The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-03-26
BILL ARP'S CHAT.
An Essay on the Keeping of Sweet Pota-
toes.
atlanta Constitution.

atlanta Constitution.
Uncle Simon Peter Richardson heard
a man say that he had kept sweet pota-
toes sound and sweet all winter and some
years until potatoes came again.
"That's so," he replied. II have nc
doubt of it. 1 have seen them kept for
seven years, and they were still keeping,
and what is more remarkable, they were
growing and getting larger every year"
Uncle Simon's assertions are very f.e-
quently surprises to his hearers, for he
has travelled much and seen great deal,
and is man of observation. His manner
of talk carries truth with it, and being a
preacher, the presumption of truth are
all in his favor. 81 lived at Key West a
long time," he said, "and as there is no
winter the potatoes don't sleep long in
the ground, buts up again and grow
some more. They swell and crack open
and put out sprouts, and are not fit to
eat, but they don't rot if left in the
ground. They will grow and grow until
they get as big as young log" Some
times a man weak in faith will walk off
from Uncle Simon, and leave him talk
ing, and hence he is very cautious about
narrating extraordinary experiences for
fear they will not be fully believed and
it will bring discredit upon his calling.
1t is astonishing how little We know
about other countries and other people.
When I was in Florida I heard man ask
another man if he had any sweet potatoes
to sell. And he said, "No, but if laps
will do you you are welcome to them. I
expect you can get 100 bushels in half
days plowing, if you don't mind the
trouble.' Gall right" said he, "I'll go
for the laps" found out that laps were
potatoes left in the ground after the sea-
son was passed and they grew again and
made potatoes the next season without
cultivation and the second crop was CALL
ed laps.
A friend of Uncle Simon told me that
he was a truthful mau-strictly truthful,
and not given even to innocent exagger-
alton. Said he: II had heard that be
was born and raised in South Carolina,
and as that was my native state, I asked
him one day what part of the State he
came from and he replied, without tesi-
tation, "I came from Dutch fork" Hs
saw me smile and said: "You are &C.
quainted with the Fork presume. Yes,
[ vas born and raised right there and am
not ashamed to own it. If I am snybody
or have done anything worthy of a man I
deserve the more credit for having sprung
from the Fork"
My friend told me that Simon Peter
was The first man he ever heard admit
that he came from Dutch Fork-for it
was poor, barren, God. forsaken region,
between two rivers about twenty miles
this side Of Newberry, and the people
who lived there had nothing and dident
want anything, and raised their acrawny,
tow, headed children on potatoes and dirt.
Clay was a popular diet among them and
a good substitute for chewing gum and
tobacco.
Uncle Simon used to be book agent.
That business is good school for a man
or even a woman to acquire cheek and
learn the ways of the world. He was
appointed an agent to sell Bibles, and to
beg money to buy more Bibles, and he
gave Bibles away to the poor, and so ne
travelled overland all over the country,
and talked and prayed and preached as
he went along. No refusal ever blufed
him, for his heart was in his work, and
he rarely left q man without getting
something out Of him, or leaving Bible
with him. One day he stopped in front
of store and introduced himself and
made known bis business. The merchant
was a loud talking, obstinate man and
said: "Well, you needent stop here for
money. We have been bled to death in
this town. There's hardly day passes
but what some broken down man or wo.
man comes along for charity. No, sir,
we are bled to DEATH"
"But," said Uncle Simon, "my work is
for the Lord. I'm after giving the peo-
pie Gods book, and"
"Well, you'll get nothing out of me. I
tell you we are bled to DEATH"
won't you give me 81 for the Bible
cause 2"
"No, sir"
fifty cents ?"
"No, sir"
"Twenty.fve cents ?"
emo, sir; not cent. I tell you We
are bled to death by beggars."
"Well," said Uncle Simon, "pleasc atsp
inside and let me show you my arm"
"I don't want to see your ernl," the
man said, grufly.
''Well, just come in. I want to show
it to you. 1t is curiosity"
And the crowd followed Uncle Simon
into the store and watched him take off
his coat and roll up his sleeve. He point.
ed out three little scars near the elbow,
and said:
"Ono time I II as very sick, and sent for
q doctor to come and bleed me, and he
tried throo times to hit the vein, but
missed it, aud never got q drop of blood" +"
He rolled down his sleeve and put on bis
coat and remarked "a man can be bled
that way every day, but If no blood comes
he il no worse off for blood. is be, nv