The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1910-04-21

mere the boy grew up among the
creeks and pines. stocky. gray-eyed little fel.
low. who could outrun any Of his COMPANIONS
When he was SIX years old the village OF Walthafi
was established In the woods nearby and the
Gore family went there TO live. Young Tom at
tended small school set among the trees out
side OF the village.
Mt the age OF eight years the boys left eve
was blinded by an accidental blow from stick.
Three years later he was employed as a page in
the Mississippi senate and boarded at the house
OF Senator J. z. George in Jackson One day.
while playing with a crossbow. arrow entered
his right eye and destroyed his sight.
In spite OF his afiictiou young Gore managed
to stand at the head of his class in school and at
the age OF IL years entered normal school
which was opened. Here he gradually became
totally blind. yet he mastered the high school
course 81 ft"Fs
While Gore was attending the high school his
closest companion was cassmate. Charles H.
Pittman- This youth used TO read to him. One
day they found old volume Of the Congress
sional Record. Going out to the stable the blind
student would stand for hours while Pittman read
to him the speeches Of the lawmakers at Wash
ington ftsaa
During that winter Gore and hts sister taught
school for few months All the while his moth
er. bedridden invalid. read 10 him history. bog-
rsphy and other subjects connected with his po-
litical plans. and be would sit by the bed
strange smile on his blind countenance dreaming
and brooding and waiting for the day when he
might take part in the great battle OF politics like
other men.
Z His great chance came in the spring OF 1891.
/. The Populst movement was spreading rapidly
Z and he joined II. In the state campaign for a
legislature to elect a United States senator he
Ftook up the cause OF Barksdale against George.
, although boy he had lived in Georges house.
The blind orator shrank from no conflict, he
even debated with Senator Money. whose tongue
all Mississippi dreaded and who smiled males
tically when told that his opponent was "a poor.
blind schoolboy." Senator Money declared that.
but for his antagonists blindness. he would hold
him personally responsible for his words-a
deadly thing to say in Mississippi. Gore prompt
ly replied. Let him then biindfoid himself and
will meet him."
In September of that year he went to the law
school at Cumberland university. Tennessee. and
studied law for ten months. He was one OF the
leading six students In a class OF AZ. This expe-
rience cost him 1891 and he returned to his Mis-
sissippi village with only rs cents in his pocket
In suit OF clothes he had worn for IL months
II He had almost been compelled to leave the law
school months before for the lack Of suitable
clothing.
Yet his unquenchable ambition to reach the
United States senate grew more intense as the
difficulties Of his situation increased
Cores father had taken up the practice OF
law in Wathall and. on returning from the law
school in 1892 the youth was welcomed as an
a
presidential elector on the Populist ticket at
tackled Grover Cleveland on the stump and carried
his county.
The practice of law was not an inspiring occu
patton in Walthall There were actually As law
yers In that small. poor village The blind advo
cate tried few cases
After a two years effort to earn a living az
lawyer in the place OF his birth Gore decided
to go 10 Texas.
Having saved $40. he started in April. 1884
for Texarkana arriving there absolute stran
ger with only s2l In his pocket. He secured I
boarding house and promptly offered himself tc
the Populist leaders for service In the approach
ing state and county elections His political
speeches brought in money enough 10 pay his ex
penses, but he found no chance TO practice law
In the winter he went back to Walthall and for
year made another desperate effort 10 win success
as lawyer. He was nominated for congress b,
the Populists. but was defeated. Yet his speeches
IN the campaign attracted much attention.
On the last day OF the year 1895 the sightless
and unsuccessful lawyer decided to abandon tbs