Litchfield enquirer., 1859-03-31
A SCENE OF ARKANSAS LIFE.

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 l A SCENE OF ARKANSAS LIFE. PURSUIT OF HOSPITALITY UNDER DIFFICULTIES. 1 In the early settlement of Arkansas, a trav- eler after riding some eight or ten miles with. cut meeting human being, or seeing human habitation, came at length, by sudden turn of the wood-road, to miserable shanty," the center of a small clearing, in what had origin ally been q Black -jack-thicket," whence the only sound that proceeds is the discordant mtl- sic of brokell-wnded fiddle, from the troubled bowels of which the occupant is laborousIy ex. torting the monotonous tune known as !" Tie Arkausas, or Rackensack Traveller" Our traveller rides up to within few feet of the door, which was once the bcd-frame of a cart body, now covered with bear-skins, and hung upon two big wooden hinges. After much shou- ting, the inmate appears, fiddle in hand, and evidently "wrathy" at being interrupted in the exercise of his.art. The following colloqny en- sues, the indtfatigable fiddler still playing the | first strain of "The Arkansas Traveller" which l im fact he continues, at sudden intervals, until the dialogue, as will be seen, is brought to all unexpected conclusion If this be not seek l ing lodgings under difficulties" we should like 1 to know what might be lcgitimately so consid- cred
 Traveller Friend can obtain accommo- dation for the night with you ?"
 Arkansaw Artist No, sir--'nary 'com- 1 mot!aton."
 Traveller My dear Sir, I have already travelled thirty miles to-day, and neither my self nor my horse has had Il mouthfuI to eat : arhy can't you accommodate me for tonight ?"
 Ark. Artist ; Just Cease it cant De did. We're plum ont of every thing to eat in the house Bills gone to mill with the last nub- bin of corn on these premises, and it'll be nigh onto the shank of tomorrow evenin' afore he cums home, unless suthin oncommon happens" :" Traveller: Ton surely have something that l can feed to my horse even a few potatoes would be better than no food"
 "Ark. Artist ; Stranger, our eatin' roots !! 'gin out about week ago so your chance is slim { :ar.'
 Traveller But, my friend, must remain with yon any way. l can't go any farther whether obtain anything to eat or not. You will certainly allow me the shelter of his roof ?
 "Ark. Artist ; It can't be did, old hoss You see we've got only one dried hide on the premises, and me and the old woman allus oc cuMes that so arhar's your chance ? Traveller |: 'Allowme to hitch my horse to that persimmon-tree. and with my saddle and bIa,ktt I'll make bed in the fence corner'
 Ark. Artist ; Hitch your hoss to that 'simmon-tree ?--' in a horn ? Why, you must be a natral 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 hoss is so tarnal hungry as you say he is, he'd girde it as high up as he could reach, alore mornin' Hitch your boss to that tree :! 'spect not no, no. stranger, you can't come mary sich dodge as that 7
 Our traveller, seeing that he ha d an original to deal with, and being himself an amatcurper- fermer upon the instrument to which the settler was so ardently attached, thought he would change his tactics and draw his determined not-to-be host |" out a little, before informing him of the fact that he too could play the Ar kansas Traveller :" which once being known, he rightly conjectured, would be a passport to his better graces:
 Traveller Well, friend. if I can't stay, low far is it to the next house?
 Ark Artist Ten miles and you'll think they're mighty long ones, afore you get thar. came nigh onto forgettin' to tell you, the big creek is up ,; the bridge is carried off there's nary yearthly chance to ford it; and if yer bound to cross it, yer'l have to go about 1 seven miles up stream, to ole Dave Lody's puhcheon-bride, through one of the darndcst bamboo-swamps ever yoU sec I reckon the bridge is standin' yet-'twas yesterday morn in: though one eend had started down stream about fifteen feet, or sich natter
 Traveller: Friend, you seem commun- cative and if it's no offence, I'd like to know what you do for living here 1?
 Ark. Artist:' No offence on yearth, stranger: we just keep grocery Traveller A groceryl Where in the name of all that is mercantile do your custom CTS come from? Your nearest neighbor is ten | miles distant P
 Ark. Artist The fact is, me and the ole woman is the best customers get :; but we 'spect these diggins will improve, aud in course business will improve too. Howsever, we do suthn no,0, even. Me and the ole woman 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 balance on hand, we found thar want but jist one, solitary pica- yune left, and as the ole woman alus carries 1 the pHs, in course she had it. We'll, | sot the bar'l agin one side of the room, and short 1 ly arter, the ole woman sez Supposn' you tap your eend of the bar'l,' and l did, and she bought q drink, and paid me the picka- yune. Pretty soon, begun to get dry, and says l.: Ole woman, spozin' you tap yonr eend of the bar'l ?-and she did and then she sells me drink and the way that pica-