The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-05-17
BILL ARP.
The Original Bill Arp Native OIL w AXE
COunty---Tender Sketch Of his Co
reer by the Man who has Made II y
Name Famous.


County---Tender Sketch Of his Co
reer by the Man who has Made HI
Name Famous.
On Monday night while the audience Of
onr best people who had paid 30 cents
ahead to see Bill Arp were waiting for
that luminary to appear on the stage Of
Tucker Hall, 10 : q bald head emerged and
seated itself between the Rev. Frank Rem
and Col Walter Clark. William was the
most serious looking man Of the three
But the formal dignity of the occasion
soon overcan-a him. He hid his face with
his hands, glanced at his digniied com
panions and whispered TO Mr.. Reid that
it must be time for the show to begin.
So Mr. Reid introduced Major Charles
II. Smith, of Georgia, better known IS
Bill Arp" William arose. He pulled
down his fabby black waisteoat, madeia
pigeon -toed step forward, looked wise,
adjusted his stringy black crayat, fumbled
his glasses in his hand and proceeded.
Ladies and Gentlemen: If l were a
stranger among you should feel embar
rassed-especially in the presence OF so
many ladies. For whether at home or
abroad ladies aDash me- And he put on
look CT bold resignation Bat our peo
pie are all akin to one another, and feel q
broad charity-a charity that suffereth
long and is patient. But the charity of a
public audience will suffer only about one
hour of a lecture For on two occasions,
at least, people demand the worth Of their
money--in a lecture-room and at a rail
road eating house.
In the Spring of 1861 when our boys
were looking for fight, Mr.. Abe. Lincoln
issued a proclamation calling on us to dis
perse and go to our homes. | tried to
disperse, but couldn't. | was by myself
in an old field and did my level best to
dsperse myself, but couldn't. Our boys
were so hot The way they selected men
was for the enrolling officer to go down
the file with bucket of water and to
sprinkle it on the men. If fellow sizzled
like a hot iron they took him. If he
didn't sizzle they didn't take him. Well,
| wrote an answer to Abe Lincolns proc
lamation. l thought it was a pretty smart
| letter and full of sarcasm. SO i read 1t
to some of my friends. ! remember i saw
Bill Arp that day, and when he heard the
| letter he was impressed with it. When
| came by his door, he called out to me.
''Major, sign my name to dat ar letter.
| Them's my sentiments ezzactly.' SO l
| signed Bills name to it.
| And this recalls my old friend. Bill
Arp was born in this State in this county
|
was a rough and ready good -natured fell
low, and transplanted himself to what
was then a rOugher but more cOngenial
country and went to North Georgia. |
remember him distinctly and with affec-
ton. He weighed about 13O pounds, was
very brave, and as active as a cat. He
was an humble man, but he had com
| manding common sense and great deal
+ Of mother wit.
Bill kept ferry just above Rome on
the plantation of his landlord, Col. John
son. That is, keeping ferry was his busi-
ness. but he often left it in charge of the
old woman or the children and slipped of
to town to hear the lawyers and other wise
men talk. Bill had great reverence fo,
his superiors, and loved above all things
to hear men talk Whenever a trial went
on in the court house he was an attentive
listener in an humble back-seat. Wher
anything was said that had any fun in it
Bill always got the fun. He would sliI
humbly into the Offices of the lawyers
squat on half a chair, and listen all day
to a rambling conversation, and 60 home
and tell it all to Mrs. arp. Somebod,
once asked Bill how he would vote g
dunno. I must. AK Col. johnson. An(
And Judge Underwood must ak Alex. Ste
phens And II dunno who in the thhnde
Alex. Stephens axes" ~.s-->-.,-t e.. -
Bill was the best man in his district
He didn't love to fight, but he had lon!
ago established his standing. In tn
neighboring district Ben Maginnis was tn
best man. A Abusy-body fellow who ivet
. on the border noised it around that Bill
and Ben must meet and have it out S.
it came about one day at court.
, And the court house in those days con
) sisted of table and shelf The tabl
was in room that had ground floor
and the shelf was out against tree AM
the jug occupied it. 1t was a gallon jug
, for that held just about enough for day
!, drinking Well, Ben began to ask abou
! on the ground if anybody had anythin
! agin Ben Maginnis {? Col. johnson advis
, ed Bill to pay no attention to Ben. Col.
said Bill, Il respects you and hOnorS you
but if Ben Maginnis comes round here
| he'll git hit Ben came around, 1oOkin
sidewise at Bill asking if anybody ha
anything against Ben Maginnis. l don
know how it happened, but in two second
Bill had struck him, and struck him agair
and had him down and was on him an
J fists and elbows and knees were all q
Q work Then Bill helped Ben up an
{ brushed the dust from his coat, and le
l the crowd up to the jug and all drank &
: Bills expense. -
8 Bill was as brave a man as ever LIVED
;; After the battle of Manassas found hi
and told him that his son had been killed
Did he die all right 2 When 1 told hi1
that he died bravely, Bill simply sal
That's all right.
And Mrs, Arp was brave woman Gil
It derella was her name. After the war Bi
it became dissipated. l have seen Mrs. Al
). many a time in town going from OF
d drinking shop to another asking Is Wi
e liam here?' When she found him 81
n gently led him home, bathed his head an
!, put him to bed. Bill loved his wife ar
e she loved him. Bill had his weaknesse
d but she was strong There are some sue
e women now, l reckon. I know there a
1t some such men.
h In the same town lived Big John I,
n derwood, who weighed $50 pounds.
l. LIE fat men If I Was in a stranno oo,,