The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1895-01-12
TWO YEARS
M
''ARKINSAW. =
Written TOR the DeLamar NUGGET.
CHAPTER l.
Written tor the DeLamar NuoeEr.
CHAPTER I.

In the year 1869, through concatina-
ton of circumstances not necessary to
mention. I determined togo to Arkansas.
Leaving the thriving town of Dixon,
ILL.,, in the latter part of June, board
an Illinois Central train with enough
money, as ! supposed, ia carry me safe
ly through to my destination, which
was the northwest part of Arkansas in
the Boston mountains; but alas my cal
culations were way off and on the Sec
ond day of my journey found myself
in Memphis, or "The City of SIM as it
was then called, with but three dollars
in my pocket and still many miles from
my destination.
The only course left me to pursue was
to either hunt work of some kind or
tramp it some three hundred miles I'M
der July sun. looked around the
city for few hours and came to the
conclusion that would rather tramp it
than accept such employment as was
offered me, and with a stout heart
crossed the Mississippi River on the
regular ferry and started on my Journey
I might not have decided as did but l
had brother in the mountains where
] was going and that had not little to
do with my decision.
AT that time tramps were not SO plen-
tiful as they are now. In fact, the word
"tramp" as it is now applied was I'M
known. Occasionally some nnfortun-
ate fellow like myself, whose calcula-
tions of expenses were at fault, would |
have to ''leg'' it for few days, but as
for the individuals now known as tramps
there were none such in existence.
The first day out swung along pretty
lively, making about thirty miles by
six O'Clock and was thinking I would
soon seek quarters for the night, when
/ was overtaken by lanky native on
horseback, who salntsd me with the GUS
tomary salutation ofthe country, "How-
dy, stranger" l replied civilly, and
ths following conversation ensued
"Whar be ye from?n Ii
'From Illinois"
"That's up in New York bean't it?n
sob, no, its a long way this side of
New York;
"Du tell. Whar be ye goin'?u
Cup to the Boston pnountains.n t
"Sho'. Ye amt goin' to walk all the
way thar, be ye?p
"Yes, with the exception of what a
rides may be able to ca.ch.u f
"Say, stranger, whar be ye goin' to a
bunk Tonight" /
81 don't know. I was just thinking e
Of asking at the next house if they v
couldn't furnish me with a nights "
odging and something to eat" Fl
Say, stranger, don't ye do nothin' 81
If the kind The Teller what lives in G
ron house is meaner'n pizen, and if We g
tay thar he'll charge ye a doggoned q
light more'n his old musty hoe cake q
nd mouldy bacon is with. You jest d
ome home with me, | calkerlate Hull b
", CHATS my ole ooman) can knock pi
be socks of'n any CONAN in these parts bc
nakin' hoe cake and fryin' bacon, and, fl
y gum, yell get cup of coffee thapll OF
rake yer hair stand on eend and pll at
9 dad gummed if it'll cost ye cent" &C
thanked him heartily for his kind Ac
lvitation which, in my depressed fin he
1cial condition. was only too glad to sa
,cept, and at his invitation 10 ''mount TO,
ehind," climbed upon a stump and III
Is horse was soon carrying double. ro
His house, or cabin, rather, was do
'out mile off the road, but l cared ito
tie for that with the prospect of a bel
30 nights entertainment before me, I r
d we soon got there. We were met in
the gate by some four or five hounds alv
lich, my host informed me were the "a
most intelligentest dogs in the hull
lntry and could catch the fastest fox
creation" and also some three or
If tow headed children aged from
zee to ten, dressed in the most prim-
re fashion, their whole dress consist
. of one garment, which would be j
led shirt, those ofthe boys reaching Nus
,ut bali way to their knees and those uns
he girls little below. VIII
We rode up to the door of the cabin sen,
dismouuted, the man calling, "You cost
dap when a woman came to the the
r with but little more clothing on told
person than on the children, bare Jail
81
ed, and with huge "chaw otter The
I Ter" in her mouth which, with dex- 10 90
US movement of her tongue shs like
sfered from one side of her mouth burn
le other while she took survey of sort
The chilayep and dooa bod hr nj