The Kanzas news., 1859-04-23
an Adventure in Arkaneas.

tFaIeier, a.ter riding some eight Or Ten
miles without meeting human being. OF
seeing human habitation, came at length,
by a sudden turn out of the wood road, to
a miserable ''shanty" the centre of small
clearing, in what had originally been 8
BLACK; Jack thicket," whence the only
sound that proceeds is the discordant mu-
sic of broken-winded fiddle, from the
troubled bowels of which the occupant is
laboriously extorting the monotonous tune
known as ''Ths Arkansas, or Raekeasack
Irdpeter." Our traveller rides up within
a few feet of the door, which was once the
bed frame of a cart body. now covered with
bear skins, and hung upon two big wooden
hinges. After much shouting, the inmate
appears, fiddle in hand, and evidently wrsthy
at being interrupted in the exercise of his
art. The following colloquy ensues, the in
defatigable fiddler still playing the first
fact he continues, at sudden intervals, until
the dialogue, as will be seen. is brought TO
an unexpected conclusion. If this be not
seeking lodgings under difficulties" we
should like to know what might be legiti-
mately so considered.
Traveller: ''Friend, can obtain accom-
modations for the night with you?''
Arkansas "artist:" No. Sir-'nary COM
modation.'
Traveller: ''My dear Sir, have already
travelled thirty miles day, and neither my
self nor my horse have had mouthful to
eat; sOhy can't you accommodate me for to-
nigbt?''
Ark. artist: Just case it can't be did
We're plum out of every thing to eat in the
house. Bills gone to mill with the last
nubbin of corL on these premises, and ii be
nigh unto the shank of tomorrow evenih'
afore he Gums home, unless sumthin un-
common happens"
Traveller: tYou surely have something
that can feed to my horse; even few po-
tatoes would be better than no food"
Ark. Artist" Stranger, our eatin'-
roots gin out about week ago, so your
chance is slim thar"
Traveller: "But, my friend, I mast remain
with you, any way. can't go any further,
whether 1 obtain anything 10 eat or not.
You certainly will allow me the shelter of
your roof"
Ark. ''Artist: "It can't 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 what's your chance?"
Traveller: 'tAllow me to hitch my horse
to that persimmon tree, and with my sad
die aud blanket I'll make a bed in the fence
corner"
Ark "Artist::" Hitch your horse to
that 'simmon tree?-in a horn! Why,
you must be nat'ral fool, stranger! Don't
you see that's me and the ole woman's on
ly chance for 'simmon beer, in the fall of
the year? If your boss is so tarnal hungry
as you say he is. he'd girdle it as high up
as he could reach, afore mornin.' Hitch
your boss to'that tree! 'spect not; no, no,
stranger, you can't come nary sich dodge
as that !"
Our traveller, seeing that he had an orig
inal to deal with, and being himself an am
ateur performer upon the instrument to
which the settler was so ardently attached,
thought he would change his tactics, and
draw his determined not-to-be Ghost" out
a little, before informing him of the fact,
that he too could play the Arkansas Trav-
eler;' which once being known, he rightly
conjeetured, would be a passport to his bet
ter graces.
Traveller: "well, friend, if can't stay
how far is it to the next house?"
Ark Artist" ''Ten miles, and you'll
think they'er mighty long ones, too, afore
you get thar. come 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'Il
have to go about seven miles up the stream
to ole Dave Lody's puneheon bridge,
through one of the biggest bamboo swamps
ever you see. l reckon the bridge is stand
in !et-'twas yesterday mornin,' though
one eend was down stream about fifteen feet
or such natter
Traveller: Friend, you seem communi-
cative; and if it's no offense, I'd like to
know what you do for a living?''
Ark. ''Artist:2 "No offense on yearth,
stranger; we just keep grocery"
Traveller: IA groceryl Where in the
name of all that is mercantile do your Gus
toners come sfrom ? Your nearest neigh
Dor is ten miles distant!''
Ark. ARTIST" 1.-THE fact is, me and
the ole woman is the best customers yet;,
but we spect these diggings viii improve
and in course business viii improve too.
How's ever, we do suthin now, even. Me
and the ole woman took the cart tother day,
and went to town; we bort a barrel of whis-
key; and arter we come home and gin to
count the balance on hand. we found thar
want but just one solitary picayune left, and
the ole woman allus carries the Puss, in
course she bad it. Well, sot the barT
agin one side of the room, and shortly ar
ter, the ole woman seq: ''Supposin you
tap your end of The bar'l,'' and did; and
she bought drink, and paid me picayune.
Pretty soon. begun to get dry, and seq
I: .'Ole woman. spozen' you tap your end
Of the barl2'-snd she did; and then she
sells me drink; and the way that picayune
has travelled back ards and for ards over the
bung of that bar'l, is a caution, to them as
love "redeye." But stranger. losses is apt
to come with every business; and me and |
the ole woman has lost some in the grocery |
line; and I'm tell you how twas. The boy
Bill our oldest son. he see how the Ticker |