The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-08-01
A LONG TIME BETWEEN DRINKS
Senator Vance Describes the Interview
Between the Executives Of North
and South Carolina in Which
this Historical Saying
TTTaz E.vaeG
Was EnunCiated.

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earth with thunderous stroke and re
duced space to a mere matter of time,
when whiskey with sugar was five
cents a glass and all backs were turned
as that glass was filled and when a
white man was considered as good as
the negro If he behaved himself, the
Governor of North Carolina took it
into his head one day to pay a long
promised visit to his neighbor, the
Governor of South Carolina. So he
put a clean shirt and a pair of socks in
his saddle, bag, mounted his horse and
rode away through the pine forests to-
ward the South. Diligently following
his o in this direction he came in
due time to the home of his brother
Governor, where he was received with
all the honOrs of genuine Southern hos
pitality. When asked how he felt, his
characteristic reply was, THANK you,
Governor, I am tired, sleepy, hungry
and sober" The host cordially assured
him that he could remedy all these.
Next day dinner was served at 70
o'clock as the horn blew for the hands
to come in. After it was over the two
Governors retired to the shade Of the
long back porch, where corncob pipes,
with long twists of home grown to-
bacco awaited them.
There, in the long, soft afternoon, re-
clining on easy-bottom rockers, they
lolled and smoked and talked the hours
away. Betwixt the twain, on the floor,
sat a trimming pitcher of apple toddy,
with the mellow, roasted fruit impu-
IDENTIFY floating on the surface Of the
divine tipple From time to time this
aided and enlivened the conversation.
They talked of the comparative excel
lencies and disadvantages of their re-
spective States, of the price of cotton,
of horse raising and runaway negroes,
as they talked they smoked, and as
they talked they drank, They specu-
lated on the coming glories of the coun-
try, they pledged eternal friendship to
each other personally, and vowed to
preserve all neighborly cOurtesies be-
tween the two Carolina States forever
and forever, amen! Now and then
they would doze in their easy chairs
under the mellow influence of their
happy surroundings, and on waking
up would Indignantly deny having
been asleep and take another drink to
prove their w~akefulness. And thus
things went on.
Now it happened that the Governor
of South Carolina had a wifo-as all
good Governors should have, on the
principle of the old maxim that he who
aspires to govern should first learn to
obey-and her name was Betsey Jane,
She well knew the failing of her Gov
erpor and she easily guessed that the
visiting Governor was tarred with the
same stick. Quietly watching proceed
ings she at length concluded that these
two old cocks were about as full as
they could we'll hold without stopping
over. and it was time to stop. Watch
ing her opportunity during a rather
protracted doze, she slipped away the
pitcher, still half full, and inserted in
its place. a piggin Of cool spring water
with a clear, yellow gOurd hanging on
the handle. But the instincts Of nature
are infallible. Though sound asleep
the Governor Of North Carolina felt
that something was wrong-a lack Of
spirit as it weTe-every nerve in him
cried out against the presence Of a hos
tile element, and he awoke. His per-
turbed soul had not deceived him, The
pitcher of toddy was gone. He imme-
diately awakened his host, who cOur-
teoUsly inquired, What is the mat
ter?" Don't you see what is the mat
teri" said the guest, looking indignant
~ at the piggin and the gourd. In
deed, I see nothing wrong" said the
now distressed host. please tell me
what is the matter, my dear Cover
nor" THE devil you say! Nothing
wrong, indeed! I go to sleep with a
pitcher of toddy before me. I wake up
and find a piggin of spring water, and
the Governor Of South Carolina tells
mein his own house that he secs nothing
wrong in that! Well, we'll! All I have
to say, sir" said the Governor Of North
Carolina, rising with a very great but
rather unsteady dignity, lis that it is
a damned long time between drinks"
"Oh," said the Governor of South
Carolina, as the situation flashed on
him, 81 see; that's Betsey Jane. She
means stop, and we're done for today.
I'm sorry that Ican't bring that pitcher
back. I humbly beg your pardon,
Nnrnrnor hut mauhn liberals a RetSnv