The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-07
BILL ARP AT HOME.
How he got his Nom do Plume

Having seen several inquiries recently.
from some of our people respecting the
domestic life Of Bill Arp, the great
Southern humorist, l think 1t probable
that what little information can give
may interest our readers.
Just before and during the war, 1 was
attending School at Romo, Georgia, and
was on visiting terms with the family of
Maj. Charles II. Smith, (Bill ArpN then
prominent lawyer of that city. A
more iSvabie family than his, Il has
never been my fortune to know. birs.
Smith was at that time bright and
beautiful little matron of about thirty.
i've, surrounded by ak or eight hand.
some boys and girls, of ages ranging
from one and two years to fourteen and
1t was one of the greatest pleasures Of
my school.days to visit cousin Tavev."
-as we called her-in her magnificent
new homo and elegant surroundings, and
near her laugh and repeat the quaint re.
marks of Charlie. They were wealthy,
refined, and cultivated people enjoying
the goods of this life as good Pres6yteri.
ans ought to-not boarding them in q
miser!y fashion. But the war came on
snd disturbed the happiness of this fam
lily, as 1t did thousands of Others in our
sunny South. Major Smith volunteered
with the Rome Light Guards, company
composed of the best young men Of
Rome and vicinity. Obi the sadness
and weeping of that day when parents
gave up. their darling boys wives their
husbands, and young girls their lovers
but saddest of oil fathers left families of
little children with only the protecting
care OF the weak mother. Those noble
young martyrs whose faces l saw for the
last time, wet with tears, can never
forget. The crowd that had assembled
70 see the last of those who had hidden
the dearest ones good bye" at home,
was TILED with srbs when the order to
march y was the signal for tho company
to file down the dusty street out of sight:
next the whistle of the engine. the
hoarse yell as they left the depot-and
large families were Major Smith, and
Arp,,-a poor Ferryman of Floyd
unlettered, yet witLal a true patriot.
They went to Virginia, and while camp.
ing on Bull Run they heard of Lincoln's
Proclamation, ordering the Confederate
Army to disperse. This was laughed at
by COR men, and Maj. Smith wrote
humorous answer to Mr. Lincoln, saying
that he couldn't get the boys to even
think of dispensing, and having despaired
of doing 80 he had gone off to himself
in an old field to calm his patriotism.
and try to disperse, but he found that he
couldn't disperse worth o cent! He
read his letter to some appreciative
friends, and Bill Arp was one OF the lis.
teners. When he had finished, Bill
came forward and asked: Major, are
you gwine ter have that printed ?" He
answered. II think 30, Bill" "Well,
sir, ef it is all the same to you, | wish
you would put my name to that paper,
cause them's my sentiments, adzactiy."
Thus it was by the rightful owners re.
quest that Maj. Smith adopted the name
and exact style OF Bill Arp, and over
that nom de plume has become world. re-
nowned, ~ much to the pride of the
poor Ferryman as if he had earned the
reputation himself. Bill Arp, the Fer.
rYman, was killed by fall from a wagon
several years ago, but his name will ever
be linked with the great humorist of the
day, and descend to future generations.
After the war, Major Smith gave up
the practice of law, purchased a fine
plantation in Barlow County, Ga. and is
now progressive farmer. His children
are scattered from Maine to Florida, and
grandchildren are numerous in the fami-
ly. / we'll remember "Hines," the boy
soldier, who went with his father to the
army when only fourteen, and Hattie,
whose infant dress Mrs. Arp. dug up
from the bottom of that old trunk some
time ago, and made it over" for Hattie's
first baby; and the dear, sweet old moth.
er-to whom he sc often alludss IN his
letters-was once my ideal of a noble
wife and mother. have not seen her
since the war, but the nice strawberry
parties which she used to give her chill
dren of my age, and to which I was
often invited, is still fresh in my memory.
She wonld often reward our good be.
havior by relating to us some of the 70.
mantle incidents of her childhood, of
which We never tired, but were always
greedy to hear more. I always listened
with wonder at the real romance that
was finer sud fuller &C i;ashos and Es!lii,g
than any fiction.
Pardon me, Messrs. Editors, for the
length of my Communication. There is
80 much lr this family to in:e,ss. me
that forgot the length of my letter
Georgia in LduTensriRe Herald.