The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-03-20
TaH ARKANSAS TRAVELLER.

| following story---Whlch are exac6s Gs
related BY the author Of the tuns and
story, Col. S. G. Faulkner, Of Ar
kansas.
In the earlier days Of the Territory
of Arkansas, when the settlements
were few and far betweenj an adven-
turous traveller from one fof the old
States, while traversing the swanps
of that portion of the country, gets
lost, on q cold rainy day, in the
Autumn Of the year. After wander
ing till evening, and despairing Of
finding d habitation, while searching
for a place to camp, he strikes a trail
which seems to lead somewhere, and
also hears in that direction the noise
of q fiddle, .d 8sElfs
Accordingly he takes the trail, and
soon discovers ahead Of him, rising
above the timber, light column Of
smoke, which he knows comes from
the cabin Of a squatter. As he cap
proaches he finds it to be a log cabin,
ten logs high and about ten feet
squareLone side being rooted, and
the other only half covered with
boards. He aso sees the proprietor
seated on an old whisky-barrel near
the door, sheltered by few boards
which project from the eayds, play
ing a tune, or, rather, the first snatch
of a tune, on an old fddle.7 rgo.s
After surveying the habitation and
surroundings of "cotton-head" chill
dren, the traveller rides up to see if
he can get lodgings, and the follow
ing dialogue ensues, the hoosier,
however, still continuing to play the
same part over and over again, only
stopping to lgive short, indifferent
replies to the travellers queries:
Traveler--"Good morning, SIR"
Squatter-"How dye do, sir?"
T, "Can I get to stay all night
with youP" 'esl
S. "No, sir" ~ s
I. Cant you give me o glass of
something to drink I am very wet
and cold.H . iQqf1 'iic d,
s. II drank the last drop this
morning" ,g aqa
T, 81 am very hungry; amt had
a thing to eat to-day, Will you let
me have something to eat?"
S. Haven't darned thing in the
house, t I "a --
T. "Then can't you give my horse
something?" aec
S. "Got nothing to feed him on"
T, "How far is it to the next
house?" & ~ ~
S. stranger, 1 don't know; I've
never been there" aa
IT "Well, where does this road go
to9"
s. "It's never been anywhere
since / lived here; it's always here
when l get up in the morning"
T. cas- / 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 any
thing to eat or drink"
s. my house leaks: there's only
one dry spot in it, and me and Sal
sleeps on that"
4. "Why don't you finish cover
ing your house and stop the leaks2"
s. "It's raining" N a V,
7. "Well, why don't you do it
when it is not raining?" s.,
S. "It don't leak then" .
T. "Well, if you have nothing to
eat or drink in your house, and noth-
ing alive about your place but chill
dren, how do you do here, anyhow
S. Putty we'll, / thank you,--
How dye do YOURSELF"
T. (After trying in vain all sorts
of ways to exact some satisfactory in
formation from him) -"My friend.
why don't you play the whole Of that
tuner"
s. (Stops playing, and looks up
for the first time )-"I did not know.
that there was any more to it. Can
you play the fiddle, stranger" ,r.
7. II play little, sometimes" !"
s. "You don't look much like a
fiddler (handing him the fiddle -
Will you play the balance Of that
tuner" M .
The traveller gets DOM and plays
that tune.
s. stranger come inI " Take
half q dozen chairs and sit down,
Sal, 60 round into the holler, where
I killed that buck this morning. Cut
off some of the best pieces and fetch
it, and cook it for me and this gentle
man, directly. Raise up tho board
under the head Of. the bed, afore you
go and get the old black jug / hid
from Dick, and give us some whisky
I know there's some left yet. Dick,
carry the gentleman's horse around
to the shed; you'll find some fodder
and corn there. Give him as much
as he can eat. Durn me, stranger,
if you can't stay as long as you
please, and I'll give you plenty to eat
and drink Hurry,sold woman. If
you can't find the butter knife, take
the cob-haldle, or granny's knife.
Play away, strangerT You shall
sleep on the dry spot tonight" >"