Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-02-07
ARKANSAW TRAVELLER.

ARkANSAW lRAVtLtK.
HOW THIS GOOD OLD TUNE BE-
CAME ACLASSiC.
| Origin Of Famous Tune and Story is Found
in an Original Document When Gov.
Lawton. who Possesseda Masters Touch.
Played from the Operas. there was No
Great Applause. but "Arkansaw Traveller"
Nearly Raised the Roof"
Colonel Sandy Faulkner, the original
Arkansas Traveller" was born In
Georgeton, Scott county, KY. Mar.h
| 3, 1903. He went to Arkansas In 1929
| and settled in ChicOt county on the
| Mississippi river as a cotton planter
| In 1899 Colonel Faulkner with his
| father, the late Nicholas Faulkner, a
Virginian by BIRTH took up his resi-
| dence in Little Rock, where he died
Aug. 4. 1874, at the age of II years.
| 10 McIl hHONu lIt
Southwest that Colonel Faulkner was
| the original persOnatOr of the "Arkan-
saw Traveller" it was his pride to be
| known as such. The story, 1t is said.
was founded on little incident which
occurred in the campaign Of 1910, when
he made the tour of the State in COM
pany with the Hon. A. II. Sewer, Gov
ernor Fulton. Chester Ashley. and Gov
ernor Yell. One day in the Boston
| mountains the party approached a
squatter's for information of the route,
and Colonel Sandy" was made spokes-
man OF the company, and 1t was upon
his witty responses the tune and story
| were founded. On the return to Little
Rock grand banquet was given in
the famous '.barrOom." which used to
stand near the Anthony house, and
Colonel SANDY" was called upon to
play the tune and tell the story. After
ward 1t grew in popularity. When he
subsequently went to New Orleans the
fame Of the "Arkansaw Traveller" had
gone ahead of him. and at banquet,
amid clinking glasses and sparkling
toasts. he was handed violin by the
then Governor Of Louisiana and re-
Quested to favor them with the favorite
Arkansas tune At the old ST. Charles
hotel a special room was devoted to
his use, bearing In gilt letters over the
door:
"ARKANSAW TRAVELLER"
And this is the story:
Traveller Halo, stranger.
Squatter-Hallo yourself.
T.-Can get to stay all night with
you?
S.-NO, sir; you can't git to
T.-Have you any spirits here?
Slots Nv 'em: Sal saw one last
night by that ar old holler gum. and it
nearly skeered her to death.
T.-You mistake my meaning. Have
you any liquor?
S.-Had some yesterday; but Ole
Bose he got In and Tapped all NV It
Out'n the pot.
T.-YOu don't understand. don't
mean pot liquor. I'm wet and cold and
want some whisky. Have you got any?
S.-Oh. yes; l drank the last this
morning.
Tim hungry: haven't had thing
since morning; can't you give me some
"Say anything you please about the
thing to eat?
S.-Hain't a burned thing in the
house. Not a mouthful Nv meat nor a
dust Nv meal here.
T.-Well. can't you give my horse
something?
Scot nothin' to feed him on.
T.-H0w far is 1t to the next house?
S.-Stranger, don't know: I've
never been thar.
T.-Well, do you know who lives
here?
ST. do.
T.-As am so bold, then. what
might your name be?
Sit might be Dick. and 1t might
be Tom; but 1t lacks right smart NV It.
T.-Sir. will you tell me where this
road runs to?
Sits never been anywhar since
I've lived here; it's always thar when
get up in the mornin'.
T.-Well. how far Is 1t to where 1t
forks?
SIT don't fork at all; but it splits
up like the devil.
T.-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?
S.-My house leaks; thar's only one
dry spot In 1t, and me and Sal sleeps
on 1t. And that thar tree is the ole
woman's persimmon: you can't tie to
1t, cause she don't want 'em shuk of.
She lows to make beer out'n 'em.
T.-Why don't you finish covering
your house and stop the leaks?
SITS been raining all day.
T.-Well, why don't you do 1t in dry
weather?
SIT don't leak then.
T.-As there seems to be nothing
alive about your place but children,
how do you do. anyhow?
S.-Putty we'll, I think you; how do
you do yourself?
Tt mean what do you do for liv-
ing?
S.-Keep tavern and sell whisky.
| T.-Well. l told you I wanted some
whisky.
S.-Stranger. bought a bar1 morn
a week ago. You see me and Sal went
shares. After We got it here we only
had a bit between us, and Sal she
didn't want to use hern. nor me mine.