Mexico weekly ledger., 1880-08-12

The "Arkansaw" Traveller.
This piece is intended to represent
an Eastern mans experience among
the inhabitants of Arkansas, showing
their hospitality and the mode Of OBJ
tanning it. '-<s u- -.'tij l-2a %
Several years since he was travel
ing the State to Little Rock, the capi-
tol in those days railroads had not
been heard of and the stage lines
were very limited, 50 under the cir
cumstances, he was obliged to travel
the whole distance on foot. One
evening about dusk he came across a
small log house standing fifteen or
twenty yards from the road and en-
closed by low rail fence, of the
most primitive description. In the
door sat a man playing violin; the
tune was the ssArkansaw Traveller"
then, the most popular tune in that
region. He kept repeating the first
part of the tune over and over again,
as he could not play the second part.
At the time the traveller reached the
house itswss raining very hard, and
he was anxious to obtain shelter from
the storm; the house looked anything
but a shelter, as it was covered with
clapboards and the rain was leaking
into every part Of it. The old man s
daughter Sarah appeared to be get
ting supper, while small boy wss
setting the table, and the old lady
sat in the door near her husband,
admiring the music.
The stranger on coming up, said
'tHow do you do?''-tlie man merely
glanced at him and continuing to
play, said: 81 do as l please.
Stranger.-How long have you
been living here?
Old Man.-D'ye see that mountain
there We'll, that was there when /
come here.
S.-Can l stay here tonight!
O. M.-No! We can't stay here.
S.-How long will 1t take me to
get to the next tavern?
O. M.-Well, you'll not get thar
at all if you stand thar foolin with
me all night. (Plays.)
Swell, how far do you cali it to
the next tavern?
o. MI reckon its upwards ol
some distance.
81 am very dry; do you keep
any spirits in your house! Il
0. M.-Do you think my house
is haunted? They say there's plenty
down in the graveyard.
Slow do they cross this river
ahead?
0. M.-The ducks all SWIM across
S.-How far is it to the forks o
the road!
O. M.-Pve been living here nigl
on twenty years and no road ain
torked yit.
S.-Give me some satisfaction, il
you please, sir; where does this roa(
60 to!
o. M.-Well, it hain't moved .
step since I've been here.
| S.-Why don't you cover you
house? it leaks.
o. M.-Cause it's raining.
S.-Then why don't you cover i
when it's not raining?
! o. M.-Cause it don't leak.
S.-Why don't you play the sec
ond part of that tune?
| o. M.-If you're a better playe
than l am you can play it yourself
I'll bring the fiddle out to you,
don't want you in here. (Strange
plays the second part of the tune.
o. M.-Git over the fence ant
come in and sit down; 1 didn't know
you could play. You can board her
if you want to-kick that dog of tha
stool and set down and play it over
want to hear it again. (Strange
plays second part again.)
! o. M.-Our supper is ready now
won't you have some with US?
! S.-If you please!
| o. M.-What will you take, te
or coffee?
i S.-A cup of tea, if you please!
| o. M.-Sall. GIT the grubbing ho
and dig some sassafras, quick! con
man plays the first part.)
| S.-(To the little boy.) Bub
give me knife and fork, if yo,
please.
Boy.-We hain't got no knive
and forks, sir.
S.-Then give me spoon.
B-We haint got no spoons neither
| Swell, then, how do you do?
/ B.-Tolerable, thank you, how d
you do, sir?
The stranger finding such poor &C
commodations, and thinking his con
dition could be bettered by leaving
soon left and finally succeeded il
finding a tavern with better fare. H
has never had the courage to visi
Arkansas since.