The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-11-04
The Press and Banner
BILL ARP AT AN ARKANSAS HOTEL.
atlanta Constitution.

money. 1t looks like The older | get
the less money I have and the more it
takes to get along and keep up with the
. wants of the family. An old friend told
me the other day that St. Paul made a
mistake, or else the :ranslators did, for
it was the lack of money that was the
root of all evil and not the love of il;
and he said also that the best band to
bind the family together was for the Old
man to have good healthy bank &C.
count. A surplus that could be drawn
upon when the children were in need.
don't admit the truth Of either propo-
sition, but do say that money is a good
thing to have in the family, and l wish
everybody had surplus that was hon
estly earned. I would risk preacher
on that. wish his salary'was 1000 IN
stead ofs1 900.
About this time of the year my wife
like prudent woman, begins TO mention
incidentally along the wants of the fami-
ly and how the beds needs refurnishing,
for the sheets are about worn out, and will
be obliged to have some new blankets,
and the girls must have somo winter gar
ments and the whole family will need
shoes, and she winds up by saying "and
you need undershirts aud socks and de-
cent suit of winter clothing. You look
right shabby and it don't become you.
At your time of life you ought to dress
more like gentleman. You have worn
those pants until they are right slick and
they have drawn up and are baggy at
the knees. 1 was right ashamed Of you
last Sunday"
~ cannot keep up &ith rJ expenses" "
said I, 'I ore some money and they are
dunning me pretty hard. don't know
how we will get along this winter unless
something turns up. But [ am hopeful
and trusting in Providence, for He has
never failed yet" The next mail brought
me letters from Arkansas, inviting me
to 7isit Pine Bluff and a fair at Warren
and offering me $500, and as Mrs. Arp
perused them she said, swell William,
that is all right. You say money is so
tight here you had better accept the offer
and 60 where it is loose, but you must
take care of yourself. You know that
you cau't stand what you used to-"
So in due time 1 took the train for
Chattanooga, and it was really pleasure,
luxury, to ride on Mr.. Thomas's road.
From there I took sleeper for Memphis
over the Memphis and Charleston rail-
road, and was agreeably surprised to find
how much the road has been improved
since 1 last travelled over it. We made
the 800 miles in eleven hours and that is
fast enough for anybody. At Memphis
took the Little Rock train for Brinkley
and Pine Bluff. We left the depot at
7o'clock p. M, and soon stopped at the
river to wait for the ferryboat. And we
did wait, for the ferry yboat was bringing
circus across, and we never got off un-
til 8 O'Clock. 1t took US another hour to
cross, for the river was very low and they
had to dodge the sandbsrs. And when
the locomotive backed down to pull US
up from the boat it carried up the first
three csrs very we'll; but when it backed
down to take up the passenger cars and
had pulled US up about half way an
alarm was given that the headblock of a
sleeper was pulling out, and just such q
rumpus was never heard "All hands to
che brakes !" somebody cried, and the en-
CINE commenced backing, backing, back
ing, and before we knew it we we're all
on the boat again. But I tell you it was
alarming, especially to the sleeper, for if
that headblock had have pulled out that
run through the ferryboat and into the
car would have never stopped until it had
river.
Well, it TOOK another hour to repair
the headblock and make the connections
secure, and at last about II o'clock, we
got of, and then such a rosd, such q
road. 1t was just sin for any State to
to allow such a track to be used. The
csrs actually jump off of every trest!e.
You can feel the jump ard that sway
sidewiso like an oscillatiDg engine and
move along with the double wabbles.
Strange to say, these trains hardly ever
jump the track, ard I can't explain it
unless it is as 8 man ssid, the track is
straight and the wheels haze got used to
the bumps and hollows. We we've due
at Pine Bluff att o'clock, but never got
there until daylight, and it was long
and miserable night. "Sorrcw endureth
sos night, but joy cometh in the morn,
;ng," and so I went to bed thankful snd
relieved and slept g few hours. The