Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-10-17
DAVID CROCKETT.

MOST Of the readers OF the the TINES
have heard Of the late Hon. DAVID
CaocxEfr, who, 70, several years. rep.
resented. .th4 North. Western district Of
Tennessee in the American Congress.
So much has been published concerning
: him that Is didiculously false. and there
isso much Sf the romantic and adven.
tuyousia his actual career, that many
Otherwise we'll Uniformed persons wholly
disbdisvs that such q man ever exis.
ted. Such isithe fact. however. He was
born in 1885 the place Of birth. uncer.
tain probably in the northern part Of
Maryland. His parents were Of the
poore.t class. They, emisrated, during
the infancy Of "immortal Davy," to the
State Of Tennessee. Here they raised
their family, in real backwoods Atyle.-
At the sgs Of twelve. having seen hard
times and plenty Of them. he was hired
by his father to Dutch drovsr. With
the Dutehman he travelled into the into.
.rior Of Virginia, and wss there engaged
by his master to work on q fam. Not
liking this, and Wishing ardently to be
at homo again, he ran away and joined
some wassoners who were returning to
Tennessee. It was in the depth Of win.
TOR, and at time when the cous ~5West
Of the Alleghenies was very sparsely
settled. Our young hero suffered severely
gtc~ hunger, cold, and fatigue; but un'
.duun,ed by these, his bold spirit "went
x,e,,.," and he finally got to his fathers
dwelling. Soon after, he was sent to
school for the hra time. On the fourth
day, he quarreled with one Of tho big
boys; wsylaid him on his return from
school, and whipped him soundly. He
knew, as he said, that il he went back
to school, "Old Kitchen" would whip
him as bad as he whipped the boy, and
so, to avoid that catastrophe, he played
truantfor several days. We give the
-..up.shot" in his own language. cat
last, however, the master wrote a letter
to my father, inquiring why l was not
sent to school. When he read this note
he called me, and knew very we'll that
I was in q devil Of hobble, for my
father had been taking few horns, and
was in good condition to make the fu'
Ay. He called on me to know why
had not been at school. told him f&a1
afraid to go, and that the master would
: whip me, for | knew quite we'll that II
was turned over to this Old Kitchen,
should be cooked up into a cracklin' in
little or no time. But soon found
that l was no. TO expect much better
fate at home for my father told me in
a very angry manner that he would whip
ame an eternal sight worse than the mas
ter ifl didn't start Immediately TO the
school. ] tried again to beg off, but no.
thing would do but TO go to the school
Finding me rather too slow about start
ing. he gathered abou, two year old
hickory, and started'a&er me. 1 put ou
with all my might, .sad soon we were
both up to the top Of our speed. W.
had q tolerable tough race for about
mile; but, mind me, not on the school
house read, for l was trying to get al
far4hs t'o,her way as possible. And
vet believe that If my father and th'
scboolmaster could both have levied or
me about that time, / could never hav'
been called on TO sit in the councils o
the na,ion, for l think they would hav'
used me up. But, fortunately for me a
this time, saw just before me a hill o
vcr which made head.w like younI
a,eamboat. As soon as had passed 0
we,i,. | turned TO one side, and hid my
.s.lf IN the bushes. Here waited unit
tho old gentleman passed by, putting an
lblowing as though his steam was hig
enough to burst his boilers. ! waite
until be gave up the hunt, and passe
back again. ! then cut out and wen
20 tho house Of an acquaintance, To-
miles of, who was jus. about to sta1
~,ith drove. His name was Jesse Chez
and hired myself to 80 with him,
homo and the school house had both b
como too hot for me-" The history
David Crockett for tho next two years.
full Of adventures. He returned hom
however, after long absence, so great
el.er.d in appearance that the famil,,
at first, did not recognize him. Fro
.bi, time, his behavior to his parents vi
dutiful enough. The next winter he
gain started to school. &c! was now a
mos, iiteen," he writes, "but it will
a source Of sstonishment TO many, wi
reflect that am now a member Of Il
American Congress-the most enlish
ensd body Of mon in the world-that
90 advanced an sge. the age Of tlteen'
Iid 90, know the first Letter 10 the book