The Yazoo Democrat. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1858-18??, 1859-12-17
1.-THE ARKANSAS TRAVELLER. !"

kansas Traveller" is exceedingly popular al
the west and south, aud originated from the
incidents of the following story-which are
exactly as related fifteen or twenty years age
by the author of tune and story, Col. s.
c. Faulkner, of Arkansas
The narrator plays the air vehemently, on
the fiddle, for short time, then relates a
portion of the story; then, again, falls to
playing, as if he had given his audience
enough of good thing for one time.
"ln the earlier days of the Territory Of
Arkansas, when the settlements were few
and far between, an adventurous traveller
from one of the old States, while traversiug
the swamps of that portion of the kedn' try
gets lost, on cold, rainy day, in the autumn
OF the year. After wandering until even
ing, and despairing of finding habitation,
while searching for place to camp, strikes
trail which seems to lead somephere, and
also hears in that direction the noise of a
fiddle. Accordingly, he takes the trial and
soon discovers, ahead of him, rising above
the timber, light column of smoke, which
he knows comes from the cabin of squat.
ter. As he approaches, he finds it TO be a
log cabin, ten logs high, and about ten feet
square-one side being rooted, and the other
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 eaves-playing a
tune, or rather the first snatch Of a tune, on
an old fiddle.
After surveying the habitation and sur
roundings Of cotton head" children, the
traveller rides up to see if he can get lodg-
ings, and the following dialogue ensued.
The hoosier, however. still continuing to
play the same part over, and over again, only
stopping to give short, Indifferent replies to
the travellers queries
Trareler-Good evening, sir
Sqaatter.- How dye do, sir!
1rav-'Can get to stay all night with
YOU?
Squat.-'No, SIR
Tra0.-'Can you give me glass of some.
thing to drink? l am very wet and cold
SqEat.-l drank the last drop this moru-
ing
Trav.-I am very huDgry-ain't hld
thing to eat to day Win you let me have
something to eat !?
Squot-'Havn't a darned thing in the
house,
Trar-Then can't you give my horse
something
S9uat Got nothing to feed him on
Trac.--'How far is it to the next house?'
Squat-Stranger, don't knoW-Pve
never been there
Trav-'Well, where docs this road 60
TOP
Squat.-Tt's never been anywhere since
I've lived here; it's always here when /
get up in the morning
Trav-'As l 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 p
Squot.-'My house leaks; there's only
one dry spot in it, and me and Sal sleeps on
that
Trdu.-'Why don't you finish covering
your house and stop the leaks" :.
Sgadt.-It's raining
Trav.-fWell, why don't you do it when
it is not raining!
Squat.--Tt don't leak then
Trar.-'Well as you have nothing to eat
or drink in your house, and nothing alive
about your place but children, how do you
do here, anyhow?
Squat.-'Putty well, thank you. How
dye do yourself"
Trau.-(After trying in vain all sorts of
Woys to extract some satisfactory Informs
ton from him. MY friend why don't you
play the whole of that tune?
Squat. --(Stops playing and looks up for
the first time. i did not know there was
any more to it. Can you play the fiddle,
Stranger
Tra0.-I play little, sometimes
Squdt.-'You don't look much like a fid-
der (banding him the fddle,) Win you
play the balance of that tuneY
The traveller gets down and plays the
tune.
Squat Stranger come in take half
a dozen chairs and sit down. Sal go round
into the boiler, whore killed that buck this
morning. Cut off some of the best pieces
aud fetch it and cook it for me and this gen.
tleman, directly. Raise I'D the board under
the head of the, bed, afore you go, and get
the big black jug hid FROM Dick, and give
us some whisky know there's SOME left
yet. Dick, carry the gentleman's horse
round to the shed you'll find some fodder
and corn there. Give him as much as be
can eat. Durn me, stranger, if you can't
stay here as long as you please, and III give
you plenty to cat and drink. Hurry, old
woman. Ifyou 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 fddIing, and some con-
versation in which the squatter showed his
characteristics, the stranger retired to the
dry spot