The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-04-16
BILL ARP'S CHAT.
A Good Mans Burial, and tho Impression
1t made upon Bill Arp.
atlanta Constitution,

atlanta Constitution. :,
I wonder if there is any man so har-
dened as not to be for moment affected
by the sound of the funeral knell. The
church bell has solemn mission. 1t calls
us to prayer and it calls US to the grave
The careless and the thoughtless pay nc
attention to the one, but 1 imagine that
every man feels 8 shadow or a shudder al
the sound .of the other. Even Macbeth
trembled when he said,
"Hear it not Duncan-for it is the knell,
That summons thee to heaven or summons
thee to hell.''
We cannot escape the reflection thai
Sometime it will ring for me-"
But am not going to- write an elegy
nor an eulogy. There has been death
in our midst, but there is nothing mourn.
full about it. AS Judge Miner said, as
We stood by the open grave, "This is the
most successful and satisfying funeral ]
ever attended," Did anybody ever hear
of a funeral being success, or it waa
satisfactory to those who stood with un-
covered heads about the grave? Why
not? Because, in ninety-nine cases out
of 100 there is some sting in death-some
sorrow for the dead or some pangs for the
living. But the death of Colonel John
J. Howard was the one exception. he
was old enough-he vas good enough.
He died in his right mind, and willingly
and without suffering. Well, of course,
there are many aged men of whom the
same car be said, but Col. Howard had
been God-fearing man all his mature
life-s man of principle-good principle
honest, truthful, charitable and dill
gent in business. He was everybody's
friend and everybody was his friend. But
that is not all. His aged wife had gone
on before him, and vas waiting at the
gate. His children were all grown and
happily married, and we're near him in
his last illness. He had reared them we'll,
both by precept and example, and they
have prospered2 Why shouldn't he die !?
His death-his funeral-was success.
a triumph-an ovation-for everything
was hushed and silent in our town. The
stores we're closed, the streets deserted,
and it seemed like the Sabbath had come
again out of its time. Hundreds of the
colored people gathered at their Church,
and held memorial services, while the
whites were gathered in their own. A
double knell chimed the good mans re-
quinn. It was sight I never saw be-
fore-that long procession of colored folks
dressed in their Sunday clothes, marching
down the long hill and across the valley,
and up to the grave, where the carriages
of the whites had congregated. In re-
spectful silence they stood without the
circle, and when the preacher said amen,
their strong men came forward and asked
for leave to cover him up, and said, "He
was the colored mans best friend in Car
tersville." Why shouldn't he die And
That was why Judge Miner said with
emotion, "Take it all in all it is the most
successful funeral I ever attended" There
was no sting about it.
In some respects Colonel Howard was
an extraordinary man, and the best ex-
ample for young men to follow that I
ever knew. He was by far the best read
man in our town, and the best scholar,
and yet he had but little schooling in his
youth. He was poor and had to work.
he read good books by night and studied
them. He mastered the dead languages,
aud read French fuently, and rejoiced in
Shakespeare and the English poets. He
had an appropriate quotation always
ready. On my last visit to his sick room
he said, with smile, II am just waiting
on my Maker, and shen I will draw the
drapery of my couch about me and lie
down to pleasant dreams" Hewas refined
in the best literature, and the wonder Of
it is how he became 30, for he was always
immersed and absorbed in active busi-
ness. AS merchant and as banker be
kept we'll up with the minutest details.
He had no desire to amass great wealth,
but worked hard from sense of duty,
and his charities increased with his in
come. He drew no color line in minis
tering to the poor and the dependent, and
that is why the colored people loved him
so. His broad philanthrophy took in ev-
erybody.
Uncle Bob Rogers, his lifelong friend,
Strengthened up and shook himself as he
said, Gentlemen, he was the best man I
ever knew, and he paid his debts accord
in to promise" Uncle Bob is an old
time, debt.paying Baptist. That used to
be cardinal principle of their religion.
but they say that it is weakening little
now.
Well, of course ne can't all die like
Colonel Howard, but ne would like to.
Not long ago there was controversy 60.
ing on in the magazines, and the question
was, SIS life worth living?" Colonel
Howard's was, 1 know, for he was always
happy or seemed to be, and if one man is
happy why not others' Why not all
What is the matter with the human fam
ily7 Why the great increase Of suicide
1 see in late magazine an essay on sui
eide, and its caption is, "Is Suicide 8
Sin," and the author argues that in many
cases it is not. 1t is getting to be quite
business, and it all comes from living
wrong-from violoting natures laws.
The influence of good man does mol
die with him. don't believe that it evel
dies, but is like the small waves that cir