The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-04-02
ARKANSAS TRAVEL Err.

ARKANSAS TRAVELLER.
In the early settlement of Arkansas, q
traveller, after riding some eight OF ten mile.
without meeting a human being, or seeing q
human habitation, came at length, by sud.
den turn of the wood-road, to a miserable
shanty,' the centre of a small clearing, il
what had originally been 'Black- jack.
thicket,' whence the only sound that pro.
ceeds is the discordant music Of broken.
winded fiddle, from the troubled bowels OF
which the occupant is laboriously extorting
the monotOnOus tune known as s1he Ar.
kansas, or RdekdnsaCh 7rdpeler.' Oul
traveller rides up within few feet of the
door, which was once the bed frame Of q
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 swrathy' at being
interrupted in the exercise of his art. The
following colloquy ensues, the indefatigable
fiddler still playing the first strain Of The
arkansas Traveller which in fact he con-
tinues, at sudden intervals, until the dia-
logue, rs will be seen, is brought to an
unexpecteds conclusion. If this be not
seeking lodgings under difIiculties,' we
should like to know what is ultimately SO
considered:
Traveller sFriend can obtain accommo-
dations for the night with you p
Arkansas 'Artist:' No, sir-'nary com
modation.
Traveller: MY dear sir, have already
travelled thirty miles to- day, and neither my
self nor my horse has had mouthful to
eat, why can't you accommodate me for to-
night p
Ark. Artist: 'Just 'case it can't be did.
We're plum out of every thing to eat in the
house: Bill's gone to mill with the last
nubbin of corn on these premises, and I'll
be nigh onto the shank of to- morrow eyenin'
afore he cum home, unless somethin uncom- =
mon happens
Traveller: You surely have something that
can feed my horse: even few potatoes
would be better than no food.'
Ark. Artist: stranger, our eatin' roots
gin out about a week ago; SO your chance
is slim thar.
Traveller: But my friend, must remain
with you any way. can't 60 any further,
whether obtain anything to eat or not
You certainly will allow me the shelter of
your roof .
Ark. Artist: 1T can't be did, old boss.
You see, we've got only ore dried hide on
the premises, and me and the old woman
allus occupies that; so rhar's your chance?'
Traveller sAllow me to hitch my horse to
that persinmon tree, and with my saddle
and blanket I'll make bed in the fence
corner.'
Ark. Artist Hitch your horse to that
20
must be nat'ral fool stranger! Don't you
see that's me IN the old woman's only
chance for 'simmo beer, in the fall Of tie
year? If your horse is so tarnal hungry as
you say he is, he'd girdle it as high up as he
could reach afore mornin.' Hitch your
hoss to that tree 'spect not, no, no,
stranger you can't come nary such dodge
as that!'
Our traveller seeing that he had an origin
al to deal with, and being himself an anna
teur performer upon the instrument to which
the settler was so ardently attached, thought
he would change the tactics, and draw his
determined not to be 'host' out little. be-
fore informing him that be too could play
the Arkansas Traveller which once being
known, he rightly conjectured, would be a
passport for his better graces.
Traveller: 'Well, friend, if can't stay,
how far is it to the next house:
Ark: Artist: Ten miles; and you'll think
thar. came nigh unto forgcttin' to telI
YOU the big creek is up: the bridge is carried
Of; there's mary yearthly chance to ford it:
and if yer bound to cross it, ycr'll have to
go about seven miles up the stream, to old
Dave Lody's punchcon bridge, through one
Of the biggest bamboo swamps you ever see.
l reckon the bridge is standing yet-'twas
yesterday mornin' though one eend had
started down stream about fifteen feet or
such matter.
Traveller 'Friend you seem communiea-
tive, and if it's no offence. I'D like to know
what you do for lising?'
Ark Artist: 'No offence on yearth, straug-
er; We just keep grocery
Traveller: A grocery? Where in the
name Of all that is mercantile do your Gus
toners come from? Your nearest neighbor
is ten miles distant.'
Ark. Artist: The fact is, me and the ole
woman is customers yet: but We 'spect these
diggins will improve too. How'sever, we
do suthin now, even. Me and the old wo-
man took the cart t'other day. and went to
town; We bort bar'l of whiskey; and arter
we come home and 'gin to count the bal-
ance on hand, We found thar want but Just
one sulitary picayune left, and as the ole
woman allus carries the puss, in course she
had 1t. Well, | sot the bar'l agin one side
OF the room, and shortly nrter, the old wo-
man sez 'Supposin' you tap your end of the
barl, and did; and she bort drink and
paid me the picayune. Pretty soon began
to get dry, and says |: cole woman, ,ozen'
you tap your end of the bar'l'-and she did;
and then she sell me drink and the way
that picayune has travelled back 'ards and
for'ards over the bung of the bar'l, is a
caution to them as love red eye.' But
stranger, losses is apt to come with every
business; and me and the ole woman has
lost some in the grocery business; and Pll
tell you how twas, the boy Bill, our eldest
son, he sees how the ticker was goin', and
didn't have mary red to iiine the retail trade;
so one night he crawl under the house, and
taps the bar'l atwIxt the cracks in the punch
con floor; and rally believe he's got more
than me or the ole woman ither; the good
for-nothn'l vagahon, to come the 'gaiff
over his natural born parents; it's 'nuff tc
make n man sour agin all creation: that
boy'l be the ruination of US yet. lie takes
10 trickery ust as natural As Il hungry pos
sum takes to hen roost. Now, stranger
what on yearth am to do? lie beats IN,
and the ole woman entirely.'
| Traveller slt would be difficult for me t.
advise in regard to your son, as have n
family OF my own. You say it's ten mile.
to the next house; the big creek is up; tn,
bridge carried away; no possibility of ford
ing it., and seven miles through swamp t
the only bridge in the vicinity This is onl
q gloomy prospect, particularly as the sui
is about down; still my curiosity is excited
and as you have been playing only one par
of the' Arkansas Traveller ever since m,
arrival, L would like to know before leay
why you don't play the tune through?
Ark. Artist: 'For one of the best reason
on yearth, old hoss--I can't do it. hail
larnt the iarn of that tchune; and drat m
/ if / believe ever shall.'
Traveller: 'Give me your instrument, an
III see if l can't play the tune for you,