Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-08-28
BILL ARP IS DEAD.
Distinguished Georgian Passed Away
Last Tuesday. -.

Distinguished Georgian Passed Away
Last Tuesday.
Major Chas. w. Smith, better known
as Bill Arp" passed away at his home
at Gainesville, Ga. His death was
brought about by the infirmities incl
dent to old age.
At the time of his death Major Smith
was II years old, having been born In
Gwinnett county, Georgia, in 1926. The
father of Major Smith was Massa-
chusetts man and his mother South
Carolinian.
| The father Of Major Smith settled in
Savannah when he first moved to Geor-
gia- He taught school, afterwards mar
rying one Of his pupils. The father
never returned to the north.
Charles, as he tells US, grew up as
bad as other town boys, went to school
some and worked some" He entered
Franklin college at Athens, but did not
graduate. Later he studied law.
Major Smith married Miss Mary Oc-
tavia Hutchins of Lawrenceville. They
have ten children.
Major Smith was merchant at one
time. When the war commenced he
began to write rebelious letters In a
humorous way which attracted atten-
ton. This was due not 80 much to the
humor contained in them, but from the
fact that all that he said was so good
naturedly said, and so much to the
point that every southerner felt that
"Bill Arp" echoed his own thoughts
and feelings. From the time that he
asked Mister Linkhorn for leetle
more time" to the present day, all have
looked to him to express what they
feel. At first these letters were writ
ten in the Josh Billings style Of spell
ing, but this was afterwards laid aside.
The nom de plume "Bill Arp" was
adopted in this way: when President
Lincoln called for volunteers at the
outbreak Of the war, Mr. Smith, VINO
was living at Rome, Ca, wrote a ludi-
crous criticism on the call. he read
the article to a group Of friends on a
street corner, and after hearty laugh
they begged him to publish 1t, but ne
said he was not willing to have his
name signed. In the crowd attracted
by the reading was country wag
name Bill Arp, who suggested that his
name be put to it. At once the sigma
ture became popular.
The Courier journal said OF his let
ters to Artemus Ward in 1866, that 1T
was the first chirp of any bird after the
surrender and gave relief and hope to
thousands Of dropping hearts" Anoth-
er paper said: His writings are de-
lightful mixture Of humor and philoso-
ply. There is no cynicism in his ma
ture, and he always pictures the bright
est side Of domestic life, and encour-
ages his readers to live up to 1t ana
enjoy. It." -------a..
Bill Arp told much about himself ana
about his family in his letters, which ne
sent out for thirty years. They were
talking letters" as Coleridge would
call them.
He bought a farm at Cartersville, Ga,
in 1878 and there he lived and wrote
until within the last few years, when
he moved to town. His late home'
"The Shadows" is situated on Erwin
street. and has a large sloping lawn
studded with giant oaks. His descrip-
tion Of the conditions Of home with
out the mother showed how helpless ne
felt without MRS. Arp" He said:
"The clock run down. Two lamp
chimneys bursted. The fire popped out
and burnt a hole in the carpet, while
we were at supper, and everything Is
going wrong just because Mrs. Arps
gone. I'm poking around and nuntlns
for consolation. I've half mind to
drop her a postal card and say Carl Is
not well,' and then go to meet her on
the first train that could bring her. IL
does look like woman with ten chill
dren wouldn't be so foolish about one
Of them, but there is no discount on
woman's anxiety. wonder what
would become Of children II they didn't
have a parent to spur 'em up? In ract
It takes a couple of parents to keep
things straight at my house. Hs
mighty still and solemn and lonely
around here now. Lonely amt the
word. nor howlin' wilderness. There
amt any word to express the gone
ness and desolation that we 1eei.
+. The dog goes whining around
the Maltese cats are mewing, andNthe
children look lost and droopy. But
we'll get over it in day or two may
be, and then for high oid II time;
+rt;on and the Louisville Home ana
Farm for many years. He published
history Of Georgia