The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-01-11
Mirellamp.
.na Ana4xsAw TRAVELLER.


itation, came at last by sudden turn of the wood
road, to miserable {" shanty," the centre Of .
small clearing, in what had originally been
"black Jacket thicket" whence the only sound
tia: pro.s..s .s "a. discordant music of broken
winded fiddle, from the troubled bowels OF which
the occupant is laboriously extorting the mono
tonous tune known as " The Arkansas" or "Rsck-
ensack Traveler."-Our traveller rides up to with
in lew feet of sae door, which was once the bed
frame ofa cart body now covered with bearskins
and hung upon two big wooden hinges
After much shouting the inmate appears, nd
die in hand, and evidently wrathy at being inter-
rupted in the exercise of his art. The following
collcquy ensues, the indefatigsble fiddler still
playing the first strain of :" The Arkansas Trav.
sler," which in fact, he continued at sudden ins
tervals, until the dialogue, as will be seen, 10
brought TO sudden conclusion. 1t this be not
"seeking lodgings under difficulties" we should
like to know what might be legitimately 90 con-
sidered: gg
Traveler-"Friend, can obtain accommoda-
ton for the night with your
Arkansas Artistry No, sir, mary conm0da-
ton" D
Traveller My dear sir, have travelled over
thirty miles to-day, and myself nor horse have
had q mouthful to eat; why can't you accommo-
date ne for the night?'
Arkansas Artist" Jest case it can't be did.
Wear plum out Of anything to eat in the house;
Bills gene to mill with tho last nubbin of corn on
these premises and it'll be nigh onto the shank
of tomorrow eveain afore he Gums home unless
suthin oncoInmop happens.
T-aa~c!!c: g Eou surely have something that
can feed .nv horse, even few potatoes would 10
better than no food"
Arkansas Artist" Stranger, our eatin roots
sin out ABOUT a week ago; SO your chance is slim
thar" 4.it
Traveler-' But my friend, must remain
I n,,s%.x nrtt,a
whether obtain anything to eat not. You
certainly viii allow me the shelter of your roof "
Arkansas Artist" 1t 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 occu-
pies that; SO whars your chance? ~
Traveller" Allow me to hitch my horse TO
that persimmon tree, and with my saddle and
blanket I'll make bed in the fence corner"
Arkansas Artist" Hitch your boss to that
's.n,..o.. s..e ? In horn. Why you must BE- .
natral fool, stranger? Don't you see that's me
and the ole womans only chance for simmer
beer in the fall of tho year? If your boss 10 80
tarnal hungry as you say he is no girdle it ss
high as ne could reach afors mornin.' Hitch
your boss to that tree! aspect not; no, stran-
ger, you can't come that dodge on me-"
Our traveller seeing he had an original to deal
with, and being himself an amateur performer
on the Instrument to which the settler was 90 ar
IDENTIFY 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 make fiddle squeak, piece of in.
formation which, once being known, he rightly
oniectured, would be u passport to his better
graces.
Traveler-' Well, friend if l can't stay, how
tar is it to the next house y
Arkansas Artist" Ten miles and you'll
think they're mighty long ones, too, fore you git
thar. / came nigh onto fOrgettin to tell yer, the
big creek is up; tho bridge is carried of; thsr's
nary yeaRhiy chsncs to ford it; and If yer bound
to cross it, yerll have to 20 about seven miles up
stream, to ole Dave Lody's puncheon bridge,
through one OF tho darkest bamboo swamps you
ever ses l reckon the bridge is stannin yet;
twas yesterday mornin though the end had
started down stream about fifteen feet, or such
matter"
Traveler-" Friend, you seem communicative
and if it's no offence, I'd like to know what you
do for living here 7"
Arkansas Artist--"No offence, stranger. We
keeps grocery"
Travsler--"A grocery Where in tho name OF
from ? Your nearest neghbor IL ten miles dis
tant"
Arkansas Artist" The fact is, me and the ole
woman is the best customers yet; but We spect
these diggins will improve too. How'sever
We do suthin now, even. Me and tho ole wOm-
an took tho cart tothsr day and went TO town !;
we bort bar' Of whisky; and arter we cum
home and sin to count the balance ON hand, we
found thar want but jist ono solitary picsyune,
IN as the ole woman sllus carries the puss. in
course she had il. Well, l sot the bar1 agin the
one side c: me room, and shortly artor 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 10
get dry, andsez l.: Ole woman, spozen you tap
your end of .he barl r-And she did it: ana
then she sells me q drink and the way that pic
aynne travelled backar and fer-ards over the
bung OF that barl is a caution to them loves
"Ied eye" But stranger, losses is apt to come
in every business; and me and the ole 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
ted to jine in the retail dismiss, 80 one mite he
oraw's under the house, and taps the bar'l stwixt
the cracks in w" -"rcheon floor, and rally be-
lieye he's got more than or the ole woman
either, the good for nothiu vagabond, to come the
girah over his own natural born parents; it's enuf
to inukra agin all creation that boyll
be the ru:nation of us yet. He takes to trickery
j''et as ,,c.:-c, IS hungry possum takes to hen
roost.--Now, stranger, what on earth am to do !!
He beats me and the old woman entirely"
Traveler-"lt would be difficult To advise in
regard to your son, as have no family of my
own You say it is ten miles to the next house |;
the big creek is up the bridge carried away
no possibility OF fordng il, and seven miles
through swamp TO the only bridge in the vcin-
ity This is a rather gloomy prospect, particular
ly as tho sun is just about down; still my curl
osity is excited, and you have been playing
only one part Of the Arkansas Traveller" since
my arrival, | would like to know before leave,