Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-02-29
OLD STORY RECALLED;
ARKANSAS TRAVELLER
Favorite of Former Lancaster
Citizen Now Passed Away.
''The Turn of the Tune Which Wa,
Too Much for the Old
SquaEter.

Herman Buchner, many years c1t1-
zen of Lancaster, and now located
at Crossett, Arkansas, he sends us
the old story that has interested
many thousands of people during
the past two or three generations.
and which may be of interest to
Herald readers. He applies the
theme to another former citizen of
Lancaster, now passed beyond.-ED.
HERALD.
The late James f. Rhodes was a
genial companion; he enjoyed to
tell a good story. His favorite was
the old folk-song and story of the
Arkansas Traveller" When tell
ing it one could almost hear the
sound CT the horsehair scraping
over the cat-gut strings. Here is
the story; it may be an old, old
story, but it is always new story
to the young, and then it Will re-
call the pleasant hours we had with
our old friend Colossus Rhodes.
It came INTO vogue about 1850 and
since then has formed an indis-
pensable number IN the repertoire
of every old-time fiddle. It is a
quick reel tune of two strains, and
usually was played internationally
while baekwoods story was being
told. The tune and story quickly
became popular, not only with fid-
dlers, but with the people and the
story of 1.-THE Arkansaw Traveller"
found its way into thousands of
homes in the shape of two cheap
Autographs, one called 1.-THE Ackan-
saw Traveller" and the other 1.-THE
Turn of the Tune" The scene is
laid in the back-woods of Arkansas.
A belated horseman in a coonskin
cap rides up to a squatter's cabin.
The squatter sits on barrel in
front of haBitation, the roof of
which is as full of holes as sieve,
saving on his old fiddle. In the
background are his wife and numer-
Gus children.
"Eello, strangerw sal1tes the
traveller, ''can you give me nights
lodging9"
mo room, stranger"
(The playing cGntinues.)
Cant you make room9"
''No, sir; 1t might rain"
''What If it does raing"
''There's only one dry spot in this
house and me and Sal sleep on that.
(The playing still is continued.)
(which way is the Red river
crossings"
I've lived hyar twenty years, and
never knowed it to cross anywhere"
why don't you put roof on the
house,"
when it's dry don't need a
roof; when it rains l can't" (And
still the tune goes on.
What are you playing that tune
over so often forl"
"Only heard it yesterday. 'Fraid
I'll forget it."
why don't you play the second
part of it9'
1--WE knowed that tune for ten
years. an it amt got no second
part"
"Give me the fiddle" says the
traveller.
1.-THE turn of the tune" has come.
The traveller plays the first part and
strikes in the unknown second part.
The squatter, the ''old woman" the
children and even the dog are de-
lighted
walk in stranger" says the
quatter.
tie mp your boss side of OF Ball.
Give him ten ears of corn. Pull
out the demijohn and drink it all.
Stay as long as you please. If it
rains, sleep on the dry spot"
The dialogue often was varied to
suit the fancy of the entertainer
and the tune sometimes was played
as an accompaniment to an entirely |
different story.
In the early SOS an old time
fiddler named Hayden in Southern
Indiana played the tune with the
story called 1.-THE Hounds and the
Rabbits" AS he played Hayden
would tell about how he went hunt
ing with his dogs. How they came
to thicket literally alive with
rabbits. How the dogs chased the
rabbits into sink" How he took
his gun and shot all the rabbits all
huddled together. Then someone
would ask.
SLOW many RABBITS did you kills"
''Never went to see," was the
answer, while the crowd laughed
and the fiddler played on.