ks before he had been in Jackson selling his furs. He however did
not recognize his rival among the crowd. As the whiskey was passing
freely around, Crockett thought it a favorable moment to make himself
known, and to try his skill at an electioneering speech. He was a
good-looking man, with a face beaming with fun and smiles, and a clear,
ringing voice. He jumped upon a stump and shouted out, in tones which
sounded far and wide, and which speedily gathered all around him.

"Hallo! Doctor Butler; you don't know me do you? But I'll make you know
me mighty well before August. I see they have weighed you out against
me. But I'll beat you mighty badly."

Butler pleasantly replied, "Ah, Colonel Crockett, is that you? Where
did you come from?"

Crockett rejoined, "Oh, I have just crept out from the cane, to see
what discoveries I could make among the white folks. You think you have
greatly the advantage of me, Butler. 'Tis true I live forty miles from
any settlement. I am poor, and you are rich. You see it takes two
coonskins here to buy a quart. But I've good dogs, and my little boys
at home will go to their death to support my election. They are mighty
industrious. They hunt every night till twelve o'clock. It keeps the
little fellows mighty busy to keep me in whiskey. When they gets tired,
I takes my rifle and goes out and kills a wolf, for which the State
pays me three dollars. So one way or other I keeps knocking along."

Crockett perhaps judged correctly that the candidate who could furnish
the most whiskey would get the most votes. He thus adroitly informed
these thirsty men of his readiness and his ability to furnish them with
all the liquor they might need. Strange as his speech seems to us, it
was adapted to the occasion, and was received with roars of laughter
and obstreperous applause.

"Well, Colonel," said Dr. Butler, endeavoring to clothe his own
countenance with smiles, "I see you can beat me electioneering."

"My dear fellow," shouted out Crockett, "you don't call this
electioneering, do you? When you see me electioneering, I goes fixed
for the purpose. I've got a suit of deer-leather clothes, with two big
pockets. So I puts a bottle of whiskey in one, and a twist of tobacco
in t'other, and starts out. Then, if I meets a friend, why, I pulls out
my bottle and gives him a drink. He'll be mighty apt, before he drinks,
to throw away his tobacco. So when he's done, I pulls my twist out of
t'other pocket and