Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1859-04-01
The Arkansas Traveller:

a human hahiraiion, came at length, by
sudden turn Of the road, to a miserable
shanty, the centre of n small clearing in
what had originally been a blackjack
fh;cket, whence the only sound proceeding
l. the discorIaut u usic of broken, wiuded
ti!die, from the troubled bowels of which
the occupant is laboriously cxtortins the
mnnotonous tune known as "Thc Arkap-
srs, ar Tie RIckensack TrdycIer" Our
udvcnturer rides up TO within few fee, Of
the donr, which was once the led frame
Of cart-body, now covered with bear
skins, and Lung upon hinges. At.rr
much chouting, the inmate appears, fiddle
in hand, and evidently wra,hy at being
interrupted in the exercise of his art. Tue
following colIcquy ensues Che indefariga-
be f Idle sill playing the first strain of
"Tbe Arkansas Traveller" which he con-
tinues, at t.r'a al>, uutil the dialogue is
brought TO an I'm K, ected crnclls on.)
T-ueeteri FiicEd, can obtain accom-
moda;ions here for the night?
-irkahsas Artist: No, Sir-'nary com
modarion-.
T. Ny dear sir, have already travel.
cd thirty miles to day, and neither myself
nor my horse has had mcuthful to eat :
,chy can't you accommodate US?
A. Just 'c,zc it can't be DID. We're
plum out Of everything to eat in the house;
Bills gone to mill with the last uubLin Of
coru on these premises, and 1t i'll be nigh
unto the shank of to morrow cveniu' atUrc
he Gums home, unless suthin oncUmmon
happens.
4. You surely have some'hiay that l
can feed my horse: even few potatoes
would be better than no food.
\. Stranger, our eatin' roots gin out
long ago : SO your chance is slim thar.
r. Bn:, my friend, must remain with
you anyway. | can't 20 any farther whe
iher obtain anything TO cat or not. You
certainly will allow Inc the shelter of your
rocfY
a. 1t can't be did, old hoss. You
zee, we've got only one dried hide on the
premises, aud me aud the cid woman
ailu, has that: so whar's your chance
=. Allow me to hitch my horse to
that Icrsmmon-tree, and with my saddle
and Llauket Iii make bed il the fence
corner
A. Hitch your hoss to that 'simmon
tree! Why YOU must be nat'ral born fool,
stranger Don't you see that's me ana
the old wonan's Only chance for 'smmon-
teer, in the fall of the year? If your
ho>s is so tafnal hungry as you sey be is,
led girdle it as high as be could reach,
afore mornin'. Hitch your hoss to that
tree? I'spcc' not : no, no, stranger, you
ean,t come nary sch dodge as that.
pur traveller, seeing that ne had a. orr
r.ual to deal with, and being himself au
amateur performer upon the instrument
10 which the settler was SO ardently at !
tached, thought he would change his
Iacrics, and draw his determined not to- be /
Ghost" out little, before informing him
If the fact that be too could play the Gar.
kansas Traveller :" which, once being
known, he corjec,ured, would he pass
port to his better graces:
7. WI, friend, if [ can't stay, how
far i. it to the next house?
A. Ten miles; and you'll think they're /
mighty long ones, too, afOre you get thar.
| came nigh onio forgettin' to tell you, the .
big creek is up; the bridge is carried off ;
there's nary yearihly chance to ford it;
and if yc're bound to cross it, yell have
to 60 about seven miles up stream, to ole |
Dave Lpdy's puncheon bridge, through F..
one of the darndest bamboo swamps ever
you see. reckon the bridge is standin'
yet-'twas yesterday mornin', though one
eeId had started down stream about tif-
teen feet or such a matter.
I. You say it's ten miles to the next
house the big creek is up; the bridge
carried away; 10 possibility of fordIng it;
aud seven miles, through a swamp, to th:
only bridge in the vicinity! This is rather
, gloomy prospect, particularly as the sun |
; Just about down. Still, my curiosity is
excited, and as you have been playing only
me part of the "Arkansas Traveller" ever 7
.ince my arrival, would like to know, be
ore leave, why you don't play the tuue
through?
i. FIR one Of the best reasons on
,carth, old hoss-I can't do a. hain't
arnt the tara Of that tctme, and drat u.c
{ ever shall.
r. Give me your instrument: aud III
&c if can't pay the turn for you.
A. Look O here, my friend do you
,lay the turn Of tchuue?
7. | believe can.
A. "'Lite, lite, old hOss .-ueW fnd