Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1860-01-21
THE ARKANSAS TRAVELLER.

THE ARKANSAS TRAVELLER. f.
A burlesque tame, known as 1.-THE Ar
KANSAS Traveller" is exceedingly popular at
The West and South, and originated from
The incidents Of the following story-which
ire exactly as related fifteen OF twenty years
aggo-by the author of the tune and story,
Col. S. G. Faulkner, of Arkansas
The narrator plays the air vehenaently,
On fiddle, for short time, then relates
portion Of the story then again falls to
playing as if he had given his audience
enough Of a good thing, for one time.
In the earlier days of the territory of Ar-l
kansas, where the settlements were few and
far between, an adventurous traveller from
one Of the old States, while traversing the
swamps of that portion of the kedn'try,
gets lost, on cold, rainy day, in the au-
tumn Of the year. After wandering till
evening, and despairing Of finding habita-
ton, while searching for place to camp, he
strikes trail which seems to lead some.
acters, and also hears in that direction the
mise of fiddle. .-. ,.s...-
Accordingly he takes the trail, and soon
discovers ahead of him, rising above the
timber, light column of smoke, which he
knows comes from the cabin Of a squatter.
AS he approaches, he finds it to be log
cabin, ten logs high, and about ten feet
sqmre-:one side being rooted, and the 9TH
Ter only halfcovered with boards. He also
sees the proprietor seated on an old whisky
barrel. near tho door, sheltered by few
boards which project from the caves, play.
ing tune, or rather the first snatch Of a
tune, on an old fiddle.
After surveying the habitation and sur
rounding of head" children, the
traveller rides up to see if he can get lodg-
ings; and the following dialogue cnsues.
The hoosier, however, continuing to play
the same part over and over again, only
stopping to give short, Indifferent replies to
the travellers queries
TRAvt LER-Good morning, sir!
SQuATTER-How dye do, sir ?
I. Can | get to stay all night with you ?
s: No, sir. s..5", il.
L. Can't you give me a glass of some
thing to drink ? I'm very wet and cold.
S. drank the last drop this morning.
L. I'm very hungry, amt had thing
70 eat to- day. Will you let me have some
thing to eat q?
S. llavn't darned thing in the house
L. Then cart you give my horse some
thing?
| S. Got nothing to feed him on.
T. How far is it to the next house?
S. Stranger, l don't know; I've never
been there.
I. Well, where dos this road 90 to?
s. It's never been anywhere since live;l
here it's always here when l re: up in
the morning.
7. AS am not likely to get to any other
house tonight, Can't you let me sleep in
yours, and III tie my horse to tree and
do without anything to eat or drink
S. My house leaks there's only one dry
spot in it. and nsa and Sal sleeps ON that.
L. Why don't You finish covering your
house anu stop the leaks
S. It's raining.
L. Well, why don't you do it when it is
not raining?
s. II don't leak then
I. Well, as you have nothing to cat or
drink in your house, and nothing alive about
your house but children; how DO you do
here, anyhow
S. Putty we'll, thank you. How dye
do yourself?
I. (After trying in vain all sorts Of ways
to extract some satisfactory information from,
him.) My friend, why don't you play the
whole Of that tune :?
5. (Stops playing and looks up for the
first timc.) did not know that there was
any more to it. Can YOU play the fiddle,
stranger ?
II. play little, sometimes.
Va, 1op,t lonl- v,,ucb Elo H11lor
(handing him the f,ld|e.) Will you play
the holsure Of that tune
THE traveller gets down and plays that tune.
S. Stranger, como in take half a dozen
chairs and sit down. Sal, so round INTO
the hollcr where killed that buck this
morning. Cut off some of the best pieces
and fetch it, and cook it for me and this
lgentleman. directly. Raise up the board
under the head Of the bed, aforc YOU 90,
and get the old black jug hid from Dick,
and give us some whisky--l know there's
some left yet. Dick, Gerry the gentle.nan's
horse round to the shed; you'll find some
folder and corn there. Give him as much
as be can eat. Durn me-, stranger, if you
can't stay as long as you please, and I'll
give you plenty to eat and drink. Hurry,
old woman. II you can't find the butter
knife, take the cob-handle, or grannY's
knife. Play away, stranger! you shall
sleep on the dry spot to- night.
After about two hours fddling and some
conversation, in which the squatter shows
his characteristics, the stranger retires to
the "dry spot"
@There were probably never before so
large number of artists in New York as
at the present time, and there is great diff
Guilty in finding an unoccupied room suita-
BILE for studio. That nest of Artists in
Tenth street called the studio which was
regarded very wild speculation when it
was built, has not vacant apartment in it !;
and the liberal proprietor oft, who built it
for the. accommodation of artists, without any
anticipations of profit, is now receiving ten
ner cent on tho nj inuocfad