Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1860-03-30
Arkansas Traveller.

Il
traveller, after riding some eight or ten
miles without meeting a human being, OF
seeing human habitation, came at length
by sudden turn of the wood-road, TO a
miserable 'shanty, the center of small
clearing, in what had originally been a
black jack thicket, whence the only sound
that proceeds is the discordant music of a
broken -winded fiddle, from the troubled
bowels Of which the occupant is laborious.
sly extorting the montOnous tune known
as 'Arkansds Cor Rackeasock) 7rareier.
Our traveller rides up within few feet of
the door, which was once the be i.frame Of
a cart-body, now covered Nth bear-skins,
and hung upon two big wooden hinges
After much shouting, the inmate appears,
fiddle in hand, evidently wrathy at being
interrupted in the exercise of his art =
The following colloquy eusues, the in
defatigable fiddler still playing the first
strain of 'The arkansas TroUeler, which
in fact he continues, at sudden intervals,
until the dialogue, as will be seen, is
brought 10 an unexpected conclusion. IF
this be not seeking lodgings under diff
culties. we, should like to know what
might be legitimatcly SO considered.
Travelor-'Friend, can obtain accom-
modations for the night with you2
Arkansaw Artist-'No, sir, nary com
modation' 80
Traveler-'My dear sir, have already
travelled thirty miles to-day, and neither
myself nor my horse has had a mouthful
to eat--why can't you accommodate me
for to. night?'
Arkansas Artist-'Just case it can't be
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.
andll be nigh onto the shank Of to-mor-
row evenin' afore he cum home, unless
sumthin uncommon happens
Traveler-'You surely have something
that l can feed to my horse; even few
potatoes would be better than no food
Arkansas Artist-'Stranger, our eatin-
roots gin out about week ago; SO your
chance is slim thar
Traveler-'But, my friend, 1 must re-
main with you, any way. can't 60 any
further, whether obtain anything to eat
or not. You certainly will allow me the
shelter of your roof?'
Arkansaw Artistic cant 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 whar's your
chance?
Traveler-'Allow me to hitch my horse
to that persimmon tree, and with my sad
die and blanket | II make bed in the
fence corner.
Arkansas Artist-'Hitch your hoss to
that 'simmon tree Pin a horn + Why.
you must be a natiral fool, stpangerl Dos't
you see that's me and the ole woman's
only chance for 'simmon beer in the fall
of the year? If your hoss is so tarnal
hungry as you say he is, he'd girdle it as
high up as he could reach, afore mornin. a
Hitch your hoss to that tree | 'spectI
not no, no, stranger, you can't come nary
sich a dodge as thatr
Our traveller, seeing that he had an
original to deal with, and being himself
an amateur performer upon the instrument
to which the settler was so ardenty at
tached, thought he would change his
tactics, and draw his determined not to be
host out a little, before informing him off
the fact, that he too could play the 'Arkan-
sas Traveller, which once being known, he !
rightly conjectured, would be passport
to his better graces
Traveler-'Well, friend, if | can't stay.
how far is it to the next house?
Arkansaw Artist-'Ten miles; and
you'll think. they're mighty long ones, too,
afore you get 'har. l came nigh onto for
gettin to tell You the big creek is W the |
bridge is carried off; there's nary yearth
ly chance to ford it; and if yer bound to
cross it, yerll have to go about seven miles
up the stream, to ole Dave Lodys punch
eon-bridge, through one of the biggest
bamboo swamps ever you seed. | reckon
the bridge is standin' yet-'twas yesterday
though one eend had started
Down stream about fifteen feet, or sieh
Traveler-'Fricnd, you seem communi.
cative, and if it's no offense, I'd like to
know what you do for livingY
Arkansaw Artist-'No 10 offrnse on yeorth.
stranger; We just keep grocery.
Traveler--'A grocery Where in the
name of all that is mercantile do your
customers come from? Your nearest
neighbor is ten miles dstantl'
Arkansaw Artist-'The fact is. me and
the ole woman is the best customers, vet,
but we 'spect these digginS will improve.
aud in course business will improve too. /
llows ever, we do suthin now, even. Me
and the ole woman took the cart t'other
day and went to town, we bort a bari of .
whisky, and after we come home and gin .
to count the balance on hand, we found
thar want but just one solitary pieayunc
left, and as the ole woman alas carries the
puss, in course she had il. Well. | sol
the barl agin one side of the room, aud
shortly arter, the ole woman seq: Sup |
posin' you tap your eend OF the bari, aud
1 did; aud she bought drink and paid
me picuyune. Pretty soon, | begun to
get dry, aud says 1, Ole woman, spozen
you tap your eend of the barl and she
did and then she sells me n drink and th.