Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-03-11
a Dong Tlme Between DRINK.

A great many years ago the governor
of North Carolina received friendly
visit from the governor of South Carroll
IA. After real North Carolina dinner
of bacon and vans. the two govern
ors lit pipes and sat in the shade of the
back veranda with a demiiohn of real
North Carolina corn whisky, copper
distilled, within easy reach. There is
nothing stuck up about those govern
ors,' says North Carolina state histo-
rian, in the homeless but vigorous Lam
guage of his section. There they sot
and smoked, and sot and smoked. every
once and awhile taking q mutual pull
at the demijohn with the aid of the
gourd, which they used as democratic
goblet. The conversation between the
two governors was ON the subject
of turpentine and rice, the staples
of their respective states, and the
further they got into the subject the
lower down they got into the Jug, and
the lower they GOT into the Jug the dry
er the governor of South Carolina got,
who was square drinker and warm
man, with about million pores to
every square inch Of his hide. which en-
abled him to histe in a likely share of
corn-juice or other beverage, and keep
his carcass ut the same time we'll venti-
lated, and generally always ready for
more, while the governor of North Caro-
lima was a more cautious drinker, but
was mighty sure 10 strike bottom at
about the twelfth drink, like as If ma
ture had measured him by the gourdful.
Well, they sot and smoked and argued,
and the governor of North Carolina was
as hospitRble as any real southern gem
tleman could be, for he ladled out the
whisky in the most liberal manner, be-
ing particular to give his distinguished
guest three drinks to his one and gaug-
ing his own drinks with great care, for
fear that if he didn't he might lose the
thread of his argument and the demi-
john might run dry before the governor
of South Carolina should be ready to
dust out for home, in which case it
would look like he had not observed the
laws of hospitality, which would have
been self-inficted thorn in his side for
years to come, and no amount of apo
logy could ease his mind or enable him
to feel warranted in showing his counte-
nance to his fcllow-men, especially in
his home district, where for generations
it had been n main point with every
gentleman to keep his visitor we'll sup
piled with creature comforts and to
hand him good gourdful as stirrup-
cup when about to make his departure
for the bosom of his family. Singularly
to relate, the cautiOusncss manifested bv
the governor of North Carolina was of
no avail, for at one and the same time
the jug went dry, and the governor of
North Carolina. much TO his subsequent
modification, when he learned the fact
afterward, 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 cOntiguousncss TO the demiiohn,
and wondering at the apparent absent
mindedness of his hitherto attentive
host to whom, after minute and a half
of painful silence, he made use of but
ono remark: Governor, don't YOU think
it's long time between drinksr The
remark was overheard by George, body
servant of the governor of North Caro-
lima, who knowing that there was some
thing wrong took to the woods, Silere
he remained i'm seclusion for three davs;
but the governor Of South Carolina, re-
ceiying no reply from the governor OF
North Carolina, mounted his horse and
rode sadly homeward with an irTepres-
sible feeling ut his heart that there was
coming to be a hollowness in friendship,
and that human nature was in danger
of drifting into condition of chaotic
mockery.,, Richmond re oyn,er.