The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-02-10
AN OLD STORY REToLD.
What the Governor Of South Carsiinn Said 10
fae Governer Of North Careliaa.

A great many years ago, the Governor of North
Carolina received a friendly visit from the Gov
ernor of South Carolina. After n real North
Carolina dinner of bacon and yams, the two Gov
errors Lit pipes, and sat in the shade of the back
veranda; with demijohn of real North Carolina
corn whiskey, copper distilled, within easy
reach. 'There was nothing stuek-up about these
Governors" says North Carolina State histo-
rian, in the homely, but vigorous language of
the section. "There they sot and smoked, and
sot and smoked, every once in while taking a
mutual pull at the demajohn with the aid of
gOurd, which they used as Democratic goblet
The conversation between the two Governors
was the subject of turpentine and rice, the
staples Of their respective States and the furth-
er they got into the subject, the lower down
they got into the jug, and the lower down they
got into the jug, the drer the Governor of South
Carolina got, who was a square drinker and
warm man, with about a million pores to every
square inch of his hide, which enabled him to
histe in likely share of cornjuice or other bev-
erage, and keep his carcass at the same time
well ventilated, and generally always ready for
more, while the Governor of North Carolina was
more cautious drinker, but was mighty sure
to strike bottom at about the twelfth drink. like
if nature had measured him by the gourd full
Well, they sot and smoked and argued, and the
Governor of North Carolina was Us hospitable as
any real Southern gentleman could be, for he
ladled out the whiskey in the most liberal man.
ner, beng particular to give his distinguished
guest three drinks to one, and gauging his own
pose with great care, for fear that if he didn't,
he might lose the thread of his argument, and
the dcmijohn might run dry, before the Cover
nor of South Carolina should be ready to dust
ont out for home, in which case it would look
like he had not properly observed the laws of
hospitality, which would have been a self-infiict-
ed thorn in his side, for many years to come,
and 10 amount of apology could ease his mind,
or enable him to feel warranted in showing his
countenanee TO his fellow men, especially in his
home district, where for generations, it had
been main point with every gentleman, to
keep his visitor well supplied with creature COM
forts, and to hand him good gourdful, as
stIrrup cup, whrn about to take his departure
for the bosom of his family. Singular to relate
the cautiousness manifested by the Governor of
North Carolina was of avail, for at one and
the same moment the jug went dry, and the Gov
crnOr of North Carolina, much To his subsequent
modification when he learned the fact after
ward, dropped off into quiet sleep, while the
Governor of South Carolina continued to keep
ON with his argument, holding the empty gourd
in his hand in close cOntiguousness to the demi-
john, and wondering at the apparent absent
mindedness of his hitherto attentive host, to
whom, after n minute and a half of painful 81
lenee, he made use of but one remark ''GOvcr-
nor, don't You think it's long time between
drinksv the remark being overheard by George,
the body servant of the Governor of North Caro-
lima, who, knowing that there was something
wrong, took to the woods, where he remained in
seclusion for three days; but the Governor of
South Carolina, receiving no reply from the Gov
ernor of North Carolina, mounted his horse, and
rode sadly homeward, with an irrepressible feel
ing at his heart that there was coming to be
hollOwness in friendship, and that human nature
was in danger of drifting into condition of cha
otic mOckery.
Ever since the occurrence ~ touchingly des-
cribed by the conscientious historian, a common
form of invitation to join social glass has been,
"As the Governor of South Carolina said to the
Governor of North Carolina, it's a long time be-
tween drinks" The form is as eiiicacious as
that used by the itinerant minister when called
upon TO turn two into one at short notce-"Jine
hands" The Retailer.