The union Democrat., 1870-06-04
aIUsEC's POWER.


A burlesque tune-known 10y the name Of
the Arkansas Traveller us very popular
in the South and West. It's original is ralat-
ed as follows:-
In the early days of the territory of Arkan-
sas, when the settlements were few and far
between. an adventurous traveller from one of
the old States, while traversing the swamp of
that portion Of that ked d'ntry gets lost on
cold and rainy day in the autumn &C the year.
After wandering till evening, and despairing
of finding hahitation, while searching for
place TO camp. he strikes trail which seems
to lead somewhere, and also hears, in that
direction. the noise of fiddle. Accordingly
he takes the trail. and soon discovers ahead
OF bin. rising above the timber, light col
umn of smoke, which he knows comes from
the cabin of a squatter. As heap2roaches, he
finds it to be a log cabin, ten logs high. and
about ten feet square, one side being rooted
and the other only half covered with boards
lie also sees the proprietor seated on an old
whiskey barrel near the door. sheltered by q
few boards which projected from the caves.
playing tune. or rather the first snatch of a
tune. on fiddle
After surveying the habitation and sur
roundings of the ''cotton head y children the
traveller rides up to see if he can get iodg-
ings, and the following dialogue ensues. The
Squatter however, still continues to play
the same part over and over again, only stop
ping to give short, indifferent replies to the
travellers queries:
Trayeler-Good evening, sir.
Squatter--How dye do. sir
Trav.-Can set chance to stay with you
tonight?
Squat.-No, sir.
Trav.-Can you give me glass of some
thing to drink? I am wet and cold
Squat drank the last drop this morn
ing.
Trav.--I am very hungry; amt had
thing to eat to-day. Will you let me have
something to cat?
Squat.-HaVen't got darned thing in the
house.
Trav.-Then, can't you give my horse
something?
Sqnat.-Got nothing to feed him on-noth-
ing ct all
Trav.-How far may it be to the next
house, sir?
Squat,-Don't know. stranger; I've never
been there.
Trav-Well, sir, where does this read go
to?
Squat-Tt's never been anywhere since
I've lived here; it's always been here when
get up in the morning.
Trav.-As am not likely to get to any
other house tonight, can't you let me sleep
in yours. aud I'll tie nv horse to tree and
do without anything to eat and drink.
Squat.-My hnnse leaks; there's only one
dry spot in it, and sleep on that, stranger
Trav- Why don't you finish covering your
house and stop the leaks?
Sqnat.-I,'s raining.
Trav-Why don't you do it when it's not
raining?
Squat.-It don't leak then.
Trav-Well, as you have nothing to eat or
drink in the house. and nothing alive about
your place but children, how do you live
here, anyhow?
Squat.---Putty well, l thank you. How
dye do yourself?
Trav. MY friend, why don't yop play the
whole of that tune?
Squat.-(Stops playing and looks 70. the
first time.) | didn't know there was aav
more to it. Can you play the fiddle, stran-
ger?
Trav.-I play little, sometimes.
Squat You don't look much like fid-
dler Handing him the fiddle. Will you
pav the haiance or tnat rune.
The traveller gets down and plays the tune
through.
Squat.-Stranger come in Take half
dozen chairs and sit down. Sal, go round in
TO the boiler where l killed that buck this
morning. cut eff some of the hest pieces and
cook them for me and this gentleman. direct
". Raise pp the board from under the head
of the bed afore YOU 90, and get the old black
lug HID from Dick. and give us some whis-
XIV; know there's some left. Dick, carry
the gent'eman's horse ronnd to the shed;
you'll find some fodder and corn out there;
give him as much as he can eat Darn me.
stranger, if you cnr't stav as long as you
please: and I'l give you all you want to eat
and drink. Hurry up. old woman. If you
can't find the butcher-knife, take the cob
handle, or grannv's knife. Play awav,
stranger. You shall sleep on the dry spot
tonight
After some hours fddling ard some con-
versation. in which the stranger shows his
characteristics, the stranger retires to the
''dry spots