The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-07-01
The Arkansas Traveller.

The Arkansas Traveller.
burlesque tune-known by the name of the
Arkansas Travellers very popular in the
south and west Its origin is related as follows
In the earlier days of the territory of Arkan.
/ sas, when the settlements were few and far be.
tween, an adventurous traveller from one Of the
states. while traversing the swamps of that por.
ton OF the 'kentry," gets lost on cold and
rainy day In the autumn of the year. After
wandering till evening, and desp firing Of find
ing habtation, while searching for a place to
camp, he strikes trail which seems to lead
somewhere, and he hears, in that direction, the
noise OF fiddle. Accordingly he takes the trail.
aid soon discovers ahead of him, rising above the
timber. light column of smoke, which he knows
comes from the cabin of squatter. As he APP
proaches, he finds it to be log cabin, ten logs
| high, and about ten feet square, one side being
rooted and the other only half covered with
boards. He also sees the proprietor. seated on an
old whskey barrel near the door, sheltered by a
lew boards which project from the caves, PLAYING
tune or rather a part of tune. on fiddle.
After surveying the habitauon and surround
ings of 'ootton-head' children, the traveller
rides up to see if he could get odgings, and the
| following dialogue ensues. The hoo.ier how
ever, still continues to play the same part over
and over again, only stopping to give short it,
different replies to the travellers queries
| Traveer-Good evening sir.
Squatter-How dye d. sir
Trav.-Can get chanc. to stay with YOU
tonight
Squat.-No sir!
I am wet and cold
| Squat drank the last drop this morning
Trav.-l am very hungry amt had thing
to eat to-day. Will you let me have something
to eat?
Squat.-Havent darned thiDa in ,he house.
! Trav.-Then can't yol give III, uy:,e some.
| thing?
! Squat.-Got nothing TO feed him on-no,hinr
at all.
| Trav-How far may it be to the next house i?
Squat.-Don't know, stranger I've never been
| there
Trav.-Well, sir, where does this road 20 to ?
Squat.-lts never been anywhere since I've
been here; it's always been there when get up
| in the morning.
Trav.-As l am not likely to get to any other
house tonight, can't you let me sleep in yours /?
and I'll tie my horse to tree and do without
| anything to eat or drink.
Squat.-My house leaks there's only one drv
spot in it and sleep OH that, stranger.
Trav.-Why don't you finish covering your
house and stop the leaks?
Squat.-It's raining
Trav.-Why don't you do it whom 1t is not
rainingY
| Squat.-It don't leak then.
Irav.-Well, as you have nothing to eat or
drink in the house, and nothing alive about your
place bnt children, how do you all do here any.
how?
squat.-Putty WE'LL 1 thank you; how dye do
| yourself!
Trav.-My friend why don't you play the
| whole of that tune?
Squat.-(Stops playing and looks up for the
first time). l ddnt know there was any more
of it. Can you play the fiddle, strangerF
Trav-I play little sometimes
Squat.-You don't look much like fiddler.
Handing him the fddle.) Will you play the
balance of that tune.
The traveller gets down and plays the whole
tune through.
Squat.-Stranger, come in! Take half dozen
chairs and set down. Sal, go round into the ho.
Ter, where killed that buck this morning; cut
OH some OF the best pieces and cook them for me
and this gentleman directly. Raise up the board
from under the head of the bed, afore you 90,
and get that old black jug hid from Dick, and
give Us some whisky-I know there's some left.
Dick, carry the gentlemans horse around to the
shed you'll find some fodder and corn there :
give him as much as he can eat Darn me, stran.
ger, II you cant stay as long as you please and
Ill give you all you want to eat and drink Hur.
ry up old woman. Ii you can't find the butcher
knife, take the cob.handle or grannys knife.
Play away stranger, you shall sleep on the dry
spot tonight.
After two hours fddling and some converse.
ton, in which the squatter shows his character.
lstics, the stranger retires to the dry spot.