The weekly standard. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-10
Bill Arp Returns TO the Eter-
nal City and Meets his Friend
Big John.
7aitur Metterpolitun Retord

AUUut bu0 b11dAS anu tKlDUlaUlOLS, tile
losses and crosses, the buzzards and
dead hosses seen on our journey home
to the eternal city. shall not allood
to it now, only to remark that our
comm back was not so hasty as our
leavin. It was in the dead of winter,
through snow and through sleet, over
creeks without bridges and bridges
without floors, through deserted and
desolate land, where no rooster was left
to crow, no pig to squeal, no dog to
bark; where the ruins of happy homes
adornedEthe way, and ghostly chimneys
stood up like Sherman's sentinels a
gardin the ruins he had made. A lit
tie one hoss consern contained the
highth of my worldly possessions, con
fsisting of my numerous and lovely wife
and children, and shuck basket full
of some second class vittles, Countin
our offspring, there was about ten of
us in and about and around that wagin.
thus illustratin what the poet has said,
'One glorious hour of crowded life is
worth an age without a name, though
the glory were hard to perseeye on
such okkashuns. Mrs. Arp are of the
opinyun that her posierity were never
as hungry before in their life as on that
distressin journey, and she once re-.
marked that there warnt nary rod Of
the road that din't here some of EN- a
hollerin for yittels. My wife's husband
is trubled bekaus they amt broke of il
yet, and it doseem that the poorer ]
git the more devourin they bekum, all
Of which will end in samthin or other,
if sumthin don't happen.
We finally arrived within the pre-
sinks Of our lovely home. The doors
creaked welcome on their hinges, the
hoppin-bug chirruped on the. hearth.
and the whistlin wind was singing the
same tune around the bedroom corner.
We were about as happy as we had
been miserable, and when I remarked
that Gen. Yandive", who okkupied our
house, must be a gentleman for not
burnin it, Mrs. Arp replied:
Il wonder what he done with NV.
sein masheen."
He didn't cut down our shade
trees, sed I.
MY buroes, and carpets, and crock
cry are all gone" sed she.
'1t may be possibul" sed /, ssthat
the Genrul--" b
~yAnd my barrel Of soap" sed she,
SIT may be possibul, aAd 1, ''that the
Genrul moved off our things to take
care of them for us. Ireckon we'Il gil
en- all back after while 2 e3 81 be-
after while. y said Mrs. Arp like an
ekko; and ever since then when I al
lood to our Northern brethren she only
replies, latter while. ~ T w q =
BY and by the shattered wanderers
begun to drop in under the welctm
shades of our sorrowful city, It wer a /
delightful enjoyment to greet EN- home
and listen to the history of their suffer
ings and misfortunes. Misery loves
company, and after the misery is past
there's power Of comfort in talkin it |
over and ixin up as big a tale as any
body. | wer standin one day upon
the banksof theinjun river, awohaerin
in my mind who would cum next to
gladden. our hearts, ,FFhensT saw the ]
shadder of an objek darknin the sum
lit bank. Itwer not a load Of hay nor
an elefant, but shore enuf it were my
friend Big John, movin slowly and
surely to the dug out landin on. the op-
posite side. His big round face as
soomed more latitood when he say me,
and without wsitin for remarks be sung
out in voice some two slaves deeper
than the Southern Harmony i
There came to the beach poor exile of Erin, .
s.AIake him ai, said I. ana youilfll
the, bill" Prouder. to see linn than a,
monkey show, padded the dug-out
over in double-quick andabid him well
cum in the name of the eternal city and
its. humble inhabitants. f soon got.
him afoat in the little canoe, and be-
fore | was aware of it the water was
,ao.,, nyer the gunnels at every wab-
be, Lay a. W. 2 my +, frend sed ], and
he laid, which was - a1 sS s
from q watery grave, anu sne - ts,-.
farms from inundation. Whel- SUI 81
landed found him wedged in 50 tlss g
that he couldn't rise, SO [ relieved him
by prize with the eend Of the paddle.
As his foot touched the aakred soil he
gently separated bis countenance and
sung with feelin melody:
isrTsss Z. xx : frz,n,a fsfrrin shore