pulled up his horse the anima
fell down from exhaustion. Their
were ten or twelve men in front O
Red Man Hotel, and Joe accoste,
one of them with:
"Say, stranger, me an this yer
female desire to git spliced. Is tha
a critter in this town who ar justi
fed to do it?"
reckon thar is," was the reply
And who might he be ?"
He's about my size and heft, anC
the charges will be So"
Durn the charges, hut shoot hel
off and hev it over with, bekase thi.
crowd looks thirsty and every mar
in it'll hev two drinks :"
He was talking to Hank White
the only justice in the place for forty
miles around, and Hank had never
married a couple and could not re-
call the programme as laid down ir
the books. When he said so, Joe
replied
" Never mind the ceremony. Jest
make a legal hitch of it and dom,
waste no more time"
" All right. Jine hands. Do you
take her fer yer wife? Do you take
him fur yer husband? Then the
thing is a go, and durn my buttons
if anything but death kin separate
ye!"
The crowd was drinking at the
bridegroom's expense, when hslf q
dozen mounted men came galloping
into town with q hurrah, and as they
drew up at the hotel the leader
shouted:
"Boys, Joe Billings stole cayuse
over at Lone Hill last night, and we
are hot on his trail to hang him !"
:" 1t can't be did," said the justice,
as he wiped off his chin. 81 jest
married him five minits ago, and
you can't hang no man i'm this kentry
till he's been married week"
The Lone Hill crowd began to
bluff, hut the Red Creek gang showed
bold front, and Joe finally showed
up and paid $50 for the cayuse and
treated the men who had pursued
him. Everybody was drinking and
everybody was happy, when five men
dashed into town over the same trail.
AS they pulled up the leader caught
sight Of the justice and called out:
Hey you seen Joe Billings and
my wife pass this yerc way? They
cut and run about ten O'Clock last
night"
"They arrove here about thirty
minits ago." slowly replied the off.
cial.
land which way did they go ?"
"They didn't go. They're in the
parlor of this yere hotel at the pres.
ent mint. The woman was your
wife, eh?"
"She was and Joe Billings hain't
got ten minits ter live 7"
"Go leetle slow, Jim Hastings
jest leetle slow. I've married vel
wife to Joe, and it won't do any
good ter kick. If I'd known wh(
she was wouldn't heve done it, bu
it's did, and that ends it,"
But she's my wife - yelled the
man.
"She was, but thar's been a new
DEAL" replied the justice.
But you had no legal right !"
Mebbe not, but Pm sayin' die
il, an it's got to go, and the critte
as says it hain't has got to fight thi
crowd ~
The Lone Hill men joined in will
the Red Creekers-making four t.
ond.-and, after whooping aroun,
for while, the injured HUSBAND
cooled down and said:
Well, let 'er go. Tell Joe Bill
ling this crowd wants big drink al
aroun, and if Nance is satisfied
am"
Joe set 'em up, shook hands al
around, and as he borrowed anothe
cayuse and resumed his journey tn
justice looked after him and said:
Wall, if / had sich luck as come
to that critter, I'd steal a hull fam'l,
an run off herd o. steers w-M
Quad.