Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-03-22
MisreIIaneons.


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In the early settlement of Arkansas, q
taaveler, after riding some eight or ter
miles without meeting human being, OIL
seeing human habitation, came at length
by sudden turn of the wood road, to 6
miserable "shanty," in the center of small
clearing, in what had originally been 6
aBlack jack thicket" whence the only
sound that proceeds is the discordant music
of broken fiddle, from the troubled bow.
els of which the occupant is laboriously
extorting the monotonous tune known as
"7he arkansas, or Rackensack Traveller. u
Our traveller nd up within few feet of the
door, which was once the bed frame of a
cartbody, now covered with bear skins, and
hung upon two big wooden hinges. At
ter much shouting, the inmate appears,
fiddle in hand, and evidently very "wrathy"
at being interrupted in the exercise of his
AIT. The following colloquy ensues, the
indefatigable fiddler still playing the first
strain of "1He Arkansas Traveller" which
In fact be continues, at sudden intervals,
until the dialogue, as will be seen, is
brought to an unexpected conclusion. If
this be not seeking lodgings under diff
culties," we should like TO know what
might be legitimately so considered:
Traveller: Friend, can 1 obtain accom-
modations for the night with your
sArkansaw Artist No. sir-'nary com
modation.'
Traveller: my dear Sir, I have already
travelled thirty miles to-day and neither my
self nor my horse has had mouthful to
eat: why can't you accommodate me for
tonight
ARK. Artist! Just case it can'tbe did.
We're plum out of everything to eat in
the house: Bills gone to mill with the
last nubbin of corn on these premises, and
II be nigh onto the shank of tomorrow
evenin' afore be cum home, unless sum-
thin uncommon happens
Traveller; You surely have something
that can feed my horse; even few po-
tatoes would be better than no food
sArk. artist: , Stranger, our eatin'. roots
gin out about week ago; so your chance
Is slim thar.
Traveller: But, my friend, / must remain
with you, any way. l can't go any further,
whether obtain anything to eat or not
You certainly will allow me the shelter of
your roofg
tArk. Artist 1T can't be did, old boss.
You see, we've only one dried hide on the
premeses, and me and the ole woman sllus
occupies that SO aohar's your chancel'
Traveller: Allow me 10 hitch my horse
to that persimmon tree, and with my sad
die and blanket I'll make ped in the
fence-corner.'
ARK. Artist Hitch your horse to that
'simmor-tree?-in a hornp Why; you
mus be q nat'ral fool, stranger! Don't
you see that's me and the ole woman's
only chance for 'simmon-beer, in the fall of
the year! If your boss is so tsrnal hungry
as you say he is, be- gridle it as high up
as he could reach afore mornin.'-Hitch
your boss to that tree! I 'spect not: no,
no, stranger, you can't come nary sich
dodge as Mat9"
Our traveller, seeing he had an original
to deal with, and being himself an anna
teur peformer upon the instrument to which
the settler was so srdently attached,
thought he would change his tactics, and
draw his determined not-to-be host out
little, before informing him of the fact, that
he too could play the Arkansas Traveller ;
which once being known, be rightly con-
jectured, would be a passport to his better
graces:
Traveller: well, friend, if I can't stay
how far is to the next house?
ARK. Artist; Ten m les; and you'll
hink they're mighty longi ones, too, afore
pu get thar. came nigh onto forgettin
ttell you, the big creek is up; the bridge
icarried of, there's nary yearthly chance
toford it; and if yer bound to cross it,
yell have to 90 about seven miles up the
strsm,t to ole Dave Lody's puncheon-bridge,
thrugh one of the biggest bambos-swamps
eveEou see. Ireckon the bridge is stand
IN tt-'twas yesterday mornin' though
one ed had started down stream about
ifteerfeet, or sich natter
i1eier: FRIEND, you seem communi-
cative; and if it's no offence I'd like to
know wat you do for livingl'
Ark. Artist: No offence on yeartb,
stranger ne just keep grocery
Traveller: "A grocery! Where in the
name of all elat is mercantile do your
customers comefrom? You nearest neigh
Dor is ten miles distantr
'Ark. Artist The fact is, me and the
ole woman is the best customers get; but
we 'spect these diggings will improve, and
in course buisnss will improve too. How
sever, we do stthin now, even. Me and
the ole woman .ook the cart t'other day,
and went to town we bort bar'l of whisky
ann arter we cone home and gin to count
the balance on hand, we found thar want
but just one solitary picayuns left and as