The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-07-20
THE TWO GOVERNORS.


uOOu, DtIOFe blIe SUedH III cDS iuc Uulilcu
the earth with thunderous stroke
and reduced 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 filed,
and when a white man was con-
sidered as good as the negro if he
behaved himself, the Governor of
North Carolina took it into his head
one day to pay long promised visit
to his neighbor. the Governor of
South Carolina. So he put clean
shirt and pair of socks in his sad
away through the pine forests to-
ward the south. Diligently follow
ing his nose in this direction he came
in due time to the home of his broth
er Governor, where he was received
with all honors Of genuine Southern
hospitality. When asked how he
felt his characteristic reply was,
''Thank you, Governor, | am tired,
sleepy, hungry and sober" The host
cordially assured him that he could
remedy all these.
Next day dinner was served at II
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 tobacco 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,
on the floor, Sat a trimming pitcher
of apple toddy, with the mellow,
roasted fruit impudently floating on
the surface of the divine tipple.
From time to time this aided and
enlivened the conversation. They
talked OF the comparativee xcellencies
and advantages of their respective
States, of the price of cotton, of
horse raising and run away negroes;
as they talked they smoked and as
they talked they drank. They specu-
lated On the coming glories of the
country, they pledged eternal friend
ship to each other personally, and
vowed to preserve all neighborly
| courtesies between the two Carolina
States forever and forever, amen
Now and then they would doze i'll
| their easy chairs under the mellow
influence of their happy surround
iDgs, and on waking up would in
dignantly deny having been asleep
and take another drink to prove
their wakefulness. And thus things
went on.
Now it happened that the Cover
nor of South Carolina had a wife-as
all good Governors should have, on
| the principle of the old maxim that
he who aspires togovern should first
| learn to obey-and her name was
Betsey Jane. She we'll knew the
failing of her Governor and she easily
guessed that the visiting Governor
was tarred with the same stick
Quietly watching proceedings she a
length concluded that these two ole
cocks were about as full as they coult
well hold without stopping over, ant
it was time to stop. Watching he
opportunity during a rather pro
tracted doze, she slipped away tn
pitcher, still half iull, and inserted il
j it's place a piggin of cool sprin:
water with a clear, yellow gourt
hanging on the handle. But the in
stincts of nature are infallible
Though sound asleep the GoYerno
of North Carolina felt that some
thing was wrong-a lack of spirit a
it were-every nerve in him cried GU
against the presence of a hOstil
element, and he awoke. His per
turbed soul had not deceived him
? The pitcher of toddy was gone. I'll
} Immediately awakened his host, win
courteously inquired, "What is tn
matter?'' Don't you see what i
f the matter?" said the guest, lookin,
Indignantly at the piggin and tn
gourd. '.Indeed, l see nothin,
wrong" said the now distressed host
l please tell me what is the matter
: my dear Governor" 1.-The devil yo
sayl Nothing wrong, indeed Ig
f to sleep with a pitcher of toddy be
fore me, wake up and find a piggi
f of spring water, and the Governor c
, South Carolina tells me in his owl
house that he sees nothing wrong i
that Well well! All have to say
sir" said the Governor of Mort
Carolina, rising with very great bu
, rather unsteady dignity, "is that
: is a damned long time between
drinks" "Oh," said the Governo
of South Carolina, as the situation
: flashed on him, 81 see; that's Betse
2 Jane. She means stop, and we'r
l done for today. Pm sorry | cam
+ bring that pitcher back. ] humbl
e beg your pardon, Governor, bu
maybe there's Betsey Jane at you
, | house and maybe youkno how it i
, ! yourself" The offended dignity c
) the Governor of North Carolina dis
solved slowly into genial smile c
intelligent comprehension, and, So
EMMY working one eye, he fell-eithe
upon the neck of his host or upon th
] porch floor, tradition does not sa.
E misunderstanding, "You bet, oil
t boy; you bet."
And that's how it came about
Throughout all that Southern lam
tradition has wickedly repeated an
= kept alive the saying of the Governo
of North Carolina as convenien
, mode of jogging the memory o
, stimulating the tagging hospitalit,
!, of host, but has tailed to embaln
in human memory the righteou
prudence and witely virtues of Bets.
Jane, the spouse of the Governor Q
South Carolina.
: For near on to hundred year
, the saying has been faithful one
and worthy of all acceptation in on
country-that is to say, it has beel
faithfully repeated all that time
J and anything offered in respons
thereto has been universally accept
ed, either straight or with sugar.
ZEBULoN B. VANCE.
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