SAMUEL W. SMALL.
The humorous writings in the Atlanta (Georgia) Constitution have made that paper famous. It has been quoted, perhaps, as much as any other daily newspaper in this country. Among those bright journalists employed upon its editorial staff, none have added more to the popularity of the Constitution than Samuel W. Small, better known to his admirers as “Old Si.”
Small was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1851, and spent his youth in that city and vicinity. In 1861 he removed to Georgia with his parents. Here he divided his time in going to school and loafing around the depots and railroad tracks. In 1865 he lived in New Orleans, and four years later he graduated from the high school in that city. After his graduation, Samuel was sent by his parents to Henry college, in Virginia, and he graduated from that institution in 1871. He then returned to Nashville, began the study of law, and was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Tennessee in 1872.
Mr. Small failed to adopt the law as his profession and turned his entire attention to journalism. He first became a reporter on the Nashville Republican Banner, but soon after removed to Greenville, Tennessee where he edited a weekly paper, and acted as private secretary to ex-President Johnson for nearly two years. The year 1874 found him in Houston, Texas, still in the newspaper business. After laboring on nearly all the journals of Houston, he returned to Georgia in May, 1875. It was in this month that he became connected with the Atlanta Constitution, in whose columns his humorous writings first came under public notice.
The humor of Old Si, hisnom de plume, began by his writing short and spicy paragraphs as coming from an aged negro. These grew into larger paragraphs, and gradually into lengthy articles, which were widely copied. Mr. Small is an expert stenographer and reports the official proceedings of the circuit court of Atlanta. He was connected with the Constitution, and was one of that journal’s most valued writers, up to March, 1882, when he became sole editor and proprietor of a prosperous weekly paper in Florida.
In his Florida venture, the Jacksonville Union, Old Si appears as brilliant as ever, as the annexed selection will show:
FLORIDA POLITICIANS AND ALLIGATORS.“I kinder likes dis sort ob climack!” said Old Si, as he come into the office last evening.“In what way?”“Well, I likes to be ’round whar yer kin hang up yer obercoat soon ez yer buys it an’ set ’round in yur shurt-sleebes jest ez well on New Year ez yer kin on de Foth o’ July!”“That is pleasant.”“Yes, sah, an’ dat’s what meks me say what I do. Dar’s plenty ob helth down heah if you jess knows how to fin’ it. De only place whar you kant fin’ it is in er allygator’s mouf!”“Then your advice is that people should come to Florida, but beware of the alligator?”“Dat’s hit! I ain’t got no use for ’er allygator hits to much like er pollytishun—got mo’ mouf dan vittals an’ mo’ hide dan honisty!”And with this epigram the old man bowed himself out of the sanctum.
FLORIDA POLITICIANS AND ALLIGATORS.
“I kinder likes dis sort ob climack!” said Old Si, as he come into the office last evening.
“In what way?”
“Well, I likes to be ’round whar yer kin hang up yer obercoat soon ez yer buys it an’ set ’round in yur shurt-sleebes jest ez well on New Year ez yer kin on de Foth o’ July!”
“That is pleasant.”
“Yes, sah, an’ dat’s what meks me say what I do. Dar’s plenty ob helth down heah if you jess knows how to fin’ it. De only place whar you kant fin’ it is in er allygator’s mouf!”
“Then your advice is that people should come to Florida, but beware of the alligator?”
“Dat’s hit! I ain’t got no use for ’er allygator hits to much like er pollytishun—got mo’ mouf dan vittals an’ mo’ hide dan honisty!”
And with this epigram the old man bowed himself out of the sanctum.