The Portland daily press., 1893-07-24
A HISTORIC REMARK.
True Story of the Meeting of the Governors
of North and South Carolina.
[senator Vance in N. Y. Herald

Senator Vance in N. Y. Herald
In the olden times of our Statehood.
before the steam engine bullied the earth
with thunderous stroke and reduced
space to 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 Compromised visit to his
neighbor, the Governor of South Caro-
lima So he put clean shirt and pair
of socks in his saddle-bag, mounted his
horse and rode away through the pine
forests towards the south. Diligently
following his nose in this direction, ne
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 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 IL
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 corneob pipes, with
long twists of homegrown tobacco
awaited them.i
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 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
lences and advantages of their respective
States, of the price of cotton, Of horse
raising and runaway negroes; as they
smoked they drank. They speculated
on the coming glories of the country,
they pledged eternal friendship 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
in their easy chairs under the mellow in
fuence Of their happy surroundings, and
on waking up would 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 awife-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 Betsy Jane. She well
knew the falling of her governor, and
she easily guessed that the visiting gov
ernor was tarred with the same stick.
Quietly watching proceedings, 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 oppor-
tunity during a rather protracted doze,
she slipped away the pitcher, still half
full, and inserted in it's place a piggin of
cool spring water, with 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 were-every nerve
in him cried out against the presence of
a hostile element and he awoke. His
perturbed soul had not deceived him.
The pitcher of toddy was gone. He i'm
mediately awakened his host, who cour-
teousiy asked what is the matter?"
s'Don't you see what is the matter?" said
the guest, looking Indignantly at the
piggin and the gourd. Indeed | see
| nothing wrong said the now distressed
| host. sPlease tell me what is the mat
ter?' sThe devil you say! Nothing
wrong, indeed! I go to sleep with a
pitcher of toddy before me. / wake up
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! AL
have to say, sir" said the governor Of
North Carolina, rising with very great
but rather unsteady dignity, sis that il
is damned long time between drinks. .
ooh" said the governor of South Caro-
| lima, as the situation flashed on him, g
see; that Betsy Jane. She means stoI
and wc'ie done for to-day. I'm sorry
can't bring that pitcher back. / humbll
beg your pardon, governor, but maybe
| there's q Betsy Jane at your house anC
maybe you know how it is yourself. ;
| The offended dignity of sthe governor o
North Carolina dissolved slowly into
genial smile of intelligent comprehen
sion. and, solemnly working one eye, HI
fell-either upon the neck of his host O
upon the porch floor, tradition does no
say Notwithstanding, "Yeu bet, ole
| boy: you bet"
And that's how it came about
| Throughout all that southern land ira
dition has wickedly repeated and KEEP