Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-03-17


a traveller, after riding some eight or
ten miles without meeting human be-
ing or seeing human habitation, e'n ne
at length, by a sudden turn OF the
wood road, TO miserable 'shanty =
the centre OF a small clearing, in what
had originally been Black jacket
thicket,' whence the only sound that
proceeds is the discordant music of
broken windcd fiddlc,fr nthe troubled
bowels Of which the occupant is labor
iously extorting the monotonus tune
known As Tile ArkanSas or Isacken-
sack Ira Keller Our traveller rides up
within few feet Of the door, which
was once the bed frame of cart body
now covered with bear skins, and hung
upon two big wooden hinges. After
much shouting, the inmate slid
die in hand, and evidently 'wrathy' at
being interrupted in the exercise of
his art. The following colloquy en-
sues, the indefatigable fiddler still play
ing the first strain Of '1he arkansas
Traveller which in fact he continues,
at sudden intervals, until the dialogue,
as will be seen, is brought to an unex-
pected conclusion. If this be not seek
ing lodgings under difficulties. we
should like to know what might be le1
Eimately so considered
tIfaveller Friend, can | obtain al
- modations for the night with you =
a sArkansaw Artist No, sir-'nary
commodation.'
Traveller my dear sir, have al
ready travelled thirty miles to-day and
neither myself MOI my horse has had
mouthfuI to eat ,chy cant you &C
commoaate me for to nights'
ARK. Artist = Just case it can't be
did. We'er plum out Of every thing
to eat in the house Bills gone to the
mill with the last nubbin Of corn on
these premises, and It'll be nigh onto
the shank of tomorrow cvenin' afore
he Gums hum, unless sumthin uncom-
mon happins.'
Traveller 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'--
roots gin ont about week ago &: SO
your chance is slim thar.
Traveller But my friend, | must
remain with you, any way. ! can't go
any farther, whether | obtain anything
to cat or not. You certainly will al
me the shelter Of your roof 2
ARK. Artist 1t cant be did old boss
You see, we've got only one dried
hide on the premises, and me and the
ole woman allus occupies that: so
whar's your chance 2
Traveller ; 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 boss to
that 'simmon trec-'in horn :. Why
YOU must be nat'ral fool, stranger y
Don't YOU see that's me and the ole
woman's only chance for 'simmon beer
in the fall of the ycarl If your boss
is SO tarnal hungry as you say he is,
he'd girdlc it as high up as he could
reach, afore mornin.' I'spec not: no
no, stranger, You cant come nary SIGH
a dodge as that
Our traveller, seeing that he had an
original to deal with, and being him.
self an amateur performer upon the in
strumcnt to which the settler was SO
ardently attached, thought he would
change his tactics, and draw his deter
mined not .to-be host out a little, be-
fore informing him of the fact that he
too could play the Arkansas Travel
lcr::' which once being known, lie
rightly conjectured would be a pass
port to his better graces
Traveller : Well friend, if | can't
stay. how far is it to the next house 2
ARK. Artist > Ten miles, and you'll
think they're mighty long ones, too,
aforc You get thar. | came nigh onto
forgettin' to tell you, the big creek is
up; the bridge is carried off /; there's
nary ycarthly chance to ford it and
if yer bound to cross it, yer'll have to
90 about seven miles up the stream, to
ole Davy Lody's puncheon bridge
through ono of the darndcst bamboo
swamps ever you see. 1reckon the
bridge is standin' yet-'twas yesterday
morning'-though one eend had start
cd down stream about fifteen feet, or
SIGH matter
Traveller : Friend you seem COM
municative and if it's no offence, I'd
like to know what you do for living 2
Ark. Artist No offence on yearth
stranger: we just keep grocery
Traveller A grocery! Where in
the name Of all that is mercantile do
your customers come from! Your
nearest neighbor is ten miles distant :
ARK. Artist The fact is, mo and
the ole woman-is the best customers
yet; but We 'spect these diggins will
improve, and in course bushes will
improve too. How-s'cver, we do nuth-
in now, even. Me and the ole wo-
man took the cart t'other day, and
went to town; we bort a..bar'l Of whis-
key; and arter we come home, and
gin to count the balance on hand, we
found thar want but jist one solitary
picayunc left, and as the ole woman
allus carries the puss, in course she
had it. Well, l sot the BARI agin one
side of the room, and shortly arter,