The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-09
THAT TINE BETWEEN DRINKS.
Senator Vance Gives n Version of the
History of the Famous Expression.

In the olden times Of our statehood,
before the steam engine bullied the
earth, when whiskey with sugar was
cents glass, and all backs were turned
as that glass was filled, and when a
white man was considered as good as
a negro il he behaved himself. the gov
ernor OF North Carolina took ii into his
head one day to pay a long-promised
visit TO his neighbor, the governor Of
South Carolina. So he put clean shirt
and a pair of socks in his saddle bag,
mounted his horse, and rode away
through the pine forests toward the
south. Diligently following his nose 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 hospitality. When
asked how he felt, his characteristic re-
tired, sleepy, hungry and sober" The
latter cordially assured him that he
could remedy all these.
Next day dinner was served at IL
o'clock, as the horn blew for the hands
TO come in. After IL was over the two
governors retired 10 the shade of the
long back porch, where corncob pipes
with long twists of homegrown to-
bacco awaited them. There in the long.
soft afternoon, reclining on easy bottom
rockers, they lolled and smoked and
talked the hours away. BetwiXt the
twain, Oh ine HOOG. sat a Drumming
pitcher Of apple tOddy, the mellow.
roasted fruit floating on the surface of
the divine tipple. From time to time
this aided and enivened the converse
ton. They talked Of the comparative
eXcellences and advantages Of their
respective states. of the price of cotton,
OF horse racing 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 pre-
serve all neighborly courtesies between
the two Carolina states forever, ameni
Now and then they would doze in their
easy chairs. under the mellow influences
of their happy surroundings. and on
waking up Indignantly deny that they
had been asleep and take another drink
to prove their wakefulneSs. And thus
things went on.
Now It happened that the governor or
South Carolina had a wife-as all good
governors should have, on the prin-
ciple OF the old maxim that he who
aspires to govern should first learn to
obey-and her name was Betsy Jane.
She well knew the failing of her gov
ernor, 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. Watching
her opportunity during a rather pro-
tracted 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.
Though sound asleep. the governor of
North Carolina felt that something was
wrong Every nerve in him cried out
against the presence Of a hostile ele-
ment, and he awoke. His perturbed
soul had not deceived him. The pitcher
Of toddy was gone He Immediately
awakened his host. who courteOuSly in
quired: What is the matter?'' Don't
you see what is the matter?'' said the
guest. looking Indignantly at the piggin
and the gourd- Indeed, I see nothing
wrong" said the now distressed host.
please tell me what is the matter, my
dear governor" THE devil you sayl
Nothing wrong, indeed! I go to sleep
with a pitcher Of toddy before me, 1
awake and find a piggin Of spring water
and the governor of South Carolina tells
me in his own house that he sees nothing
wrong in that Well, well! All | have
to say, sir" said the governor of North
Carolina, rising with a very great but
rather unsteady dignity, lis that it is
damned long time between drinks"
"Oh," said the governor of South Car
DINA, as the situation flashed on him,
stop, and we're done for the day l am
sorry 1 can't bring that pitcher back.
/ humbly beg your pardon, governor,
but maybe there's a Betsy Jane at your
house and maybe you know how il is
yourself" The offended dignity of the
governor OF North Carolina slowly dis
solved into a genial smile of intelligent
comprehension, and, solemnly winlxing
one eye, he fell-either upon the neck Of
his host or upon the porch floor ira
dition does not say Notwithstanding
''You bet. old boy; you bet"
And that's how it came about!
Throughout all that southern land tradi-
ton has wickedly repeated and kept alive
the saying of the governor of North
Carolina as a convenient mode of jog
ging the memory or stimulating the flag
ging hospitality of a host, but has failed
to embalm in human memory the righ-
teous prudence and wifely virtue Of
Betsy Jane, the spouse of the governor
of South Carolina
For near on TO 100 years the saying
has been a faithful one, and worthy of
all acceptation in our country; that is
to say, ii has been faithfully repeated
all that time. and anything offered in
response thereto has been universally
accepted, either straight or with sugar.
ZEBULON B. VANCE.