Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1893-08-18
THAT TINE BETWEEN DRINKS.
rrom the eha.Lanoorn rImes.

earth, when whiskey with sugar was
five cents glass and all backs were
turned as that glass was filled, and
when a white man was considered as
good as the negro II he behaved him
self, the governor 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 a clean shirt and a pair Of socks
in his saddle bag, mounted his horse,
and rode away through the pine for
ess toward the south. Diligently fol-
lowing his nose in this direction he
came in due time to the home of his
brother governor, where he was re-
ceiyed with all the honors Of genuine
southern hospitality, When asked
how he felt, his characteristic reply
was; 'Thank 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 in. After it was over the two
governors retired to tho 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, on the floor, sat a
brimming pitcher of apple toddy, the
mellow, roasted fruit coating OH the
surface of the divine tipple. From
time to time this aided and enliyened
the conversation. They talked of the
comparative eXcellences and adyan-
tages of their respective states, of the
price of cotton, Of horse raising and
runaway negroes; as they talked they
smoked, and as they talked they
drank. They speculated on the com
ing glories of the country, they pledg-
ed eternal friendship to each other
personally, and vowed to preserve all
neighborly courtesies between the two
Carolina states forever and forever,
amenl Now and then they would
doze in their easy chairs under the
mellow influences of their happy sur
roundings, and on waking up indig-
nantly deny having been asleep and
take another drink to prove their
wakefullness. And thus things went
on.
Now it happeaed that the governor
of South Carolina had wife-as all
good governors should have, on the
principal 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 fail
ing of her governor, and she easily
guessed that the visiting governor
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
well hold without stopping over, and
it was time to stop. Watching her
opportunity during a rather protract-
ed doze, she slipped away the pitcher,
still halffull, and inserted in its place
a plggin 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
ont against the presence of hostile
element, and he awolIe. His perturb-
ed soul had not deceived him. The
pitcher of toddy was gone. He inn
mediately awakened his host, who
courteously inquired: "What is the
matter?"' Don't you see what is the
matter?' said the guest, looking in
dighantly at the piggin and the gourd.
Indeed, ! see nothing wrong" said
the new distressed host. "Please tell
me what is the matter, my dear gov
ernor." "The devil you say! Moth
ing wrong, indeed! go to sleep with
a pitcher of toddy before me, awake
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 thatl Wei well!
All have to say, sir" said the goye.-
nor Of North Carolina rising with a
very great but rather unsteady dig
nifty. is thatlt'lsa damned long time
between drinks.y "Oh," said the
governor of South Carolina, as the sit
uatiOn flashed on him, 81 see; that's
Betsy Jane. She means stop, and
we're done for the day. I'm sorry /
can't tbrlng that pitcher back. Ihum-
bly, beg your pardon, governor, but
maybe there's Betsy Jane at your
house, and maybe you know how 1t is
yourself.p The offended dignity Of
the governor of North Carolina dis
solved slowly into a genial smile Of in
telllgent comprehension, and, solemn
ly winking one eye, he fell-either up
on the neck of his host, or upon the