Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1859-05-12
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A SCENE OF ARKANSAS LIFE.
OF HAPPINESS UNDER DIFFICULT
TIES

In the early settlement of Arkansas, a
traveller, after riding some eight or ten
miles without meeting a human being, or
seeing a human habitation, came at
length, by a sudden turn Of the wood
road; to miserable shanty, the center
OF small clearing, whence the only
sound that proceeds, is the discoIdant
music of a broken-winded fiddle, from
the bowels Of which, the occupant is la
boriously eXtOrting the monotonous tune
known as '"rhe Arkansas or Racken
sack Traveller" Our driver rides up
within few feet of the door, which was
once the bed-trame Of cart body, now
covered with bear skins, and hung upon
two big wooden hinges After much
shouting, the inmate appears, fiddle in
hand, and evidently "wrathy'' at being
interrupted in The exercise of his art
The colloquy ensues, the indefatigable
fiddler still playing the first strain of
"Tke Arkansas Traveller" which in
fact, he continues, at sudden intervals,
until the dialogue as will be seen, is
brought to an unexpected conclusion
II this is not seeking lodgings under
difficulties" we should like to know
what might be legitimately so consid-
cred:
Traveller.-"Friend, can I obtain ac-
commodotions for the night with you 2"
Arkansas Artist.-"No, sir-'nary
'commodation."
Travellor,-"My dear sir, have al
ready travelled thirty miles to-day, and
neither myself nor my horse has had a
monthiul to eat; achy can't you accom-
modate me for the night %
Ark. Artist.-"Just cause it can't he
did. We're plum out Of everything to
eat in the house; Bills gone to mill with
the last nubbin Of corn on these premis-
es, and it'll be nigh onto the shank of
tomorrow evenin' afore he comes home.
unless suthin uncommon happens"
Traveler.-"You surely have some
thing that | can feed to my horse even
few potatoes would be better than no
food"
Ark. Artist.-Stranger, our eatin-root
gin out about a week ago, so your
chance is slim thar"
Traveller.-"But my friend, must
remain with you, any way. I can't 90
any farther, whether I obtain anything
or not. You will certainly allow me the
shelter of your roof ?''
Ark. Artist.-"It can't be did. old
boss. You see we've got only one dried
hide on the premises, and me and the
old woman allns occupies chat; so ach0rS
your chance %
Traveller .~"Allow me to hitch my
horse to that persimmon rec, and with
my saddle and blanket ri make bed
IN the fence corner"
Ark. Artist.-"Hitc your boss to that
'simmon tree?-'in horn!' Why you
must be nat'ral fool stranger Don't
you see that's me and the old woman's
only chance for 'simmon- beer, in the fall
Of the year? If your boss is so tarnal
hungry as you say he is, he'd girdle it
as high as he could reach, afore morn
in Hitch your boss to that tree
'spect not; no, no, stranger, you can't
come marry SIGH dodge as thatr'
Our traveller seeing he had an origi-
nal to deal with, and being himself an
amateur performer upon the instrument
to which the settler was so ardentIy at
tached, thought he would change his
tactics, and draw his determined MOTTO
be "host'' out little, before informing
him of the fact that he too could play
the 'Arkansas Traveller" which once
being known, he rightly conjectured,
would be passport to his better gra-
ces:
Traveller.-"W ell, friend if I can't
hny fa &c I rs bo l.
Ark. Artist.-''Ten miles; and you'll
think they're nightly long ones, too,
afore you get thar. l came nigh unto
forgettin' to tell you, the big creek is
up; the bridge is carried off; there's
mary yearlhly chance to ford it; but if
yer bound to cross it, yer'll have to go
seven miles up stream, to ole Dave Lo-
dy's bridge, through one of
the darndest bamboo-swamps ever you
see. / reckon the bridge is standin yet
twas yesterday mornin'; though one
end had started down stream about fif-
teen feet, or SIGH a matter"
"Traveller.- "Friend, you seem com
municative; and if it's no offence, q
like to know what you do for living
here ?"
Ark. Artist.-"No offence on yearth,
stranger; we just keep a grocery"
Traveller.-"A grocery! Where in
the name ofaIl that is mercantile do your
customers come from? Your nearest
neighbor is ten miles distant 20
Ark. Artist The fact is, me and the
ole woman is the best customers yet
but we 'spect these diggins will improve
and III course business will improve too.
Hows'ever we do suthin moac, even. Me
ard the ole woman took the cart t'othet
day, and went to town we bort BARI
Of whi3key and after we come home
and gin to count the balance OH hand
we found thar want but jist one solitary
picayune left, and as the ole woman
allus cares the DuS, in course she had
it. Well, [ sot the bar'l agin one side
of the room, and shortly arter, the ole
woman SEE: 'Supposin' you tap your end
Of the bar'l, and | did ; and she bought
a drink, and paid me the pcayune
Pretty soon, l began to get dry, and
seq l: cole woman, spozin you tap gtoau
end of the bar'l ?-and she did and
then she sells me a drink; and the way
that plcayune has travelled back'ards
and for'ards over the bung hole of that
bar1, is caution to them as
loves 'red-eye.' But stranger, losses is
apt to come with every business; ond
me an the ole woman has lost some in
the grocery line and I'll tell you how't
was. The boy Bill, he's our oldest son
he saw how the Ticker was goin', and he
didn't have nary red to jine in the re.
tail business SO one night he crawled
under the house, and taps the BAR atwixt
the cracks in the puncheon floor: and ]