The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-21
The Arkansaw Traveller.

traveller, aIt6r TlulllS ooiho os.ne VI VIII ,A'es
| without meeting human being or seeing
| human habitation, came at last, by sudden
! turn OF the woodroad, to miserable shan
tyn the centre of a small clearing, in what
had originally been black jacket thicket,
whence the only sound that proceeds is the
discordant music of broken winded fiddle
from the troubled bowels of which the occu-
pant is laboriously extorting the monoton-
Gus tune known as "The Arkansas" or
Rackensack Traveller" Our traveller rides
up to within a few feet of the door, which
was once the bed frame of cart body, now
covered with bear skins, and hung upon two
big wooden higes.
After much Shouting, the inmate appears,
fiddle in hand, and evidently wrathy at be-
inc interrupted in the exercise of his art
The following colloquy ensues, the indefati-
gable fiddler still playing the first strain OF
"The Arkansaw Traveller" which, in fact,
he continues at sudden intervals, until, the
dialogue, as will be seen, is brought to a
sudden conclusion If this be not seeking
lodgings under difficulties" we should like
to know what might be legitimately so con-
s1dered:
Traveller" Friend. can 1 obtain ACCOM-
modations for the night with you?"
Arkansas Artist" No, sir, nary 'commo-
dation."
T1aveller-"My dear sir, I have travelled
over thirty miles to-day, and neither myself
nor my horse have had a mouthful to eat:
why can't you accommodate me for the
night ?"
Arkansas Artist" Jest case it can't be
did We plum out of anything to eat in the
house: Bills gone to mill with the last
nubbin of corn on these premises, and it'll be
nigh onto the shank of tomorrow evenln,
afore he Gums home unless suthin uncommon
happens"
traveller" You surely have something
that can feed my horse even few pota-
toes 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, I must re-
main with you, any way. can't go any
further, whether 1 obtain anything to eat or
not. You certainly will allow me the shell
ter of your roof?"
Arkansas Artist-"'At 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 whar's your
chance?"
to that persimmon tree, and with my saddle
l. q
corner"
Arkansas Artist Hitch your horse to
that 'simmon tree? In horn. Why, you
must be a nat'ral fool, stranger! Don't you
see that's me and the woman's only 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! l 'spect not no, no, stranger,
you can't come nary such dodge as that"
Our traveller, seeing that he had an origi-
nal to deal with, and being himself an anna
teur 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 "host" out little be-
fore informing him of the fact that he, too,
would once being known, he rightly con-
jectured would be passport to his better
graces:
Traveller-"W Well, friend, if can't stay,
how far is it to the next house ~
Arkansas Artist" Ten miles; and you'll
think they're mighty long ones, too, fore
you git thar. I came 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'l
have to go about seven miles up stream, to
old Dave Lody's puncheon bridge, through
one OF the darndest bamboo swamps you ever
see. reckon the bridge is standin' yet;
twas yesterday mornin'; though one end
had started down stream about fifteen feet
or SIGH matter"
Traveller" Friend, you seem commune
cative; and fits no offense, I'd like to know
what you do for a living here 2"
Arkansas Artist" No offense on earth,
stranger. We keep a grocery"
Traveller grocery Where, in the
name of all that is mercantile, do your Gus
toners come from? Your nearest neighbor
is ten miles distant!'
Arkansas Artist" The fact is, me and
the old woman is the best customers yet;
but we 'spect these diggins will improve,
and in course business will improve too
How sever, we do suthin now, even. Me
and the old woman took the cart t'other
day, went to town; we bort bar'l of whis-
key; and arter We come home and gin to
count the balance on hand, we found thar
WANT but jist one solitary pickayune left, an
as the old woman allus carries the puss, in
course she had it. Well, sot the bar'l agin
one side of the room, and shortly artur, the
old woman seq: 'Spozen you tap your end
of the bar'l,' and did and she bought
drink, and paid me the picayune. Pretty
soon, begun to get dry, and SEE I; 'Ole
woman, spozen you tap your end of the
bar'l p she did and then she sells me
drink; and the way that picayune travelled
back,aid and for'ards over the bung of that
bar'l is a caution to them as loves red eye.'
But, stranger, losses is apt to come in every
business; and me and the old woman has
lost some in the grocery line; and I'll tell
you how twas That boy Bill, our oldest
son, he see how the Ticker was goin', and he
didn't have nary red to jine in the retail bis
ness; so one mite he crawls under the house,
and taps the bar'l atwixt the cracks in the
puncheon floor; and rally believe he's got
more than me or the ole woman either; the
good for nothin' vagabond, to come the cir
aft over his natural born parents; it's 'enuf
to make man sour agin all creation; that
boy'll be the ruination of US yet. He takes
to trickery jist as material as hungry pos
sum takes to henroost. Now, stranger,
what on yearth am to do9 He beats me
and the ole woman entirely"
Traveler-"It would be difficult to adj
wise in regard to your son, as have no fam
lily of my own. You say it's ten miles to
the next house; the big creek is up; the
bridge is carried away; no possibility of
fording it, and seven miles through swamp
to the only bridge in the vicinity This is
rather a gloomy prospect particularly as the
sun is lust down. still NV curiosity 10 ey