The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-22
BILL ARP'S EETTER.
The older He Grows the More Money He
Wants-Traveing Observations.
From the Sunny South.

It's just awful to get along withou
money. 1t looks like the older / gro"
the less money I have and the more il
takes to get along and keep up with
the wants of the family. An old friend
told me the other day that St. Pau
made a mistake, or else the translators
did, for it was the lack of money that
was the root of all evil and not the love
of it, and he said also that the best
bond to bind the family together was
for the old man to have healthy
bank account. A surplus that could
be drawn upon when the children were
in need. I don't admit the truth of
either proposition, but I do say that
money is a good thing to have in the
family, and wish that everybody had
q surplus that was honestly earned.
would risk our preacher on that, I
wish his salary was $1,000 instead ofSl,-
900.
About this time of the year my wife,
like a prudent woman, begins to men
ton incidentally along the wants of
the family and how the beds need re-
furnishing, for the sheets are about
worn out, and will be obliged to have
some new blankets and the girls must
have some winter garments and the
whole family will need shoes, and she
winds up by saying "and you need
undershirts and socks decent 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 a
gentleman. You have worn those pants
until they are right slick and they have
drawn up and are baggy at the knees.
Twas right ashamed Of you last Sun
day."
II can't keep up with my expenses" !"
said I, II owe some money, and they
are dunning me pretty hard. I don't
know how we will getalong this winter
unless something turns up. But I am
hopeful and trusting in Providence, for
He has never failed US yet" The next
mail brought me letters from Arkansas,
inviting me to visit Pine Bluff and a
fair at Warren and offering ME $500,
and as Mrs. Arp perused them she
said, "Well, William that is all right.
You say money is so tight here you
had better accept the offer and go
where it is loose, but you must take
care of yourself. You know that you
can't stand what you used to-"
So in due time I took the train for
Chattanooga, and it is really a plea
sure, q luxury, to ride on Mr.. Thonass
road. From there I took sleeper for
Memphis over the Memphis and Char
lesion railroad, and was agreeably sur
prised TO find how much that road has
been improved since I last travelled
over it. We made the 300 miles in
eleven hours, and that is fast enough
for anybody. At Memphis I took the
Little Rock train for Brinkley and Pine
Bluff: We left the depot at o'clock
p. m., and soon stopped at the river to
wait for the ferryboat. And we did
wait, for the boat was bringing circus
across, and we never got off until 8
o'clock. 1t took US another hour to
cross, for the river was very low, and
they had to dodge the saudbars. And
when the locomotive backed down to
pull US up from the boat it carried up
the first three cars very we'll; but when
it backed down to take up the passen-
ger cars and had pulled us up about
half way an alarm was given chat the
headblock of the sleeper was pulling
out, and just such a rumpus was never
heard. "All hands to the breaks"
somebody cried, and the engine COM
menced backing, backing, backing, and
before we knew it we were all on the
boat again. But I tell you it was alarm
ing, especially to the sleeper, for if that
headblock Lad have pulled out that
car would have never stopped until it
run through the ferryboat and into the
river.
Well, it took another hour to repair
the deadlock and make the connec-
tionssecure, and a. last, about II o'clock,
we got off, and then such road. 1t
is just sin for any State to allow such
a track to be used. The cars actually
jump off of the very trestle. You can
feel the jump and they sway sideways
like an oscillating engine and move
along with the double wabbles. Strange
to say, these trains hardly ever jump
the track, and can't explain it unless
it is as a man said, the track is straight
and the wheels have got used to the
bumps and hollows. We were due at
Pine Bluff at o'clock, but never got
there until daylight, and it was a long
and miserable night. "Sorrow en-
dureth for night, but joy cometh in
the morning." and so l went to bed
thankful and relieved and slept for
few hours. The Truelock hotel is &
good one, and I enjoyed it, and so
when I was ready for breakfast 1 took
my seat in luxurious dining room
and was presented with giltedge bill
of fare, and I picked out poterhouse
steak and break FAST bacon, and sau-
sages, and cream toast, and eggs a la
Truelock, and potatoes la something
else, and coffee, etc. Thinks I to N.Y.
self: I'll take liberal variety and eat
what I like best. I never noticed the
little figures away off Oh the margin.
l thought I was in a hotel, I did.
Well I partook Of the we'll cooked
yiands, and the polite and attentive.