The Washington herald., 1907-03-31
Courtship of Crockett
Won Polly" FindIey's Hand.


me- Now II you ask me If I'm married
man or not ] reckon I must say I'm not.
but It certainly isn't nay fault"
The girls face ciOuded with sympathy,
and her eyes grew soft as she turned
toward the tall young man.
why, that was an awful thing for
girl to DO. said she. with Indignation.
/ That wasn't right. I'm mighty sorry
for you
1T made me sick" said Dayy. "StHl,
got over It. Tell me, what's your name p
Polly Polly Findley
Polly FindIey," said Dayy- You must
be the same fansily that the Dutch widow
over near the Quaker's has been telling
me about 50 long. She and her daughter
told me that they'd introduce me TO a
little Irish girl who'd make me plumb
forget these other Two. ! won't lie TO
you. bat I VIII say that half Of what
they told me is true. and maybe the other
half will be some day. I'll tell YOU right
now that you're fl heap handsomer than
either Of those others. And / Ike mighty
well the way you act about bear.
Wanted a Home.
We'll. we're on the right trail home
now" said Polly. I'll take you there"
Home" said Davy Crockett. as II half
talking to himself "Home-thats a
mighty fine word. I've got no home BY
dad hasn't been just as good always as
be ought to have been. and he drank up
what his children ought 20 have had for
schoolln Why. I naver have been to
school but three or four months. 7 can
hardly write my name. Yet here ana.
Just longin' for a home. want 70 get
out OF debt. Why. you know, Ia give nay
rifle here if the old Quaker would take it
and call the note square. I want TO 60
10 school. and I want TO have home.
Miss Polly" and he turned toward her
suddenly you don't know me yet This
sort Of life Non't do for me. Davy Crock
ett's not going 10 be satisfied 10 hoe corn
all his life, or just 10 go hunun' and never
have a bigger ambition than that I'd
ike to be a soldier, but there's no war
that 1 can get into just yet. Some day
I'm going into the legislature, and after
that I'm going 20 Congress
Miss Polly laughed at him merTily.
Ny said she. you've got a mighty good
opinion of yourself, haven't youZ"
Two months later DaFy Crockett, still
clad IN mOccasins and buckskins, stood
before the father Of Polly Findley-
Mr.. Findley." he was saying, I've
got a motto that Tn going 10 follow all
my life. Once / knew a fellow who
thought the house was on FIRE He took
a running jump out the window and
landed on a stump ard broke his leg
He ought to have looked. So / says TO
myself, Look before you leap. Now Iua
willin' to jump into most any kind Of
trouble or difficulty, but I'm going 10
look ahead first I've looked ahead about
this girl Polly and about you all, ana
I'm not scared about where I'm going
- nd 20 I my FrlfE a
Mr.. Findley, but I'm goin' TO marry Polly,
and I've just come to tell you all about
IL"
Gave HIS Consent.
AIr. Findley looked at the tan and ear
nest young man and presently gave a
ehuekle
"Davy," said he, Il haven't thing
against YOU You're as straight as a
strfng-don't conceal q thing. You're the
best shot in this neck Of woods. and you're
not scared. / notice at a house-ralsin'
you always carry your end Of log and
you don't shirk. If any fellow is good
enough for my Polly I reckon YOU are.
but you've got to see her mother drst'
The two looked at each other with a
certain uneasiness.
I'D rather face the biggest bear in
the hills" said Davy, but L reckon I'll
go ahead
So presently. indeed. he found Poliy's
mother and approached her with equal
directness
'Maam." said he. I just lowed I'll
tell you I'm goin' TO marry Polly next
Thursday if some other fellow doesn't
get her before then"
There long remained memory ia all
that countryside Of the tongUe-lashing
which the vOluble Mrs. F'indley gave this
pTesumptuous suitor. She pointed out 10
him that he was toe young 10 marry;
that be had no family, no property. no
prospects. Yet through ii all Davy made
the same straightforward and manly
answer.
What you say is true, ma'am," said
he. I've got no knife or fork or plate To
put in my cabin. I've got not even
rife for I threw in my rifle 10 finish
paying OF that note of my dads 10 old
man Kennedy. I'll be married in my
moCcasin feet, and when Polly takes me,
that's al she does take. But she can
spin, and when ! need a shirt she can
make H. III get rife somewhere
Polly says she'll teach me how to read
an write better than ] do. ] tell y0u
ma am. you can't stop me an Polly.
You cant stop rs gettin married. and
you cant stop US gettin' on I'm sure
I'm right, an now I'm gOin' ahead"
Mother Gives In.
And so. indeed. Davy Crockett did 90
ahead. Ponys mother for time re-
NAMED unappeased, but the young suitor
told Polly that on the following Thurs
day he would bring d horse for her, and
that she must then DC ready TO leave.
The young m0uH.ziu girl was as plucky
as her wooer and agreed to this.
To the last hour Mrs. Findley remained.
hostile" as Davy expressed it, but re-
Tented at last, as she saw her daughter
about 10 leave her Then she called the
young people into the house, told Davy 10
send for the parson, and SO the wedding
went OFF merrily at Pollys home.
And POily's mother from that time on
was kind 1t was she who gave the young
couple two COWS and calves 10 add to
their scanty stock on the small farm
which Davy rented near by. GOOD Quaker
Kennedy likewise came TO their assist
ance and gave Davy an order on the
country store for SIS worth of goods.
This fixed Us up pretty grand, said
Davy.
Such was the start in life OF Davy
Crockett. He got his schooling in greus
part from the kindly tuition Of the noun
taiE girl who in this abrupt fashion be-
came his wife. She was his faithful com
panion when. few years later, they took
their two little sons and all their house
hold goods. and, packing everything upon
two young horses. started across the
to Lincoln County. where Dsvy
took up land OF his own al the head Of
the Mulberry fork OF the Elk River
This removal was the first step outward
and inward of Davv Crockett later one