The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1883-05-08
President Arthur and the Back.
wcods-rnan.

-hihoSD CfOi yohc III thC Souhti.
now knows that President Arthur
has been fishing down in Florida. One
hot afternoon while wandering along
on foot through the woods with one
of his party, he stopped at u log hut
of genuine native to get drink of
water. Seeing a tall, raw-boned man
with unshaved face and uncut hair
standing bare-footed in the door,
having no clothes on but a rusty,
patched undershirt and pants, the
President approached him, when the
following conversation took place;
Are you the gentleman of the
house asked the President.
be, replied the man, never NOV
ing his position against the side of
the door-frame.
Would you be so kind as to give
two weary travellers drink of wa
ter?
Oh, yes. Sal, git the gourd and
give these ere gentlemen drink of
water.
Sal was the oldest of the children,
of whom there were eleven. Sal was
about eighteen the youngest was an
infant. All gathered about the door
to see the two strangers; and they
didn't seem to care if they weren't
more than half clad and some of them
wore old bags with arm-holes cut in
them for suits.
Are these all your children? asked
the President.
Wall, L reckon. That's what the
old woman says
You have quiteia large family.
Wall, yes tolerable big; but l ex-
pect it is going to be bigger yit. /
got neighbor over yonder what's
got fourteen,and he hain't been hitch
ed much longer nur me and Kitty.
This ere part Of the country is great
fur children and muskittcrs.
The President thanked the back
woods-man for his kindness and was
about to bid him go6d-bye when the
latter asked:
Stranger, there has been some mule
thievin' goin' on round these parts
lately, but l don't say you're the par
tics; but mout l ask your name?,
Oh, yes, replied the President, ,smil-
ing at his friend. My name is Ches-
ter A. Arthur.
Arthnr--Arthur, said the native,
thoughtfully. There is some Ar
thurs futher down in the lower part
of the State but they be respectable
set.
This is Chester A. Arthur, Presi-
dent of the United States, chimed in
the Presidents friend
He be! Why do tell! Wall, l don't
reckon he'd steal a mule, anyway.
Kitty come out and look at the Presi-
dent of the whole United States
Bring the baby along; let the baby
see him, so she kin say when she's
grown up she saw the President. !.
Children, all take good look at him,
fur you may never see another Prcsi-
dent in yoar born days! 1 golly! III
h.d any liker, I'd treat You, pom my
soul!
AT this point His Excellcncy pulled
out pint flask of old bourbon and
requested the native to drink with
him, handed the nearly filed bottle
to him.
1 golly Ofcourse I'll drink with yc.
I'll drink with any honest man, l
don't care who 1t is; and he took
down about half Of the contents.
Yum, yum! says he. That's Presi-
dent Ticker! Kittie you must drink
with him, too here-handing her the
flask. And Kitty took a swig.
Now I want all my children to take
a drop, SO they kin say they drunk
with the President. Go slow on it,
children, 60 slow ur there won't be
enough to go round. Go slow. Touch
it light, Bob. Dave, don't act the hog,
Now let me give the baby some, too,
50 she kin say she drunk with the
President. And old t0wser, | golly,
I'll give him some too, SO he kin say
he drunk with the President and he
opened the old dogs mouth and pour
in few drops on his tongue.
Thar, now we've all drunk with the
President and there's enough left for
him to drink with us. Here mister,
drink hearty.
But his excellency refused to take
the bottle. He told the native he could
have what was left.
Now, see here, said the native, get
ting angry; 1 like you pretty well till
jist now. see you're stuck up. You
don't want to drink this Ticker cause
my old dogs bin drinkin' out of this
bottle I'll. drink it,land right now. I'd
sooner drink after that ERE dog than
you, if you are President. You're
too goldarned stuck up. You couldn't
get no more water here If you was
starvin'. SO the sooner you bid me
goodbye the better.
The President and friend then bid
him goodbye and walked away,
greatly amused at the native scene,
but sorry they got rid of their whis-
ky.-State Journal.
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