The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-04-07
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"Rackensack Traveller. >

In the early settlement Of Arkansas, a
traveller, after riding some eight or ten miles
without meeting a human being, or seeing a
human habitation, came at length, by sud-
den turn Of the wood-road, to a miserable
"ahanty," in the centre of small clearing,
in what had originally been "black. jack
thicket," whence the only sound that pro.
ceeds is tbs aiScordant music of broken.
winded fiddle, from the troubled bowels Of
which the occupant is luboriousIy extorting
the monotonous tuns known as "THs Ar
kansas, or RaeEsnsack fraiv,selsr." Our trav,
eler rides up to within lew feet of the
door, which wus once the 6ed;ifathe OF a
cart-body, now covered with bear skiing, and
hung upon two big wooden hinges, After
much shouting, the inmate appears, fiddle in
hand, and evidently "wrSthy" at being in
terruped IN the exercise Of his art The iol.
lowing colloquy en-ues, the inJefatigabI'
fiddler still playing the first strain OF "The
ArkGnsas IrGveIer," which in fact be con.
tinues. at sudden intervals, until the diu
logue, as will be seen, is brought to un un-
expected conclusion. II this be not "seek
ing lodgings under difficulties" we should
like to know what might be legitimateIy so
considered:
TTaveier-"Frend, can Obtain accomo.
dations for the night with you!''
Arkansas Artist-"No, sir-'nary com.
tlodation."
Treveler-"My denr sir, have already
trayeisd thirty miles To day, and neither NY
selt nor my horEe has had mouthfui to eat;
irhy cRn'tyou nCco .hmudatc ne for to nightr
htksnaas Artist" Just case IL can't b.
did. We're pln0 out OF every thing to cat
in the honsC-Bits gone to mill with the
last Duhbin of corn oH these premises, aud
It III lie nigh otto the shank OF TO morrow
evening Siore he cutHs home, unless snthin
onconlton happens" :"
Traveler-"You surely have someihinc
that | can feed TO my horse; even few DO
tutoes would be bette, than 10 todd
| Arkansas Stranger, uur eat,n'
roots gin out about week age; W you,
chance is sim thar"
Traveler-"But, my friend, mis-! remain
with *Uu;, any way. can't 90 any farther
whether obtain any thing to eat or not -
You will certainly allow me the shelter o
your rec ~
Arkansas Artistic can't be did, old
moss. You see, we've got only ohe dtie,
hide On the premises. and me and the ole
Womon ulus occupies Mutj SO whar's YOU
thsnce!"
rtutsIei-"Allow me to hitch nv hors;
TO Tint persihmon.tree. and with my saddle
and bIdhket III Hake bed in the fence.
corner"
Arkanaas Artist--"Hich your boss 10 thu,
'simmOn.tree!--'in q horn = Why, YOU
must be not'ra FOOL stranger Don't you
see that's me aud the ole womgn's nhiy
chance for 'simmon beer, in the ;aii -. h.
y year! your horse is so tarnal hungry as
a you cay he is, he'd girdle it as high W as he
could reach, afore mornin.' Hcn your
: hoss to that tree - 'spect not; no, no
stranger, you can't come nary sich dodge
as that !"
Odr statelsr' seeing that he had an orfgi.
= nal to deal with, and being himself an anna
teut pstforGier Upon the instrument 10 which
the settler was 80 ardently attached, thought
II he would change his tactics, aud draw hi.
r determined MOTTO be "hosl" out a little be-
y fots itIfottfing him of the fact, he too coult
y play the "Arkahsas Traveler;" which once
J. being known, he rightly conjeciured, wouIt
y be passport to his better graces:
Trsveler--"Well, friend, it can't stay
c, how faf 10 it to the next house!"
T. Atkansas hrtist--"Ten miles; atG you'll
tHink tSey'fe mighty long ones, too, afor
Of you get thar! | came nigh onto iorgettin
j. to tell youi the big creek is up; the btidg
OF is carried off; there's mary yeorthly chanc
er to ford it, and If yer bound 10 cross it, yer'l
have to 30 about seven miles up stream, t
3; ole Dave Lody's puncheon bridge, throug
8; one Of the d1rndest bamboo swamps eve
D. y5a see.~ reckon the bridge ID standi1
Iy yet t was yesterday morning though on
eend had started down stream about fftee
or Ieet, or sieh matter"
er Traveer-"F Friend. you seem communi
er cativt3 and il it's no offence, I'd like t
know what you do for living here :"
Arkansas Arlist-"No offence on yeartf
stranger; we just keep grocery! .".
"Where iD the name Of all that is mercan
tile do your customers come from! your NEG
est neighbor Is tetl miles distant {"
:, Arkansas Artist--"The fact is, me an
=, the ole woman is the customers get; and W
- 'spect these diggins will improve, ana il
! course business will improve too. Hows
4. ever, we do suthin mott, even. Me and tn
"A ole woman took the cart t'other day, an
!. went to town. we bought bar'l of whisky
=. and arter we come home, and gin to cour
- the balance on hand, we found thar war
"A but jist one solitary picayune left, and as ii
:. ole woman aFfuS carries the pus, in cours
s she he'd it. Well, i sot the Baf'l agin on
: side Of the room, and shortly artef, the OIL
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