The Van Buren press., 1859-12-16
"The Arkansas Traveller"

"The Arkansas Traveller"
A burlesque tune known as The Ar
kansas Traveller is exceedingly popular
at the West and South, and originated from
the incidents of the following story-which
are exactly As related fifteen or twenty years
ago-by the author of the tune and story,
Col. s. G. Faulkner, of Arkansas.
The narrator plays the air veliemently.
on the fiddle, for short time, then relates
q portion of the story then, again, falls
to playing. as if he had given his audience
enough of q good thing for one time.
In the earlier days Of The Territory of
Arkansas. when the settlements were few
and far between, an adventurous traveller
ing the swamps of that portion of kedn try
gets lost. on . cold, rainy day, in the Au-
tumn of the year. After wandering until
evening. and desparing of finding habi
tation, while searching for place to camp,
strikes trail which seems to lead some1heTe
and also hears in that direction the noise oi
fiddle. Accordingly he takes the trail
and soon discovers ahead of him, rising
above the timber, light column of smoke,
which he knows comes from cabbin OF
squatter. As he approaches, he finds it to
be log cabin, ten logs high, and about ten
feet square-one side being rooted and the
other only half covered with boards. He
also sees the proprietor seated on an.old
whisky barrel, near the door-sheltered by
few boards which project from the caves
playing a tune. or rather the first snatch
of a tune on an old fiddle. After survey.
ing the habitation and surroundings of cot
ton headed children, the traveller rides up TO
see if he can get lodgings; and the follow
ing dialogue ensues. The hoosier, however
still continuing play the same part over.
and over again. only stopping to give short
indifferent replies to the travellers queries !:
Traveler.-Good evening, sir!'
Squatter.-How dye do sir
Trav.-Can get to stay all night with
you?
Squat-No, sir.
Trav.-Can you give me glass of some
thing to drink? I'm very wet and cold
Squat drank the last drap this morn
ing.
TTav-I am very hungrv-ain't had a
thing to eat to day. VIII you let me have
something to eat?
Squat.-Havn't a darned thing in the
house.
Trav--Then can't you give my horse
something?
Squat.-Got nothin' to feel him on
Trav.-How far is it to the next house
Squat.-Stranger, L don't know-I've
never been there.
Trav.-Well where does this road go to 2
Squat--I'ts never been anywhere since
l. 4
up in the morning.
Trav.-As am not likely TO get to any
other house Tonight, can't you let me sleep
in yours, and I'll tie my horse to a tree and
do without anything to eat or drink ?
Squat.-My house leaks there's only
One dry spot in it, and me and Sal sleeps
on that.
Trav-Why don't You finish covering
your. house and stop the leaks?
Squat.-It's raining.
Trav--Well. why don't you do it is not
raining
Squat.-1t don't leak then.
Trav.-Well, as you have nothing to eat
or drink in your house, and nothing alive
about your place but children, how do yeu
do here any how
Squat--Putty we'll, thank you. How
dye do yourselfs
Trav.-( After trying in vain all sorts Of
ways to extract some satisfactory informa-
tion from him. My friend why don't you
play the whole of that tune?
Squat Stops playing and looks up for
the first time l did not know there was
any more to it. CaR You play the fiddle,
stranger?
Trav.-I play little sometimes.
Squat.-You don't look much like fd-
dler handing him the fidile.) VIII you
play the balance of that tunce
The traveller gets down and plays the
tune.
SqUat.-Strangcr come in take half
dozen chairs and sit down. Sal go round
into the holler, where Ikillel that buck this
Cut off some of the best pieces
and fetch and cook it for me and this gen
tleman, directly. Raise up the board under
the head Of the bead, afore you go, and get
the big black jug l hid from Dick, and give
us some whisky-I know there is some left
yet Dick, carry the gentleman's horse
round to the she'd you'll find some fodder
and corn there. Give him as much as he
can eat. Durn me, stranger, if you can't
stay here as long as you please, and I'll give
you plenty to eat and drink Hurry, old
woman. If you can't find the butcher
knife. take the cob handle, or granny's
knife. Play away, stranger! you shall
sleep on the dry spot, tonight.
After two hours fiddling. and semc con-
versation in which the squatter showed his
characteristics, the stranger retirel to tie
dry srot.