Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-11-06
Bill Arp, of Georgia.
Has first Mtervieao acith Josh Billings.

aisle p. [ thought he was Meth
odist ex'orter. Mr.. Carlton, say
he to me: "Arp-Major Arp
allow me to introduce you to Col.
Billings-Josh Billings. Col Bill
lings, Major Arp, from Gcorgy."
Seating myself, | looked at josh
and Josh looked at me. He never
said nothin' and never said nothin'
for | still took him for an ex, ,orter
After good long mirute he open
ed his mcuth solcm'ly and said F.:
"Say something"
"Something - said |; for ] had
just spotted him and WAS looking
as solem' as possible.
s'When YOU fled from the foul
invader you had Il steer with knot
in his tail, said he.
Yes saio |.
GLOW is he ?' said he.
Gas well as could be expected
considerin'," said l.
"Considcrin' what 2" said he.
ale is dead" said /.
Billings sighed, and, wiping his
eye, said, with much feeling:
"I1ence these steers"
"Just then Mr. Carlton called lis
to the door TO see a balloon sailing
away with a balloonatic in it. We
looked AT it as long as we could sec
it. After awhile it drifted clear
out of sight and VIC sat down to
ruminate. Billings sighed again
and the corners of his mouth
dropped very low. Said he:
"The like of that makes me very
sad. Thirty years ago l embarked
upon litc's uncertain sea not the
wet sea sure enuf, but the dry land
[ started West with 81 and a good
caraEter-w which is to say there
were no indictments agin' me
wasn't runnin' away from nothin.
| went on an explorin' expedition
like Columbus and Sir J Ohm Frank
lin--an experimental survey of tho
face Of the earth. | travelled afoot
that is good many fect--in fac
few hundred miles, and got ou'
of money and cxpedients about tho
same time-way off at a little towl
in InCiana.
"My natura, aversion to muscu-
lar exercise had about brought mt
to the verge of bankruptcy when
spicd crowd moving round in tho
suburbs. There / found 9 littl,
dried up Italian going round with :
hat trying to make mp ten dollars
He said he could go up in his bal
loon for that sum and no less. Tho
crowd hesitatcd, and talked anC
laughed and ioked, but they didn'
contribute. The little fellow look
ed sad and discouraged, and wa
about to give it up when | suddeEl,
discovered my opportunity. Rous-
| ing myself as it were from despair
[ whispered to him and asked if h.
would give me ali over ten dollar
that | could get. Yes said h,
Selling the hat, l grew eloquent
let fly my homely wit and &C
everybody in a good humor, and i
about five minutes had rakcd
twenty-five dollars.
"Thc rotten old balloon was fire
, mp in twiklihg. | helped to til
il, and filled it so full of gas IL
old guy-rope could hardly hold
to the ground. | saw that the llt
) tie fellow looked anxious, but | fe
gaily and was bound to give thel
f a lively send eff.
: "Whcn we cut the rope lie sh
! up like sky rocket III less than
] minute he was about mile up
0 the blue ethereal vault. 1t was
calm, still day as you ever see, al
he went mp SO straight it allno
n broke our necks to look at him. |
and mp and up he went until Il
0 balloon was bare speck in the 81
0 and higher and higher it we
d until the speck was gone, and not
: sky glass coult ind it.
!; "My friends, from that day
this nobody has ever heard OF ID
; little Italian, and somehow
: somehow else | have always +
re responsible for him. My only b"
= is that he went dead straight
heaven. May the Lord have me'
Oh us all ~
10 Billings choked up and sobbe'
lv little as he remarked: Give ;
,n his part of the twenty-five dolls
re but il he's ever heard Of I'll pay
ed to him and the three per cent.
en- terest--I will 'pon honor. A
ms let's step round and take somett
Pm fcelin' so sad" "