Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-02-28
A.DraoAn ON nORsEBAOK.

= vSseinian VINO Has suppor6ed HIS
rSnisy b Beeeipg Ear aud Wide'
A correspondent writing from Washing
ton. Va. says: In . log cabin under
spur Of the Blue Ridge mountains and near
- village of Washington, in Rappahan-
nook county, Va, lives man whose
career has been Q remarkable one. For
many years of his life he was literally
beeear on horseback. Born of the shiit
iscS race to be seen in those mountains he
found himself soon after reaching his
majority the head of q family, consisting
of wife and numerous brood OF chill
dreu. for whoee maintenance such labor as
he was willing to perform was utterly In
adequate. In this state OF affairs ne
nasurally sought assistance from the coun
try folk around him, and to such good
purpose that he was encouraged to
extend his field of operations and
NO man became more regular IN
attendance on the quarterly terms
OF the superior court than "kit Jenkins.
By dint Of earnest solicitations he managed
TO collect enough from politicians, lawyers
and clients assembled on these occasions
20 purchase somewhat aged end sttenu,
ated 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 neighbor-
hood to the battle field OF Manassas under
tho command of Capt. I. D. Massie were
enrolled two scions of the jenkins family.
One of them was either killed in battle or
died in some hospital, and exit" did not
fail to reinforce his appeals for help by
rccounting this fact. At first his circ uit
was within radius of probably tive miles
and every farm house within that distance
of his mountain hut received visit from
him at least twice year. He went pre-
pared generally with a bag large enongh
to hold side OF bacon ard half a bushel
of meal, with room also for such favors in
the shape of coffee, sugar and tobacco as
he could obtain. Always respectful and
presenting a countenance calculated to
soften the stoniest heart, he was seldom
sent away empty.
By degrees he enlarged his bounds, aud
in the last year of his peripatetic career
was often heard of in towns fifty or sixty
miles away. Once he crossed the Potomac
river into Maryland and returned to his
homo by way of Washington, in whict city
he was duly honored by notices in some of
the newspapers. But it is of lis last trip
that he speaks with great 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 hap
pened to him after the bell had sounded
''Kit /" has never clearly related how
ever, the next morning found him astride
the old bay nag whose head was pointed
1towsrds the home of Jefferson at Char
louisville. There he created no little mer,
riment and acquired much from the STU
dents of the university. His appearance
on his return is said to have resemblsd
that of one Mosby's scouts after visit Ia
the house of some loyal Dutchman 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 wander
ing, but does not allow those within rea
sonable range to forget him or his necessi
ties. At hog killing times there are few
of the farmers around who are unwilling
to put by portion for the old man A
May and June courts, when most OF t
important business of the farmers is set
tied, Kits I" small figure may still b
seen, and il his little eyes have lost some
what of their keenness, and if the blacl
Of his beard has given place to gray, he il
mono the less ready to handy jokes or re-
turn flattery for kind words or deeds. VI
election day he never misses, and ono
having promised his vote for a candidate
no soft words or proffered bribes have bee
found powerful enough to shake the loyalt.
of this prince of beggars.
!