the backwoods, one swore that he would never be "one-eyed"—that is dishonest; another, that he would never be "a case"-that is flat, without a dollar. But let us pursue an even narrative of his life, and see how far these various prophecies proved to be correct.

While David was yet young, his father moved from Greene to Sullivan county, and settled upon a public road for the purpose of keeping a tavern. David's duty here was to wait about the house and stable, and the labour devolving on him was already too great for a boy of his years. Spending his time in this way, he remained at home until he reached his twelfth year, when he became acquainted with a Dutchman who resided about four hundred miles distant, and who was in the habit of regularly driving cattle to the western part of Virginia. To this man was David hired by his father, and at the early age of twelve years, entirely uneducated, he bade adieu to home, and, in the backwoods phrase, began to knock about. But a few days elapsed after the contract was made, before the old Dutchman, having bought up his cattle, was ready for the journey. After an agreeable though laborious trip they arrived at their place of destination. David was treated with much kindness, and many efforts were made to wean him from a too great fondness for his parents. His activity and general acquaintance with business, for a boy of his years, made him a valua

ble assistant to the old Dutchman, who was anxious to retain him. But the menial offices which it soon fell to his lot to discharge, rendered him unhappy and dissatisfied; and after remaining five or six months, he asked permission to return home, which was denied him. He immediately formed a resolution to do so at all hazards.

While playing in the road on Sunday evening after his resolution was formed, he met with an opportunity of carrying it into effect. Many wagons passed, and with them he recognised a wagoner whom he had frequently seen, and who was then on a journey to his father's. David soon told him of his situation, and his desire to get home, and received from his new friend a promise of protection, provided he would go along with him. This David readily agreed to; and not being able to leave at that time, he found out where the wagons would encamp that night, and promised, after getting his clothes, to overtake them.

He then returned to the house, succeeded in bundling up his little all, and having conveyed it to the stable unsuspected, went about his regular business. At supper he was even treated with more than usual kindness, which caused him to regret the step he was about to take; but his resolution was fixed. David with the rest of the family retired to bed as usual. He soon fell into a light sleep, from which he awoke about two o'clock, arose, dressed, and gently opening the

C

door, left the house. After getting out, he found it extremely cold and snowing, with several inches of snow already upon the ground. His resolution for a moment faltered; but he resolved to go on. Groping his way to the stable, he obtained his bundle, and soon was in the public road on his way to the camp of the wagoners. The place appointed for their meeting was distant about seven miles. The snow was now falling fast, and driving in his face; the excessive darkness of the night much impeded his progress, and he was only enabled to get along by avoiding the woods on either side, and pursuing, by feeling with his feet, the smooth track of the road before him. The desire of reaching home, or rather the fear of being overtaken by his master, produced the excitement which alone enabled him to accomplish his purpose.

The shades of night were giving place to the dark gray light of morning when David came in sight of the wagons. His friend was already stirring, and believed rather that an apparition had presented itself than that his young acquaintance was before him. However, he received him with much kindness, and paid him that attention which his situation deserved-making him drink whiskey freely, and by degrees thawing his frozen limbs. He also quieted his fears about being overtaken by his master, promised him protection, and convinced him from the fact that the snow was still falling, that no trace could be left of his escape,

the prints of his feet being filled up almost as fast as created. This adventure was quite an undertaking for a boy so young; and one would be disposed to look upon it merely as a premonitory symptom of similar adventures in after life. He soon became a favourite with the wagoners, spent his time pleasantly, and arrived in safety at his father's, whom he satisfied for having left his first

master.

Here for a year or two he remained, performing the drudgery in and about his father's premises --a situation ill calculated to improve his mind or inspire correct morals. His ideas seem to have run far ahead of his years, and he appeared as if out of the sphere for which he was intended. With an ardent desire to be sent to school, he was admonished by his father's poverty that it was entirely impracticable. So, becoming dissatisfied with the tedious monotony of his life, he neglected his business, and his father resolved again to hire him out, and accordingly did so to a cattle merchant, who was about to set out for western Virginia.

During this trip he suffered much, was very badly treated, and having arrived at the end of his journey was dismissed, though several hundred miles from home, by his employer, who gave him only the sum of three dollars to pay expenses. David insisted it was not enough; but he could get no more; and meeting with a young

acquaintance who had been engaged in the same employment, with one horse between them they set out upon their return. This trip served to convince him that cattle driving was not exactly "the thing" and if his earlier associations could have had any influence upon his after life, he would certainly either have become a grazier, or have laboured for ever under an insuperable antipathy for beef.

It will be seen from a perusal of the following pages, that David was ever a mere sport for fortune. She was not always unkind to him, but tricky; rather sportive than otherwise; so that his starting to a place was no proof that he would ever reach it. He was almost sure to diverge, and in his wanderings appears to have been governed by the principle, that there was more beauty in a curve than in a straight line.

David, with his companion, trudged along several days, when the latter, being the larger, insisted upon his privilege to ride exclusively, which so much offended David that, meeting with a wagon going in a counter direction to his home, he bade adieu to his late comrade and took a passage. Upon enquiry he found out that the wagon was bound for Alexandria, D. C. So, not caring whither he went, he entered into a contract to accompany it as a wagon boy. He visited Alexandria, and then determined to return with the wagon home. After having travelled for several