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, his _nom 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: