The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-07-14


mems of humanity my eyes ever rest
ed upon. Were I an artist could
paint that picture today from men,
ory. Mr.. Harris could have passed
for any age from IS to 80. He was
chunky-built, red-headed, freckled-
faced young man, apparently weigh
ing around 130 pounds and had he
started to travel on looks would new
er have got beyond his front gate.
But the most noticeable thing about
"Mr. Harris was his clothes and
their fit, or rather their misht. They
were of homespun jeans, the wool
spun just as sheared from a black
greyish sheep. I should Judge from
their fit that the tailor spread out
the cloth on the floor, laid Harris on
it and then proceeded to cut out the
garments with a dull knife. The
pants ended just above the shoe tops,
and it is needless to add that the
pressing club was an unknown insti-
tuition where the gentleman came
from. And let me just here add
that after Harris began to wear
"store clothes they always looked
as if they were thrown on him with
a pitchfork. I never saw a man
further removed from dude or
Beau Brummel than Joe Harris.
After shaking hands around and
Mr.. Estill had escorted Harris down.
stairs turned to Colonel Thompson
and asked:
"What species of critter was that
Mr.. Estill brought up?"
. "Why, CAN'T" was the reply,
"that's our new news editor and his
name is Harris
"How did the boss catch him, In
fish-trap or net? Can it TALK" was
my next query.
e'He certainly has an ungainly ap-
pearance," remarked the colonel, "but
we have been watching his articles
and he will surprise you. Estill got
him from a paper in Forsyth. His
work will be to paragraph the state
news"
The next night when Harris's copy
came up, knew that our paper had
a rare genius in it's paragrapher. Ev-
cry line was bristling with humor
and as pointed as needle. Harris
wrote a hand almost like copperplate,
punctuated and every i dotted-and t
crossed.
Harris and I worked together for
some seven years on the Savannah
News and our friendship was un~
broken to his death.
Joe Harris was the most unassum-
ing, yea, modest man l ever knew.
This characteristic made him appear
unsocial to strangers, but with con-
genial friends he would unllmDer
himself and it was indeed a rare
treat to spend an evening in his
company. Harris was never much OF
a talker, preferring to sit back and
leave that to others; but occasionally
he would put in a word of Wittlclsm
and whatever he said he was always
sermain to the point or brimful OF
humor. And Joe Harris never penn
ed a line or spoke word but it was
worth reading or hearing. He was
loyalty itself to his friends and they
were bound to him with links of steel.
No famous man ever cared so little
for public applause at Joel Chandler
Harris. He would hide from admirers
hunting him up and Harris never
made a public speech in his life. we
have been together at public gath
erings and banquets when the room
would be ringing with calls for "Har-
ris, Harris! Harris!" But Joe would
smile and shake his head and if the
calls we're too persistent he would
slip away and disappear.
While in Savannah he met ana
married a Canadian lady, daughter OF
a sea captain and his family life was
as beautiful as his social life. A ten
derer or more devoted husband and
father could not be found.
AS the years rolled by Grady en-
ployed Harris as editorial writer on
the Atlanta Constitution and l be-
same owner of the Athens Daily Ban
ner. It was at this time that Harris
began to win fame as literary writ
er. do not think Joe Harris reallz-
ed his talent until the world began
to applaud his productions and clam
ored for more.
When Harris started on his Uncle
Remus" stories he wrote me enclosing
..,;,, 30 eo1,orol ha had nrandred and