The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-21
LoNG TIMR nnTwRpN pRINKs.
How the FamouA saying OrlginRted-The
Interview BotweoR the Governors OF
North and South CarOlinh,

How the FnmOuA saying OrlglnRted-The
Interview between tho Governors OF
North and South CarOlinh,
Hdase tl Raisigh Nept and 0bSercr.
In the oIden times of u statehood,
the steam engine bullled the
with thuuderous stroke and re-
duced space to a mere matter Of time,
when whisky with sugar was i've cents
q glass and all backs were turned as
that glass was filled, and when q white
man was considered as good as the
negro il no behaved himself, the gov
ernoF Of North Carolina took it into his
head one day to pay q long'prolnised
visit to his nelghbor, the governor OF
South Carolina, So he put q clean shirt
and a pair Of socks in his saddle'bag,
mounted his horse and rode away
through the pine forest toward the
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-
ply was, ''IhaRk you, governor, l am
tired, sleepy, hungry, and sober" The
latter cordially assured him that he
could remedy all these,
Next day dinner was served at -
o'clock as the horn blew for the hands
to come. After 1t was over the two
governors retired to the shade OF the
long back porch, where corncob pines,
with long twist OF homegrown tobacco,
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 Drumming pitcher Of apple toddy,
with the mellow, roasted fruit impud-
emily floating on tho surface OF the
divine tipple, From time to time this
aided and anllyened the conversation.
They talked Of the comparative excel
lences and advantages OF their respec.
tive states, Of the price OF cotton, OF
horse-raising aud runaway negroes; as
they talked they smoked aud rs they
talked they drank. They speCulated on
the coming glories of the country, they
pledged eternal friendship TO each
other personally and vowed to preserve
all neighboriy courtesicR between the
Carolina states forever and forever
amenI Now and then they would doze
in their easy chairs under the mellow
influence OF their happy surroundings,
and on waking up Indignantly deny
having been asleep and take another
drink to prove their wakefulness. And
thus things went on.
Now it happened that the governor
OF South Carolina had q wifo-as all
good governors should have, on the
principle OF the old maxim that ho who
aspires to govern should first learn to
obey-and her name was Betsy Jane.
She we'll knew tho failure Of her gov
ernor, and she easily guessed that the
visiting governor was tarred with the
same atick. Quietly watching proceed
ings she at length concluded that theSe
two old cooke were about ~ full ~ they
could we'll hold without stopping over,
and it was time TO stop. Watching her
opportunity during q rather protracted
doze she slipped away tho pitcher, still
half full, and inserted in It's 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 1t ~were-every nerve Id him
cried out against the presence OF o hos
tile element, and he awoke, His per-
turbedso had not deceived him. The
pitcher OF toddy was gone. He imme-
diately awakened Ills host, who courte.
ously inquired: "What lie the matter2"
"Don't you see what is the matter ?" said
the guest. looking Indignantly at the
piggin and the gourd. "Indeed, / sec
nothing wrong" said the now distressed
host. "Please tell me what ia the mat
ter, my dear Governor" "rhe devil
you sayl Nothing wrong, indeed! 1
go to sleep with q pitcher Of toddy be.
fore me, | wake up and find a plgcin Of
spring water, and the governor OF
South Carolina tells me In his own
house that he sees nothing wrong In
that, Well, WE'LL All / have to say,
sir" said the governor OF North Caro-
lima, rising with a very great but rather
unsteady dignity. us that It Is a long
time between drinks" "Oh," said tho
governor OF South Carolina, as the stu
alton flashed on him, ~ SEQ; that's
Betsy Jane. She means stop, and
we're done for the day. Pm sorry l
can't bring that pitcher back. l hum.
bly, beg your pardon, Governor, but
may be there's a Betsy Jane at your
house, and maybe you know how 1t Is
yourself" The offended dignity Of the
governor OF North Carolina dissolved
slowly into q genial smile Of intelligent
comprehension, and, solomnly winking
one eye, he fell-cither upon the neck
Of his host or upon the porch floor,
tradition does not say which-exclaim-
ing, "You bet, old boy; you bet"
And that's how II came about
Throughout all that southern land ira.
dition has wickedly repeated aud kept
alive the saying Of the governor Of
North Carolina as a convenient mode Of
jogging the memory or stimulating tho
tagging hospitality OF host, but has
failed TO einbalm in human memory the
righteous prudence and witely virtuea
Of Betsy Jane, the spouse Of the gov.
ernor Of South Carolina.
For near on to o hundred years the
saying has beon q faithful one, and
worthy Of all acceptation in our coun.
try-that Is to cay, II has been faithfully
repeated all that timo and anything Of
fered in response thereto has been uni
verSally accepted either straight or with
sugar.