The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-11-20
TOLD OF BUCK KILcoRE.1
His Jumping Match With q Texas Wom'
an in War Times.

the Union who will regret to hear Of
the death of Judge Constantine B.
Kilgore, at Ardmore, I. T. For eight
years "Buck" Kilgore was a notable
man in Washington. In person he
was the typical Texan. Above six feet
tall, above sixteen stone in weight.
above the average Congressman in
ability, above the average man in sin.
cerity, straight as an Indian, and
strong as an OK, ''Buck" Kilgore was
marked man wherever he ap.
peared. It was the kicking down Of
the door leading from the Legislative
chamber to the House lobby that gave
him notoriety. It was characteristic
of the man. He wanted to go into the
lobby; the messenger shut the door in
his face. He raised his foot, clothed
in an enormous cowhide boot, and
kicked the door down and went his
way. The notoriety that attached to
him on account of the act was always
distasteful to him.
Except Dick Bland and Amos Cum.
mings there was no more democratic.
looking man in Congress. The boys
on the avenue called him "Buck, "and
after he kicked the door down every
gamin in Washington was ambitious
to shine his boots. Many Of them
boosted of the honor who drew on
their imaginations, as George the ~.
did when he claimed to have borne q
conspicuous part in the battle Of
Waterloo. Kilgore did not have his
boots shined every day. When he
first landed he toook rooms on O
street, not far from the Capitol. A.
ter breakfast he went out for stroll.
A colored boy proposed to shine.
"What's your name?' asked 'Buck. I"
George Washington" replied the
boy. cts an honor I did not ex-
pect," rejoined Kilgore; ''you can
pitch right in" During the whole
session "Buck" would walk half a
dozen spares to give that boy the job
of shining his boots.
During the war he was ordered
home to assist in gathering up some
deserters. One evening about dusk
he was out in the country in quest of
a deserter who had been off the clay
out" for q year. He was very hungry
and very weary. He called at house
by the roadside and there he found
woman just taking from the spit a
nicely broiled chicken. The SAVIOR of
the fowl made him ravenous. He had
a Mexican dollar in his pocket which
he had carried for years and to which
he had become much attached, but he
was bound to have that chicken, and
he pulled out the dollar and proposed
trade-the coin for the fowl. The
lady said the chicken was for sick
friend and that she could not sell it.
"But," she continued, "I'll jump
you for it"
"What do you mean?" said
''Buck."
II mean that we will see which can
Jump furthest from this doorsill out
into the yard, and the one of US that
beats shall have both chicken and
dollar"
"All right; that suits me exactly"
said "Buck." The dollar was placed
on the dish beside the chicken and
his gun was leaned against the wall
by the door, and s'Buck" slung his
arms and made tremendous leap of
over twelve feet. He recovered with
difficulty, and when he turned to the
door there was the lady with his cooked
gun in her hands, with the butt
against her shoulder and finger on the
trigger.
"Now, you just firt the gravel down
that road, young man, OF Til make
buzzard's food Of you," she ordered.
There was shoot in her eyes and
chuck and BALI in the gun. So
"Buck" "hirted the gravel" his
bosom swollen with impotent rage.
BY this time it was dark. Over in
field "Buck" spied q ginhouse. He
went to it and climbed into the loft,
laid down on the floor and soon was
fast asleep. After a time he was
awakened by voices down below. He
listened and made the discovery
that one was q female voice, and a
moment later he realized that she was
relating the jumping" episode to her
companion, who gave vent to peal af-
ter peal Of laughter. There were the
chicken and his dollar which he could
see by the light Of the tallow dip.
Peering about he saw his gun also.
There was a big hole in the floor of the
loft, and just as the man took hold Of
the dish to eat the chicken "Buck"
plunged through that hole and seized
his gun. Before they recovered from
their establishment "Buck" roared
out: Madam, you just firt the
gravel back home, and as for this
gentleman he and 1 will hirt the
gravel to the office of the Provost
Marshal. He is the deserter I have