s
friends and to take a parting dram with them. There were three men
present who were candidates for the State Legislature. While they were
having a very merry time, one, as though uttering a thought which had
that moment occurred to him, exclaimed, "Why, Crockett, you ought to
offer yourself for the Legislature for your district." Crockett
replied, "I live at least forty miles from any white settlement." Here
the matter dropped.

About ten days after Crockett's return home, a stranger, passing along,
stopped at Crockett's cabin and told him that he was a candidate for
Legislature, and took from his pocket a paper, and read to him the
announcement of the fact. There was something in the style of the
article which satisfied Crockett that there was a little disposition to
make fun of him; and that his nomination was intended as a burlesque.
This roused him, and he resolved to put in his claim with all his zeal.
He consequently hired a man to work upon his farm, and set out on an
electioneering tour.

Though very few people had seen Crockett, he had obtained very
considerable renown in that community of backwoodsmen as a great
bear-hunter. Dr. Butler, a man of considerable pretensions, and, by
marriage, a nephew of General Jackson, was the rival candidate, and a
formidable one. Indeed, he and his friends quite amused themselves with
the idea that "the gentleman from the cane," as they contemptuously
designated Crockett, could be so infatuated as to think that there was
the least chance for him. The population of that wilderness region was
so scarce that the district for which a representative was to be chosen
consisted of eleven counties.

A great political gathering was called, which was to be held in Madison
County, which was the strongest of them all. Here speeches were to be
made by the rival candidates and their friends, and electioneering was
to be practised by all the arts customary in that rude community. The
narrative of the events which ensued introduces us to a very singular
state of society. At the day appointed there was a large assembly, in
every variety of backwoods costume, among the stumps and the lowly
cabins of Jackson. Crockett mingled with the crowd, watching events,
listening to everything which was said, and keeping himself as far as
possible unknown.

Dr. Butler, seeing a group of men, entered among them, and called for
whiskey to treat them all. The Doctor had once met Crockett when a few
wee