The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-18
BILL ARP In MEMPHIS.
SOME INTERESTING THINGS HE
HEARD AND SAW.
Among Good Old-Fashioned People In
-Reminiscence of Great
Southern Leaders - Ben Bill and
Alex. 4. stephens-old Preachers.
Bill ARP in The Atlanta constitution.

Bill Arp in the Atlanta Constitution.
have been travelling overand-visiting
the unpretending towns that are off the
great highways. wish that everybody
could do it SO as to restore the equilibrium.
A man can read the great daily news
papers until he becomes a cynic, skeptic
and believer in total depravity and falling
from grace. BY the time he gets through
the murders, and robberies, and defalca-
tons, and arson, and suicides, and hang
ings and strikes and anarchy, and all the
horrid things thatare happening every day
he is almost ready to surrender and give
up all hopes of humanity. 1t makes him
gloomy and respondent. But let him skip
over these things for few days and get
out into the country whore the good old
fashioned people abound and he will feel
better
tell you the woods are full OF them. l
am moro and more convinced that the
country is the place TO find virtue and
peace aud simple habits and limited de-
sres. The fashion and folles and general
deyilmcnt of the gay and giddy world do
not reach these people. But they read and
think and work and withal are cheerful. |
have found a region out here in West Ten
nessee where the country people are not
moving 10 town-where they are farming
diligently and raising stock, where every
mile or so you will pass comfortable
home with evergreens and flowers in the
front yard. The most of them are in easy
reach OF railroad, and every few miles
there is little village with two
or three stores and as many churches
and an academy, and to this hamlet the
neighboring people gather, and here
their children go 10 school and here they
attend church on the Sabbath. In these
prosperous neighborhoods | could have
found warm welcomeina hundred homes.
At one place | found the young people
preparing 20 act "Tom Sawyer" MS drama
tied. At another they had debating so.
ciety, just such as we used 10 have in my
boYhood Their last question was, (which
Has Done the Most Good in the World,
the Printing Press or Stcam2" and one OF
the boys immortalized himself in his first
effort by saying; "Mr. President, forty and
six years ago this country was a bowling
wilderness" Not remembering any moro
ot his speech he remarked, rs he sat down,
"And ! wish il was now" found many
Il
met them we had love feast. How dear
90 us all is the home Of our childhood.
How tcnderly do these people talk OF the
good old State they left in the long ago,
when they were young and the far west
was their hope, their desire, their III Dora
do. ] was discoursing with an old Gcor-
gian today, schoolmate whom had not
seen for forty years, and let him do
most all the talking, and could read
his emotions rs he spoke OF his old home
and of Ben Hill and the Ferrells, and
Judge Bun, and Bingham, and Bacon and
Ridley. lie said he was in the court
house nc latirangc, and Ben Hill was sit
ting near him, when Thomas W. Thomas
came in and handed Mr.. Hill n letter.
That letter contained challenge from
Alex. stephens TO fight duel. Mr.. Hill
read il but did not exhibit the slightest
embarrassment or excitement lie was
engaged In case at bar and putting the
letter in his pocket, attended TO the case
and made an admirable argument and
gained the case. Then he took my friend
by the arm and asked him TO go with him
20 liis oilice There no showed him the
challenge and remarked "0f course | will
mott cannot fight Mr.. Stephens. NV
whole nature is shocked at il. II is hor-
rible barbarity and proves nothing. Twill
decline and publish my reasons" The
next morning hc showed his reply TO my
friend. II was copied and approved by
him and some other personal friends,
both Wings and Democrats, Endorsed II
heartily. That whitening nply-that I'M
answcn,ble rcbuke IL still fresh in the
memories Of Gcorgians, and did more 10
abolish the code OF honor than had been
don" Ia bali century. Mr.. Stephens
published Mr.. Hill as coward,
but it amounted 10 nothing. Mr..
Hill continued 10 advance In popularity
and lost nothing in friends or renown.
Mr.. stephens had in n public speech
spoken Of the Know-nothins party leaders
as traitors 10 their country, and Mr.. Hill
replied that the parallel was on the other
side; That the Wing party had for many
years showcred lis honors and its iavors
upon Mr.. stephens, and now lac had
turned from II and betrayed Il like Judas
lscariot did his Lord and Master, aud the
only difference was that Judas repented
aud hanged himself; but he was sorry TO
say that MIR. Stephens was still unrepent-
ant and unhanged. For this language
MIR. stephens challenged him. And there
were giants In those days We discussed
many notable men, and somehow got on
60 the preachers, and he told me about his
father having heard DR.. Capers, or Bishop
Capen, ~ be was aitcrwMd, aud n he
preached those wonderful sermons strong
men were struck down like they had been
shocked by thunderbolL Iio said there
was never before nor since any pulpit elo-
quencc like that Of DR.. Capers, and many
such intellectual scoiIcm and skeptics "A
DR. Henry Branham were melted down
and converted and became M helpless and
humble ~ little children. Those who
were present affirmed that whom the doc.
tor war Ia his sublime flights Of cloquoncc
there was distinctly visible halo OF an "
Elimination all around his angelic countc'
nance There was an old man by the
name Of Marshall Martin Who was
rich and miscrly and loved his money
with nm idolatrous devotion. He had
loaned nut thousands Of dollars at n usu'
rious rate Of interest aud had oppressed
many an unfortunate debtor. Carelcssly
he dropped In 10 hear Dr. Capers preach
and ~ lis sermon was about cOyctousnes.
aud inordinatc love Of money, Martin be
came overwhelmed and alarmcd-so much
10 that lac actually made restitution e
every one who had paid his usury, and u
took several thousand dollars 10 do Il. III,
advertised In the newspaper and called
upon them 10 come forward and get thciI
money back. wish that another Capen
would rise up and get after Jay Gould anc
those who get up corners in the nccossarici
Of life and Get aitera good many who don
live 70 Ear away. Maybe our farmer
would take new start then. But rcstiiu
a., 4. d, ,.,,,, tl,ino Ia thia anhtunarv world