xas.

Triumphal Return.--Home Charms Vanish.--Loses His Election.--Bitter
Disappointment.--Crockett's Poetry.--Sets out for Texas.--Incidents of
the Journey.--Reception at Little Rock.--The Shooting Match.--Meeting a
Clergyman.--The Juggler.--Crockett a Reformer.--The Bee Hunter.--The
Rough Strangers.--Scene on the Prairie.

Crockett's return to his home was a signal triumph all the way. At
Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, crowds
gathered to greet him. He was feasted, received presents, was
complimented, and was incessantly called upon for a speech. He was an
earnest student as he journeyed along. A new world of wonders were
opening before him. Thoughts which he never before had dreamed of were
rushing into his mind. His eyes were ever watchful to see all that was
worthy of note. His ear was ever listening for every new idea. He
scarcely ever looked at the printed page, but perused with the utmost
diligence the book of nature. His comments upon what he saw indicate
much sagacity.

At Cincinnatti and Louisville, immense crowds assembled to hear him. In
both places he spoke quite at length. And all who heard him were
surprised at the power he displayed. Though his speech was rude and
unpolished, the clearness of his views, and the intelligence he
manifested, caused the journals generally to speak of him in quite a
different strain from that which they had been accustomed to use.
Probably never did a man make so much intellectual progress, in the
course of a few months, as David Crockett had made in that time. His
wonderful memory of names, dates, facts, all the intricacies of
statistics, was such, that almost any statesman might be instructed by
his addresses, and not many men could safely encounter him in argument.
The views he presented upon the subject of the Constitution, finance,
internal improvements, etc., were very surprising, when one considers
the limited education he had enjoyed. At the close of these agitating
scenes he touchingly writes:

"In a short time I set out for my own home; yes, my own home, my own
soil, my humble dwelling, my own family, my own hearts, my ocean of
love and affection, which neither circumstances nor time can dry up.
Here, like the wearied bird, let me settle down for a while, and shut
out the world."

But hunting bears had lost its charms for Crockett. He had been so
flattered that it is probable that he fully expected to be chosen
President of the