The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-09-25
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
Bill Arp Has Some Reflections on the
Pleasures of Memory.
atlanta Constitution.

Tlcdout GO VI WCiHuiJ y
atlanta Constitution.
Memory is a strange faculty. 1t
seems independent of the mind, but is
mysteriously connected with it. The
forgetful witness is right when he says
II didn't charge my memory with it. "
When we were children memory was
strong and the mind was weak. AS
we get old the mental power grows
stronger and memory weakens, but
the memories that fastened somewhere
in our craniums in our youth do never
fade. T remember we'll the scenes,
names and incidents Of my childhood.
I remember when I wore aprons and
how old Aunt Minty, the cook, looked,
and how my father killed the dog be-
cause he foamed at the mouth and was
thought to be going mad. 1 was only
three years old then. When I was
six years old my mother found her
long lost brother and I remember the
meeting and how they embraced each
other and cried for joy. Their parents
died in Charleston of yellow fever and
were buried in one grave and the two
little children were hurried away dur
ing the panic and got separated, for
they had no kindred to care for them.
The boy was put on ship and sent to
Boston-the girl on another vessel
and sent to Savannah. Each was
placed in an orphan asylum and they
never found each other until some
years after they were grown and mar
ried. Diligent search was made in
Charleston, but no clew could be
found, and as last resort my father
advertised in Boston paper and it
was seen and a letter came that was
written in tears. I remember all the
excitement and how her brother came
and what handsome young man he
was and how the people of the little
village joined in the rejoicing. re-
member how. the next year my father
and mother, with my brother and my
self, went to Savannah in carriage
$50 miles-and took sail vessel there
for Boston to visit that brother and
his family. I was Illuminating about
this, for was in Savannah last week
and I recalled the river and the wharf
and the vessel that We took passage on
and the long voyage of thirty-seven
davs. T remembered the long, wide
street and it had double row Of i'm
mense china trees that Oglethorpe
planted. Those trees are all gone and
other kinds have taken their places.
I was told that their old trunks were
planted in the water to support the
wharves and that some Of them are
there yet, for the sea worms will not
touch china wood. AS [ meandered
along the streets Wondered how many
people were living in that city who
were there sixty years ago when | first
visited it. Probably there are not
ffty-perhaps not ten. There are not
but five in Rome who were there forty
five years ago when I settled there.
What people we are to die or move
away.
Savannah is lovely city. How
clean, how shaded, how ornamented
with evergreens and flowers! What
beautiful parks with the green grass
growing all around where the happy
children frolic and the baby carriages
abound. Monuments are there, too,
to commemorate noble men-Pulaski
and Jasper and W. W. Gordon and
others, but none to Oglethorpe.
What grand people used to adorn
this historic and classic city. | re-
member the times when the Haber-
shams, Hardees, Elliotts, Bullocks,
Joneses, Houstons, Laws, Jacksons
and Telfairs lived there. Some of
their descendants live there now, and
wear the mantle of their fathers in
tone and manners and high moral
principles. They are gentlemen by
Inheritance and training. Who ever
saw nobler gentlemen Of the olden
times than Generals Lawton and Jack
son? Who ever saw finer speci-
men of younger manhood than Elem.
ing duBignon, the most classic and
eloquent young man in Georgia
lawyer, statesman and orator, and al
ways gentleman?
When was college boy I did not
at first mix with the boys from Savan-
nah, for it was said they were stuck
up and proud, but in time | was un-
deceived and was pleased to rank them
as my friends. I did not understand
their peculiar pronunciation. They
said pa and ma like pad and mad,
while we up country boys said pa and
ma like par and mar and our back
woods boys said paw and NAV. The
low country boys said gyurl for girl
and We thought it was afectation.
Savannah has the same peculiar folk
lore yet and I like it. 1t sounds gen.
tie and soft and refined. Even the
negro lingo has charm about it. l
heard an old nurse say to child IN
the park: "Honey, your mar say came
dare to her; run long chile fore de
buckra man cotch you..
There is no rush in Savannah.
Everybody and everything take their
time. A dignifed leisure prevails
among the business men and they will
take time to give courteous attention
to visitors, whereas in Atlanta they
have no time for the courtesies Of life:
"How are you, howdy do; are all well?
Come round and see me" and your
friend will hurry on. Atlanta gets
her manners from north Georgia main
ly. The people are kind, liberal, pro-
gressive and desperately in earnest,
especially after money. Savannah
people are more scholarly and classic,
and that is why the Historical Society
was founded there and has been so
long and so literally sustained. In
our college day Henry Law and Mon
roe McIver were the most gifted ora
tors, and the Grafton of the former on
"Paul at Mars Hill is still remcm-
bered by those who heard it and are
yet alive.
Twas ruminating about that long
journey of six days to Savannah by
carriage, and how the other night [
took berth in a sleeper at Z o'clock
and awaked next morning in Savannah
and found breakfast awaiting me at
the DeSoto hotel. | was thinking