The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-17
The Governor,s Mistake.

Il once made a mistake myself by try
ing TO be very thorough" said the governor,
shutting bis teeth down on his Habana, and
closing bis eyes retrospectiveIy, writes Thomas
Nelson Page. in HGrDer's Magazine.
When was itf" we asked.
not so long ago." said the governor. DO
any OF you think look like felonF' he asked.
The replies we're not unanimous. well, l was
| arrested as one within the last two years." he
SAID. when / came into the governorship
thought would be very thorough, and one Of
the nrst things investigated was the convict
| system The newspapers said l had made
promises that would give honest lsbors show.
feIhaps mad, SO one day slipped OF by my
set and went up to the mines to see
now the thing was being worked when no
one was expected. The charge bad been made
Iuat the lessees ran things very differently
when an Investigating committee was expected
from the way they usually ran them, and that
ordinarily the treatment was very harsh. l in
tended to go down into the mines and / put on
an old SUIT or clothes in which ! used 20 hunt
occasionally. They we're torn and muddy, and
congratulated myself that no one would know
me.
: In the pockets were all sorts Of odds aud
ehus sucn as string, wire. q knife, nippers, etc.
got the conductor 10 let mo of the train at a
crossing, and walked a mile or two to the mines
AS got near them, thinking l would look over
Ine ground before going into the cleared space.
turned out or the pain and struck up the hill
through the brush. took survey and saw a
small group Of men around fire, one or two Of
Inem convlcts, one or two perhaps visitors, and
one guard with a double-barraled shotgun
across MS arm. was thinking Of going down,
ana TOOK step or two, when some one behind
me SAID, Hold on; come hack here I turned.
ana there thirty steps from me was guard an
ugly old fellow. long and bony, standing with
his shotgun across his arm. What do you
wants? l asked
" wants you he said and l wants you
quick. Come here
.,, Il went over, moved rather by curiosity.
Well, what do you want with mes
IN In roYrf 70 he a-ia ' he
said.
But won't CO., said Il don't want to go
TO the warden, and won't 60.
GU won't? Well. we'll see if you won't.
II you don't, you'll git load of buckshot in
you, ne said, dropping his gun, and pulling
back the hammer slowly.
Il saw that he had me. aud l determined to
explain I am visitor up here, said.
Yes no doubt; that's why l wants you. l
wants you to finish out your visit. We can't
bar to part with you. Walk along thar
But began
But nothing, said he; you don't want no
put but this and he gave me crack with the
putt OF his gun which nearly knocked me over
Look here I'm the governor of the state
said |, trying to look imposing.
he looked at me quizzically. 'You'se a
pretty BLOCKING gov'nor. amt your said he
Well gov'nor, I'm glad to see you; I'm gwine
TO help you finish out yo' term. Walk along
thar and shet up yer jaw. I'm Rittin kinder
tired en- IT, and I've good mind to let you have
manners
We'll, that old fellow marched me down and
made convict go through my clothes. The
things ia my pocket were positive proof of my
guilt OF course, and you never heard such
lambasting as he gave me in your life, all the
time keeping a running fire at me, asking what
l was in for, etc. The circumstRntlaI evidence
was that was a burglar, but they all agreed
that looked like a pickpocket, and one man
even suggested that l had picked burglars
pocket. That was the worst OF all. Then he
marched me off to the warden"
What became of the guards" asked one
Hes my manager on my farm" said the
governor. and he still makes me march
straight"