THE RESULT
As soon as the first report of the battle reached me, I telephoned to
Bill Jackson, asking him to come at once to Four Oaks and to bring a man
with him. When he arrived, attended by his big Irishman, my men had
already put one of the farm teams to a great farm wagon, and had filled
the box nearly full of hay. We gave Jackson a hurried account of the
fight and asked him to go at once and offer relief to the wounded,--if
such relief were needed. Jackson was willing enough to go, but he was
greatly disappointed that he had missed the fight; it seemed unnatural
that there should be a big fight in his neighborhood and he not in it.
"I'd give a ten-acre lot to have been with you, lads," said the big
farmer as he started off.
Word had been sent to Dr. High to be ready to care for some broken
heads. Two hours later I drove to the Inn at Exeter and found the doctor
just commencing the work of repair. Thirteen men had been brought in by
the wagon, twelve of them more or less cut and bruised about the head,
and all needing some surgical attention. The thirteenth man was stone
dead. A terrific blow on the back of the head had crushed his skull as
if it had been an egg-shell, and he must have died instantly. After
looking this poor fellow over to make sure that there was no hope for
him, we turned our attention to the wounded. The barn had been turned
into a hospital, and in two hours we had a dozen sore heads well cared
for, and their owners comfortably placed for the night on soft hay
covered by blankets from the Inn. Mrs. French brought tea and gruels for
the thirsty, feverish fellows, and we placed Otto and the big Irishman
on duty as nurses for the night. The coroner had been summoned, and
arrived as we finished our work. He was an energetic official, and lost
no time in getting a jury of six to listen to the statements which the
wounded men would give. To their credit be it said that every one who
gave testimony at all, gave it to the effect that the miners were
crazy-drunk, that they stopped the carriage, provoked the fight, and did
their utmost to disable or destroy the enemy. The coroner would listen
to no further testimony, but gave the case to the jury. In five minutes
their verdict was returned, "justifiable and commendable homicide by
person unknown to the jury."
The news of a fight and the death of a miner had reached Gordonville,
where it created intense excitement. By the time the inquest was over a
crowd of at least fifty miners had collected near the barn. Much
grumbling and some loud threats were heard. Jackson took it upon himself
to meet these angry men, and no one could have done better. Stepping
upon a box which raised him a foot or two above the crowd, he said:--
"See here, fellows, I want to say a word to you. My name's Jackson--Bill
Jackson; perhaps some of you know me. If you don't, I'll introduce
myself. I wasn't in this fight,--worse luck for me! but I am wide open
for engagements in that line. Some one inside said that this gang must
be conciliated, and I thought I would come out and do it. I understand
that you feel sore over this affair,--it's natural that you should,--but
you must remember that those boys out at Four Oaks couldn't accommodate
all of you. If you wouldn't mind taking me for a substitute, I'll do my
level best to make it lively for you. You don't need cards of
introduction to me; you needn't be American citizens; you needn't speak
English; all you have to do is to put up your hands or cock your hats,
and I'll know what you mean. If any of you thinks he hasn't had his
share of what's been going on this afternoon, he may just call on Bill
Jackson for the balance. I want to conciliate you if I can! I'm a
good-tempered man, and not the kind to pick a quarrel; but if any of you
low-lived dogs are looking for a fight, I'm not the man to disappoint
you! I came out here to satisfy you in this matter and to send you home
contented, and, by the jumping Jews! I'll do it if I have to break the
head of every dog's son among you! They told me to speak gently to you,
and by thunder, I've done it; but now I'm going to say a word for
myself!
"A lot of your dirty crowd attacked two of the decentest men in the
county when they were riding with ladies; one of the gang got killed and
the rest got their skulls cracked. Would these boys fight for the girls
they had with them? Hell's blazes! I'll fight for just thinking of it!
Just one of you duffers say 'boo' to me! I'm going right through you!"
Jackson sprang into the crowd, which parted like water before a strong
swimmer. He cocked his hat, smacked his fists, and invited any or all to
stand up to him. He was crazy for a fight, to get even with Jack and
Jarvis; but no one was willing to favor him. He marched through the gang
lengthways, crossways, and diagonally, but to no purpose. In great
disgust he returned to the barn and reported that the crowd would not be
"conciliated." When we left, however, there were no miners to be seen.
It was after one o'clock in the morning when I reached home. Going
directly to the room occupied by the boys, I met Polly on the stairs.
"I'm glad you've come," said she, "for I can't do a thing with those
boys; they are too wild for any use."
Entering the room, I found the lads in bed, but hilarious. They had
sent for Lars and had filled him full of hot stuff and commendation. He
was sitting on the edge of a chair between the two beds, his honest eyes
bulging and his head rolling from the effects of unusual potations. The
lads had tasted the cup, too, but lightly; their high spirits came from
other sources. Victories in war and in love deserve celebration; and
when the two are united, a bit of freedom must be permitted. They sat
bolt upright against the heads of their beds with flushed faces and
shining eyes. They shouted Greek and Latin verse at the bewildered
Swede; they gave him the story of Lars Porsena in the original, and then
in bad Swedish. They called him Lars Porsena,--for had he not fought
gallantly? Then he was Gustavus Adolphus,--for had he not come to the
aid of the Protestants when they were in sore need? And then things got
mixed and the "Royal Swede" was Lars Adolphus or Gustavus Porsena Viking
all in one. The honest fellow was more than half crazed by strong
waters, incomprehensible words, and "jollying up" which the young chaps
had given him.
"See here, boys, don't you see that you're sending your noble Swede to
his Lutzen before his time,--not dead, indeed, but dead drunk? This
isn't the sort of medicine for either of you; you should have been
asleep three hours ago. I'll take your last victim home."
We heard no more from any of the fighters until nine in the morning. In
looking them over I found that the Swede had as sore a head as either of
the others, though he had never taken a blow.
Many friends came to see the boys during the days of their seclusion, to
congratulate them on their fortunate escape, and to compliment them on
their skill and courage. The lads enjoyed being made much of, and their
convalescence was short and cheerful. Of course Sir Tom was the most
constant and most enthusiastic visitor. The warm-hearted Irishman loved
the boys always, but now he seemed to venerate them. The successful club
fight appealed to his national instincts as nothing else could have
done.
"With twenty years off and a shillalah in me hand I would have been
proud to stand with you. By the Lord, I'm asking too much! I'll yield
the twenty years and only ask for the stick!" And his cane went whirling
around his head, now guarding, now striking, and now with elaborate
flourishes, after the most approved Donny-brook fashion.
"But, me friend Jarvis, what is this you have on your face? Pond's
Extract! Oh, murder! What is the world coming to when fresh beef and
usquebaugh are crowded to the wall by bad-smelling water! Look at me
nose; it is as straight as God made it, and yet many a time it has been
knocked to one side of me face or spread all over me features. Nothing
but whiskey and raw beef could ever coax it back! It's God's mercy if
you are not deformed for life, me friend. Such privileges are not to be
neglected with impunity. Let me bathe your face with whiskey and put a
beef-steak poultice after it, and I'll have you as handsome as a girl in
three days."
"Give me the steak and whiskey inside and I'll feel handsome at once,"
said Jarvis.
"Oh, the rashness of youth!" said Sir Tom. "But I'll not say a word
against it. Youth is the greatest luck in the world, and I'll not copper
it."
And then our sporting friend grew reminiscent and told of a time at
Limmer's when the marquis and he occupied beds in the same room, not
unlike our boys' room--only smoky and dingy--and poulticed their
battered faces with beef, and used usquebaugh inside and outside, after
ten friendly rounds.
"Queensbary's nose never resumed entirely after that night, but mine
came back like rubber. Maybe it was the beef--maybe it was usquebaugh;
me own preference is in favor of the latter."
Sir Tom came every day so long as the boys were confined to the place,
and each day he was able to develop some new incident connected with the
battle which called for applause. After hearing Lars tell his story for
the fourth time, he gave him a ten-dollar note, saying:--
"You did nobly for a Swede, Mr. Gustavus Adolphus, but I would give ten
tenners to have had your place and your shillalah,--a Swede for a
match-lock, but an Irishman for a stick."
Jack had hardly recovered when he was waited on by a committee from the
mine with a request that he would make another speech. He was asked to
make good his offer of bonding the property, and also to formulate a
plan of cooperation for the guidance of the men. Jack had the plans for
a cooperative mining village well digested, and was anxious to get them
before the miners. As soon as he was fit he went to Gordonville to try
to organize the work. Jarvis of course went with him, and Bill Jackson
and Sir Tom would not be denied; they did not say so, but they looked as
if they thought some diversion might be found. In spite of the influence
of strong whiskey, however, the meeting passed off peacefully. The
results that grew from this effort at reformation were so great and so
far-reaching that they deserve a book for their narration.