The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-26
BILL ARP.-sAGE, PHILOS0P HER
RUMORIST.

when the War Between the States
closed in victory for Grants cohorts. Maj.
Charles H. Smith returned to his home
in Gainesville, Ca, to find his property
gone his law practice destroyed, and his
hopes shattered. Ike many more re-
turning Confederate soldiers, he decided
to put the best foot foremost and make
the best of the situa ion. One day. i'm
nediately after reaong the Presidents
proclamation to all Confederates to dis
perse, he took up his pen and wrote
reply in humorous vein, describing how
he had gone into deserted field and
cndeavored to dispense himself. Through
the vein Of homely humor there ran
splendid satire of the wholly unnecessary
and absurd proclamation. That after
noon his fellow lawyers, who had no
clients, and a few friends were gathered,
as was their wont, about his office to
talk about 'the good old times before the
war" and kindred topics. On the outskirts
of the company of congenial spirits
there sat All uHeuuCdLeu GUILTY.
man, a native of Wake county, North
2 Carolina, who had been a member OF Maj.
Smiths company. Before the war he had
been the best fighter in his county and
whipped every braggant who came In his
reach. During the war he was an ardent
Confederate and true soldier, and was
still an unreconstructed rebel. To that little
group of friends Maj. Smith read the reply
he had written to the Presidents procla-
nation. 1t caught their fancy and his
brother lawyers urged him to print it.
After he had consented, the question came
as to the. name that should be signed to
it. the consensus of opinion being that no
officer IN the Confederate army could
prudently sign it. The discussion closed
to be signed to the article. AS the COM
pany dispersed, Bill Arp walked up to Maj
Smith and said major, 1 wish you
would sign my name to that article. for
thems my sentiments" He did so. The
article made a hit, was copied into the
New York Herald and went the rounds
Dot the press throughout the whole coun-
try and the name of Bill Arp became ia
nous. Mai. Smith continued to write,
at first telling of the fisticuff encounters
OF Bill Arp with the builies, who con-
tested his prowress, and then writing
sketches of famous local characters he
had known. Gradually he gave more and
more time to writing and withdrew from
the practice of law. His articles brought
him in a good living. he printed book
which added to his income, and this was
further increased by lecture tours which
not only supplemented his earnings but
gave him topics for his letters. For
twenty years he has written little except
his weekly letters to the Atlanta Consti-
tuition, but until his health began to fail
he spent a portion of each year lecturlng
or reading extracts from his book. He
died peacefully and serenely, full of years
and full OF honors, beloved by hosts of
people who had been helped and cheered
by his weekly installments of philosophy
and quaint humor.
Aior Smith was an old-tashloned
Southern man. He was educated at
college. but no book learning could take
away the love of homely pursuits. He
loved to dig, TO plant, to keep close to
rature. He found a perpetual delight In
growing things, animate and inanimate,
and his letters abounded with ''folksey"
accounts of the things that were familiar to
every real home in the Republic. He loved
children and flowers, was neighborly and
loved 20 talk about the things that have
n common interest for all mankind, young
and old. The secret of the popularity of
his weekly letter was that it was like
letter from a good old father, who had
learned to be a philosopher, and who
made the trials of life easier by humor
that cheered and helped. He was never
wit. He was a philosopher who essayed
no pedantic teaching, but led men into
right thinking by homely stories of every
dav things. What pleasing picture he
made of everything connected with the
home He loved his home, his family,
his State with genuine affection and ne