The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-07-02
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
He Tells a Story ola Dutchman and
His Pine.

His Pipe.
We have at last had glorious rain.
After nine long sweltering weeks
without drop to lay the dust or
purify the atmosphere it came with a
downpour and everybody is happy.
The gardens will revive and the flowers
will bloom again and the farmers will
rejoice, for it has come in time to
save their languishing crops. The
dear little sick child whom we have
been nuring so tendcrly and watching
for many days will now get well. My
wife or one Of the girls is there day
and night, but the dust and the heat
had almost overcome him when the
rain came. We are all air plants and
must have it pure.
Then again, | tried to take comfort
by reading the tribute that Charles
Francis Adams has recently paid to
General Robert E. Lee. 1t seems to
be getting quite fashionable to praise
Lee up there, but really l don't see
why they should single him out and
damn Mr.. Davis and all the rest OF us
and the cause for which Lee fought.
l don't like any man who praises Lee
and stabs Mr.. Davis. Lee and Davis
were. like brother all their mature
lives. They were classmates at West
Point and during our civil war they
were bosom friends and never disa-
greed about anything. 1t is a gross in
suit to the memory Of Lee to slande1
his closest and dearest friend. Nc
gentleman would do it. I have not
heard of Charles Francis Adams SLAM
deling Mr.. Davis, but We have good
reasons to suspect that he belongs tC
the Goldwin Smith and Roosevelt
crowd for he yolunJarilyto0k command
OF a negro regiment during the war,
and that bad sign. No gentlman
would have done it. 1t was an evidence
that he believed niggers would make
war hell to US and they would kill and
rob and rape and burn out Of revenge.
No, l have no respect for this Adams
nor Lew Wallace nor any other man
who commanded negroes during the
war. 1t was not human nor legiti-
mate warefare. 1t showed venom and
brutality and malignity. What did
General Lee do before the war or dur
ing the war or after the war that did
not have, the hearty cooperation of
Mr.. Davis? What did Mr. Davis do
that General Lee did not approve?
Both were good soldieos and won their
spurs. Both were devout Christian
members of the Episcopal church and
Senator Reagan said Of Mr.. Davis:
He was the most deyout Christian l
ever knew and the most loyable man"
He was a conscientious believer in the
doctrine of states rights as eXpOunded
by Mr.. Calhoun and while d lieutenant
in the United States army declared he
would resign his command before he
would assist in the coercion Of SOW
ereign state. The International Cy-
clopedia says of him: He was a great
statesman and a true patriot, and his
history will grow brighter asthe years
roll on" But this presidential acci-
dent says he was an arch traitor and
arch repudiator and he hasn't the man
illness to take it back and apologize.
But here come some genial
friends to cali and see how l am get
ting on, for l am still suffering and
need sympathy. When they come they
bring good cheer and wit and anecdote
and that is better than ruminating
about politics and niggers. We
were talking about dogs and one
Of these friends. who is railroad
man, told US about a woman trying
to board a train down in Florida and
she had alittle poodle dog in her arms.
and the conductor said: NO, madam,
you can't take that dog with you in
the passenger car. 1t is against the
rules She vas a northern woman
with sharp features. Our southern
women don't carry poodle dogs around
with them: they prefer baby. Well,
she was very indignant and wanted
to know what she must do with
her dog. Put him in the baggage
car" said the conductor. AS she
handed up the canine to the baggage
man she said, We'll, l reckon l can
ride where my dog rides" and she
went into the baggage car. The man
was disgusted. He tied the dog with
a little cord and She sQuatted on Il box
near by. After they passed s5andford
she got tired, and untieing the dog.
took him in her arms and went back
to the smoker. That Car was full of
Jolly good fellows. but she demanded
a Seat and they gave her one. She
took one-half and laid her poodle on
the other half. y jolly Dutchman
sat behind her and was smoking an
old pipe that gave an unearthly odor,
and as he talked and laughed with his
companion the tobacco smoke encirclcd
her classic head until she couldn't stand
it and she turned and said with a
snap. NO gentleman would smoke in
the presence Of a lady" We'll,
madam" he said, kindly, dis is de
smokin' car. It is not de ladies car.
| is very sorry to trouble you wild mine
pipe and tobacco, but you had better
20 back to the ladies' car. They
won't let my dog 60 in there" said
she. dot is very bad" he said and
kept on smoking. BY and by Il vol
luminous cloud like that which came
tram the crater Of Mont Pelee rolled
over her. and in her rage she seized his
pipe, jerkcd it from his mouth and
threw it out of the window. Every
body laughed and roared, and he join
I'd in the merriment. Madam, dot !