The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-08-10
lonalosonbllle Gblef.
i" Eating Grow. -
An Amusing Account of the Origin Of
the Term,

early in the war, lived an old, ar1st0-
cratic, exclusive and pompous Virgin
ian. in true baronial style. His man
sion, of very old age, was made OF
imported brick, the chimneys were
tall and massive, and the rooms were
large and pleasant. The chief attrae-
ton of the old place, however, were
the grounds that surrounded the man
sion, Large trees gave luxurlant
shade. and the underbrush in portions
of the grounds afforded shelter for
rabbits and other small game. There
were walks, and orchards, and arbors,
and the whole bore such IL scene OF
general peacefulness and repose that
it was no wonder the wild Bucktalls
were charmed with the prospect, and
anxious to penetrate into spotwhlch
gave such promise of enjoyment.
The Bucktails were not the most
tractable soldiers. They came from
the stepping-off place-the wilderness
of PENNSYLVANIA Potter,
Forest and Tioga counties-and they
obtained their name, which chung TO
them during the entire war, through
a fancy of Colonel Kane, brother OF
the Arctic explorer, who became their
commander. He recruited the regi-
ment in the early DAVIS OF 1861 (be-
ginning on the day of the arrival OF
the news of the fall of Sumter) from
the backwoodsmen, who were famous
marksmen. They were all deer hunt
ers, and as a designation each man
was furnished with the tail of a buck
by Colonel Kane, and when they
marched from Camp Curtin with the
bucktails in their caps it was novel
sight. Colonel Chas. j, Biddle, OF
Philadelphia was made the Colonel,
and Colonel Kane the Lieutenant
Colonel of the regiment both men
noted for their short, attenuated forms.
Neither was scarcely more than five
feet high, and their combined weight
was less than two hundred and twenty
pounds.
1t may readily be guessed that these
soldiers had little respect for Virginia
aristocracy, and the tent-poles had
hardly got settled i'll the ground be-
fore a noted rider named-well, Smith
-shoulderel his deer killer and start
ed out on little expedition. He was
a sergeant, and of immense size, and
went by the name of "1he Big Ser
geant." He made a straight march
for the old Virginian's manor. Now,
the old gentleman had many pets
about the grounds, and among them a
tame crow which he valued very
highly. He also had tame rabbits,
doves, etc. The sergeant climbed the
stone wall, and dropped himself and
his gun on the inside of the grounds.
The first thing his eye struck was the
tame crow, who unconcernedly flew
near him, and alighted on limb and
began to cav at him. The sergeant
put his rifle to his shoulder and bang
ed away, and Mr.. Grow came flutter-
ing to the ground. The soldier re-
loaded his gun, leaned it against the
wall, and went to get his game.
Instantly there came running from
the house in a high state of excite
ment, the old Virginian, and when he
saw his pet crow had been killed his
rage had no bounds. He rushed for
the sergeant's gun, and swearing that
he wouldn't have given the crow for
the whole Yankee army, vowed that
he would blow the soldiers brains out.
With this he brought the piece to a
cock and glanced along the barrel.
The sergeant begged for his life, and
the Virginian swore he would take it.
The Virginian finally thought of q
compromise, and with a look half be-
tween amusement and rage, told the
sergeant that he must eat that raw
crow. In vain the other protested !;
the Virginian insisted on this as the
price of bis adversary's life. So the
sergeant pulled off feathers and began
TO gag and eat.
:" How do you like CROWN Kissed
the Virginian through his teeth.
Fhe only answer the other gave was
to beg to be let off. He was sorry he
had shot the crow; didn't know that
it was a tame one, and he wouldn't do
such thing again. Finally the old
man took the gun from its aim and
told the sergeant he needn't eat any
more His heart full of joy, the SOL
>dier threw the bird upon the ground
and said:
Well, kin eat crow, but / don't
like it,
The story might stop here if it was
only to show the origin of the phrase,
but the rest of it is the best.
CHAPTER II.
The old Virgipian, after having
surveyed his dead pet for an instant
III a sorrowful manner, returned the
gun and started for the mansion. The
other quickly brought bis piece to his
shoulder and called ont:
Hold en- there, Mister"
What do you want =" asked the
other, as he turned and beheld bead
drawn on him.
sd like to have you eat the rest of
this crow"
The old man fumed and swore, and
tore about in a frantic manner, saving
he'd be id if he would, and that
he didn't want any of the young mans
Jokes. The cooking of the gnu ana