Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-05-04
An Amusing Incident In the Life o
Gov. Tillman.

way TO ROCK Till, III Ine Peiio' u
ance of public duty. The Yorkville
Eaqusrer gives the following as incl
dents of the occasion:
An incident which afforded lots OF
amusement to quite group OF audi
tors occurred on the Three C's train,
between Rock Hill and Tirzah, last
Thursday afternoon. A special car
had been provided for the Governor
and his party at Rock Hill. There
were only twelve or fifteen people In
the car, and the Governor, noting
the crowded condition of the rear
coaches, asked:
"Why don't you bring some OF
those people in here? We've got
lots of room.
ssThis car has been especially pro-
vided for you and your party, Gov
ernor," said Mr.. S. B. Lumpkin, who
was in charge. aAnd," he contin-
ued, "those people came down in
those cars, and, of course, they can
60 back the same way. They will
kave as much room going back as
they had coming down."
sWell, we are not going to have
anything like that, .retorted his
Excellency. "We are not so import
ant that we should monopolize a
whole car of empty seats, with all
those women and children standing
up, and we are not so selfish as to
want comfort at their expense, either.
Unlock that aoor and tell them to
come in here!!''
every well, Governor" retorted
Mr.. Lumpkin. "The orders are that
this is your car and whatever you say
shall be done.''
Accordingly the door was unlocked
and in a few minutes some of the
rear passengers began to fill up the
empty seats. Among them was a
typical countryman from the vicinity
Of Tirzah. He had visited one of the
Rock Hill dispensaries, and being an
ardent admirer of the Governor, was
determined to have talk with him.
Making his way to the seat occupied
by his Excellency, he extended his
hand with the greeting:
"Hello, Governor Ben Tillman; l
amt seed y, you since last November.
Howdy do?"
"Glaato see you again. said the
Governor, accepting the proffered
hand !; ebu. you mean you haven't
seen me since last August, when l
was at Yorkville don't you?:''
eyes, that's it; that's it, Ben
when we was a hollerin' for you last
summer. Well, how are you gettin'
along?G Are your folks all well
How is your family?. Are you doing
us any good, Governor"
The Governor only attempted to
answer the last question of the vol
ley. He said:
"Well, you'll have to be the judge
of that yourself. l am still trying,
and am holding the fort yet"
"That's right, Ben; you hold the
fort and we'll stand to you. We've
got gool Governor, and if 1t was
lust President Tillman instead of
Governor Tillman, we'd be better off.
I'd rather see Harrison President
than Cleveland"
The Governor smiled at his COM
panion's illusions to himself and as
sured him that we are infinitely bet
ter off under Cleveland than we
would be under Harrison.
By this time all the occupants OF
the car were listening to the dialogue
with intense amusement. The coun-
tryman broke out in new place.
"Well, you are going to the Sen
ate, amt you, Ben p"
ssThat's too far off, said the Gov
ernor. owe can't tell what will hap
pen by that time"
"Well, we put you where you is
and we are going to put You IN the
Senate. You just keep on holding
the fort and we farmers will stand
by you. You amt nothing but a
farmer, no how, is you, Ben p
ct still feel like a farmer" the Gov
ernor assured his companion.
"Well, you is one; but you amt
dressed like you was at Yorkville,
with clothes like mine and an old
straw hat" This remark brought
a volley of laughter, in which his
Excellency heartily joined in.
Here the tipsy individual subsided
into confidential tone. which could
not be heard, the Governor humor-
ing him as best he could. Finally
Tirzah was reached, and friend OF
the countryman came to see that he
got off the car all right. "What are
Y You doing here, old fellow" he asked.
81 am talking TO Governor Ben
Tillman-the same old Ben Tlllman
that we all hollered for SO last sum-
mer. This is him. Tell him howdy.'
The newcomer shook hands with
the Governor and informed his tipsy
friend that he must get off here.
"Well, wait till the train stops,
he said. "By jings, / believe l would
lust as leave walk back from York
vile, if could get to ride up there
with the Governor"
The train came to stop and the
tipsy individual continued: Owe got
to git off here, Ben. If you eyer
come around this way again, come to
see me-"
The Governor thanked him with a
reciprocal invitation to call at the
mansion if he should ever come to
Columbia. Rising to go, the coun.
tryman took .the Governors hand
and said /: aWell, goodbye, Ben. II
1 git in the penitentiary l want you
to pardon me out; won't % This
request brought forth hearty laughter
from all parts of the car, while the
Governor advised his friend that he
must not get into the penitentiary.
"But you'll pardon me out, won't
you, Ben ?"
The Governor failed to make the
desired promise. 1t was clear, how
ever, that he enjoyed the whole incl