The Long Ago Times

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LONDON, February 19th, 1824 — In a remarkable display of prowess witnessed on Tuesday evening, a young lad known simply as Billy, aged around 12, stepped into the limelight as a formidable rat-killer. Gathered at the Green Dragon-yard in Holborn, amidst a circle measuring ten feet square, Billy set out to demonstrate his unique skill set. His task: to dispatch 17 rats using nothing but his teeth, completing the grim task within a mere two and a half minutes.

With a confidence that belied his tender age, Billy engaged with his rodent adversaries in a manner that captivated the assembled audience of sporting aficionados. Employing a technique of seizing the rats by the nape of their necks, he swiftly dispatched each one into his jaws, where they met their demise without a whimper. It was a display of efficiency and precision that left onlookers astounded.

Such was the acclaim garnered by Billy’s feat that backers are already lining up to support him in future challenges, including one scheduled against a renowned Westminster rat-catcher. Following a brief interlude for refreshment, during which his mouth was rinsed with a glass of Hodges’, Billy emerged unscathed and ready for further encounters with vermin.

In the annals of rat-catching, Billy’s prowess stands unmatched, with only a single scratch to his name – a distinction that even Billy the dog cannot claim. This remarkable display of skill promises to elevate young Billy into the pantheon of legendary rat-catchers, a position he seems destined to occupy with aplomb.

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