Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1859-05-25
nlisrellanfons.
From the Knacker6ocker Magazine.
THE ARKANSAS TRAVELLER.


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 sud-
der turn of the wood road, to miserable
| s'shanty," the center of small clearing in
| what had orig finally been ''black jack thick
ct, whence the only sound that proceeds is
the discordant music of broken. winded id-
| die, from the troubled bowels of which the
occupant is laboriously extorting the monoto-
Lous tune known as the arkansas, or Rack
ensach Trareler !" Our traveller rides up
within few feet of the door, which was
once the bed frame of cart body, now COW
cred 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 following colloouy ensues,
the indefatiga3le fiddler still playing the first
strain of 'sThe Arkansas Traveller" which in
fact be continues, at sudden intervals, until
the dialogue, as will be seen is brought to an
unex pected conclusion. IF this be not s'seek-
ing lodgings under difficulties we should
like to know what might be legitimately SO
considered
Traveller Friend, can obtain accommo-
dations for the night with you ?
Arkansas sArtist'-'No sir-nary commo-
dation.'
Traveler-'My dear sir, I have already
travelled thirty miles to-day, and neither my
self nor my horse has had mouthful to eat );
can't you accommodate me for tonight?
| Arkansas 'Artist'--'Just case it can't be
did. We're plum out of everything in the
house Aill's gone to mill with the last nub-
bin of corn on these premises, an ii be nigh
onto the shank of tomorrow evenin' afore he
Gums home unless sumthin uncommon hap
pens
Traveler-You surely have something that
| can feed to my horse even few potatoes
would be better than no food
Arkansas sArtist'-'Stranger, our eatin'
roots gin out about week ago; your chance
I is slim thar
Traveler-'But my friend, I must remain
with you, any way. [ can't go any further,
whether | obtain anything to eat or not. You
certainly will allow me the shelter of your
roof!
Ark. 'Artist'-'It can't be did, old hoss.
You see we've got only one dried hide on the
premises, and me an the ole woman allus &C.
cupies that. Whar's your chance ?
Traveler-'Allow me to hitch my horse to
that persimmon tree, and with my saddle and
blanket I'll make bed in the fence corner.
Ark. 'Artist'-'Hitch your horse to that
'simmon tree? In horn Why you must
be natural 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. L
your horse is so tarnal hungry as you say he
is he'd girdle it as high up as be could reacl
afore mornin'. Hitch your horse to tina
tree? 'spect not. No, no, stranger, yot
can't come nary sich dodge as that P'
Our traveller, seeing that be had an origl
nal to deal with, and being an amateur per
former upon the instrument on which th
settler was SO ardently uttached, thought h
would change the tactics and draw his deter
tcrmined- not to-be host out little befor
informing him of the fact that he too coul
play the Arkansas Traveller which one
being known, he rightly conjectared, woul
be passport to his better grace.
TraTeler-'Well, friend if I can't stay
how far is it to the next house 2
Ark 'Artist'-sTen miles . and you
think they're mighty long ones afore you q
thar. L came nigh iD to forgetting to tell yo
the big creek is up, the bridge is carried of
and there's nary earthly chance to ford i
and, if yer Sound to cross it, yer'll have
90 about seven miles up the stream, to ol
Dave punchon bridge, through one of Il
biggest bamboo swamps ever yom see.
reckon the bridge is standin' yet-'twas ye
terday mornin', though one eud had start,
down stream about fifteen feet, or sich ma
ter
Traveller Friend, you seem com nunic
tive, and if it's no offence, I'd like to kno
by what you do for living.
Ark sArtist'-'No offence on yeart
stranger we jist keep grocery
= g Traveler-'A grocery Where In the naI
az of all that is mercantile do your custome
come from? Your nearest neighbor is
ber miles distantp
Ark. .Artist'-'The fact is, me an the
rti- woman is the best customers get but
'spect these diggens will improve, and
ore- course business will improve, too. Hows'eN
Nj we do suthin noU, even. Me and the
woman took the cart tother day. and went
hr;a ! az town; we bort bar'l of whiskey; and af
Won we come home and gin to count the balaI
r re- on hand, we found thar war but just c
ac'd solitary picayune left and the ole won
or alters carries the puss, in course she had
sold Well, I sot the bar'l agin one side of
uate room, aud shortly arter the ole woman Sc
oa.s 'Supposin' you tap your end of the bari' {
o;nc I did; and she bort drink and paid M
val. picsyune. Pretty soon began to get d
dred and says L: 'Ole woman, spozen you
f. your end of the barl Y-and she did;
then she sells me drink and the way
picayune has travelled back'ards and fo'a
= over the bung of that bari, is caution
them who loves red eye But. stranE
losses is apt to come With every business ;;
me and the ole woman has lost some IN
grocery line, and I'll tell you how twas
The boy Bill, our Oldest son. he saw how
TEL. ticker was goin', and didn't have nary re
1858 line in the retail business SO one night
GU crawled under the house, and taps the
CE atwixt the cracks in the puncheon floor;