Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1883-03-15
A BEseAR ON HORSEBACK.
A Man Whes Has Supported His Family by
Begging Far and Wide.


A correspondent of the New York
World, writing from Washington,
Rappahannock county, Va, says: In
a log cabin under spur Of the Blue
Ridge mountains, and near the village
Of Washington, in Rappahannock
county, Va, lives a man whose career
has been remarkable one. For many
years of his life he was literally a beg
gar on horseback. He found himself
soon after reaching his majority the
head of family, consisting Of his
wife and a numerous brood of chill
dren, for whose maintenance such labor
as he was willing to perform was ut
terly inadequate. In this state of af-
fairs he naturally sought assistance
from the country folk around him, and
to such good purpose that he was en-
couraged to extend his field of opera
tions, and no man became more regu-
lar in his attendance on the quarterly
terms of the superior court than Exit
Jenkins" By dint of earnest solicit
tations he managed to collect enough
from politicians, lawyers and clients
assembled on these occasions to pur-
chase somewhat aged and attenuated
steed, and the second year after the
close Of the war found in him "a
beggar on horseback" In the first
company of infantry that marched
from the neighborhood to the battle
field of Manassas under the com
mand of Captain Thomas B. Massie,
were enrolled two scions of the Jen-
kins family. One of them was either
killed in battle or died in some hospi-
tai. and " Kit" did not fail to reinforce
his appeals for help by reeounting this
fact. At first his circuit was within
radius Of probably five miles, and
every farmhouse within that distance
Of his mountain hut received visit
from him at least twice year. He
went prepared generally with bag
large enough to hold side of bacon
and half bushel of meal, with room
also for such favors in the shape of
coffee, sugar and tobacco as he could
obtain. Always respectful and pre-
senting a countenance calculated to
soften the stoniest heart, he was sell
dom sent away empty-handed.
By degrees he enlarged his bounds,
and in the last year or two Of his peri
patetic career was often heard Of in
towns fifty or sixty mil IS away. Once
he crossed the Potomac river into
Maryland and returned to his home by
way of Washington, in which city he
was duly honored by notices in some
Of the newspapers. But it is of his
last trip that he speaks with greatest
pride, for it was then that he had the
honor of ringing the bell at the front
door of the gubernatorial mansion in
Richmond. just what happened to
him after the bell had sounded "Kit"
has never clearly related; however,
the next morning found him astride
the old bay nag whose head was point
ed toward the home of Jefferson at
Charlottesville There he created no
little merriment and acquired much
from the students Of the university.
His appearance on his return is said
to have resembled that Of one of Mos
by's scouts after a visit to the house
Of some loyal farmer in the valley.
His wants for the coming winter were
supplied, but at the expense of the life
Of his faithful companion. After the
death Of his horse he gave up his wan
derings, but does not allow those with
in reasonable range to forget him or
his necessities. AT hog-killing times
there are few Of the farmers around
who are unwilling to put by portion
for the old man. At May and June
courts, when most Of the important
business Of the farmers is settled,
Exits" small figure may still be seen,
and if his little eyes have lost some
what Of their keenness, and if the
black Of his beard has given place to
gray, he is none the less ready to
handy jokes or return hattery for kind
words or deeds. On election day he
never misses, and once having prom
ised his vote for a candidate, no soft
words or proffered bribes have been
found powerful enough to shake the
loyalty of this prince Of beggars.