The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-17
EXECUTIVE HOSPITALITY.
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[Original.l
| Some time ago Governor Callahan. q we'll
| known Southern executive, started north on
business connected with the debt of his state.
Upon arriving at Little Rock the passengers
were informed that, owing to "washout,"
the train would be delayed several hours.
"Ah," thought Governor Callahan, this
will give me an opportunity to meet the
Governor of Arkansas"
| He inquired the way to the State House.
| The Governor of Arkansas was out Of town.
He had left the Office in charge of his private
secretary, who, having made arrangements
| to go fishing, had turned over the depart
| ment to the care of his worthless brother-ir;-
law, Tom Bickle.
s'Come in," said Bickle, as a stately looking
mar pre- ented himself at the door.
Good morning, sir. Have the honor OK
! addressing the chief executive Of Arkansasis
"Tou have" replied Bickle.
al am Governor Callahan"
"Ah, Governor. glad to meet you, sir. SID
| down and make yourself as much at home al
though you were in your own Office. By the
way, Governor Callahan, do you object to
| the observance of an old-time customf
ooh, no: not at all"
"Well sir, many years ago, probably be-
| fore the meeting between the Governors Of
| North and South Carolina, the Legislature
| of Arkansas passed very peculiar, though
| when YOU become accustomed to it, natural
| enough resolution. This, as nearly as can
| remember, is the text Resolved, that when
| the Governor of Arkansas calls upon the
| Governor of another state, that he shall pro-
| cure jug of the best whisky and drink tc
the everlasting perpetuity of our common
country: and be it further resolved, that
| when the Governor of another state do visit
the Governor of Arkansas, that the visiting
| Governor procure jug and drink as above
| directed This is an old custom, Governor"
| continued Bickle, who was suffering for
| drink and who hadn't the substance of q cent
nor the shadow Of credit land / will not
insist upon its enforcement, especially as
am Prohibitolist; but as / say, the custom
is very old aud has been observed by some
of the most eminent men in the country. /
thought had jug here, somewhere" added
Bickle, looking under the table. 1.-THE Gov
| ernor of Missouri was down here several
days ago, and though / insisted, yielding to
the promptings of the great temperance
| principle, that the rule should not be OBJ
| served, yet he declared that be would not be
| the first to disregard it. Good man, that
| Governor of Missouri. Full of honor, brim
| full of it, SIR"
my dear sir" said Governor Callahan. 81
was elected on the Temperance ticket, but.
| like the Governor of Missouri cannot be the
first one to trample upon the rule What is
the conventional sumo
Ten dollars"
Here's the money, SIR"
| Bckle said ON such OCCASIONS il was the
rule that the resident Governor should go in
person and have the jug filled Going to q
| neighboring saloon, he bought 81 worth of
| cheap whisky.
"Now, Governor, we will proceed" he said.
when he returned TO the executive chamber
II do not like to drink" replied Callahan:
II used to drink great deal and"
"Oh, so did L, Governor; and were il not
| for this old-time rule | would never drink
again Glasses are barred. Turn up the
Jug"
Callahan took a pretty fair snort and
passed the jug to Bickle, who wrestled with
it as a man wrestles with an opponent Of
whose tricks he is aware.
Arkansas is a great state" said the visit
ing governor, "a state Of wonderful re-
sources"
s.Bet your executive life," replied Bickle.
showing the jug toward Callahan, who,
turning it up, remarked:
Don't speak Of il" said Bickle, as be re-
ceived the jug and puckered his lips around
the short neck of the vessel.
How long have you lived in this slater
asked Callahan.
"Who, mel Let me think. See the Ar
kansas river out therel Well, sir, when |
came here that river was nothing but damp
streak"
.'You don't tell me SOP
"Oh, yes 1t kept getting damper every
year until it got SO oozy that we had to roll
up our breaches when we crossed it, See
that steamboat? Well, sir, right where that
boat is hugging the current my yoke of steers
got stalled one day.
Callahan said nothing, but he turned ND
the jug. Bickle caught it as it came down,
drank, and continued:
THAT river gets awful low in the summer.
Got so low last year that the doctors gave it
up. Nobody thought it could recover. I've
seen steamboats, struggling along on stills.
Passengers were all sneezing,"
Passengers sneezingf"
Eyes. the dust was so thick that one
time"
Bickle did not finish the sentence. but
glided through the door. He saw the Cover
nor of Arkansas coming up the walk.
Callahan did observe the departure of Mr..
Bickle, but sat with his elbows on the table
and with his head on his hands. The real
Governor entered. Callahan looked up and
said:
Wharf Gov'ner.n
81 am the Governor"
"Liarr
Governor Callahan was rudely hustled
from the executive chamber He canno<
remember how long it was from the time b
left the executive chamber until the time
when he struck the State House ward but hs
thinks that it was during the afternoon He
took the wrong train and went back homo
The people OF his state are indignant The
chances are that his political grave has been
dug. Bickle has not returned from The
woods. OPIK p. Ran
LITTLE ROCK, Ark, May IL.