The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1903-09-03
HOW bill ARP" GOT HIS NAME.
Took It From a Wake County Man.

News and Observer.
When the war between the States
closed with victory for Grants cohorts,
Maj. Charles H. Smith returned to his
home in Gainesville, Ga, to find his
property gone, bis law practice destroy
ed, and his hopes shattered. Like
many more returning Confederate sol.
diers, he decided to put the beet loot
foremost and make the best OF the sit-
uation. Que day, Immediately alter
reading the Presidents proclamation to
all Confederates to disper.e, he took
up his pen and wrote reply In hu
f1orous vein, describing how be had
gone into deferted field and endeavor-
I'D to disper.e himself. Through the
vein Of homely humor there ran
splendid satire Of the wholly and uE-
necessary ard absurd proclamation.
That afternoon his fellow lawyer who
had no clients, and few friends were
gathered, as was their wont, about his
office to talk about 1.-The good old times
before the war" and kindred topics.
On the outskirts of the company Of
congenial spirits there sat an unedu-
Gated country man, a Dative OF Wake
county, North Carolina, who bad been
a member of Majr Smiths company.
Before the war he had been the best
fighter IN his county and bad whipped
every braggart who came within hls
reach. During the war he was an ar
dent Confederate and q true soldier,
and was still an unreconstructed rebel.
To that little group Of friends Major
Smith read tbs reply he had written
to the Presidents proclamation. It
caught their fancy and his btother
lawyers urged him to print it. After
be had consented, the question came
up as to the name that should be sign
ed to it, the consensus of opinion being
that no officer in the Confederate army
could prudently sign 1t. The discus
sion closed without any agreement as
to the name to be signed to the article.
As the company diepersed Bill Arp
walked up to Major Smith snd said !:
I"Maior, wish you wohld sign my
name to that article, for thems my
sentizaents.r He did 90. The article
made lit, Was copied into the New
York Herald and went the rounds Of
the press throughout the whole coun-
try aud the name Of Bill Arp became
famous. Major Smith continued to
write, ut first telling uf the fisticuff
encounters OF Bill Arp with the bullles,
who contested his prowess, and then
writing sketches of famous local char
:,cters he had known. Gradually he
gave more time to writing and with
drew from the practice of law. His
articles brought him in good living,
he printed book which added to his
income, and this was further increased
by lecture tours which not only sup
plemented bis earnings bat gave him
topics for his letters. For twenty years
he has written little except hls week
ly letters to the Atlanta Constitution,
but until his health began to fail he
spent portion of each year lecturing
or reading extracts from his book. He
died peacefully aud sereuely, full OF
wears and full of honors, beloved by
hosts OF people who haye bern helped
and cheered by his weekly installmen's
of philosophy and qusint humor:
Msjor Smith YVES en- old-fssh'ones'
Southern man. He was educated al -
college, but no book learning couh:
take away the love of homely pursuits
He loved to dig, to plant. to keep close
to nature. He found a perpetual de.
light in growing things. animate and
;nanlmate, and his letters ab0unded
with "folksey" accounts Of the thingt
that we're familiar to every real bome
in the Republic. He loved children
and flowers, was neighborly and loved
to talk about the THINGS that have
common interest for al mankind young
and old. The secret of the popularity
of his weekly letter was that 1t wai
like letter from coed old father, WHIT
had learned to be a philosopher, and
who made the trials OF life easier BY
humor that cheered and helped. HI
was never a wit. He was . philoso
pher who essayed no pedantic teach
ling. but led men into right thinking
BY homely stories OF everyday things
What pleasing picture he made o
everything connected with the home
; He loved his home, bis family, hi
State with genuine affection and he ir
radiated these common and holy loves
Bill Arp never wrote q line Of skspt:
Il .,.vn or donht. Ha believed in th