The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1900-08-24

what the Governor of Georgia said To the
Governor of virginia.


Governor of virginia.
Gentlemen" said the Georgia col
onel, who was entertaining a group OF
amused listeners at one OF the no.
tells In this city, the other night, Il
suppose you have all heard what the
Governor of North Carolina said to
the Governor of South Carolina. Have
you ever heard what the Governor of
Georgia said TO the Governor of Vir-
GINA? No? Well, the only difference
in the two stories Is that the Governor
of Georgia was a blue nose temper
ance man.
You remember what a blizzard
Washington had the second time
Cleveland was inaugurated? Well. the
wind blew sixty miles an hour. The
snow cut the faces like a knife, and
froze to the mustache of the soldiers as
they waited in line in front OF the
Capitol The barrooms all along the
line made big fortunes that day, and
the doctors had their turn at the
lucky wheel the next day with pneu-
monia cases.
The Governors of the different
States were at the head of their troops
with their STATS just behind them, on
Capitol Hill, during the Inauguration
ceremonies. The Governor of Geor-
gia had brought, even for the South.
n unusually large staff with him to
the inauguration. | was on his staff
at the time. but as there were only
about forty other Georgia colonies
there / don't suppose you remember
seeing me- Washington had never be-
fore had the honor of seeing so many
Georgia colonies. There were so many
of us that, even with horses touching,
as we marched, abreast up Pennsyl-
vania avenue, we stretched from curb
to curb across the widest avenue OF
the country. At times, however, there
was barely a corporal's guard around
the Governor of Georgia. Many and
varied were our excuses for few min
utes' absence from our posts on the
bleak and bitter hillside. None of US
dared to tell our Governor openly what
were our real reasons for our some
what frequent absences, for the Gov
ernor of Georgia was a famous tenn
perance man. He had never been
known to take intoxicants in any
form. and on all occasions had pub
licly advocated the temperance cause.
He sat straight and stif upon his
horse in front OF his troops, a d!gnified
and silent figure, apparently complete
ly unaware of the piercing icy blasts
that swept over Capitol Hill We be-
gan to think him more than mortal,
for we felt as if we were rapidly freez-
ing TO death.
Suddenly, an aid from the staff OF
the Governor OF Virginia dashed up
70 the Governor OF Georgia and said
with a salute:
Governor, | am going 10 get
something hot and strong for our Gov
ernor, and can't l get some of it for
you, too?
The Georgia colonies were astound-
ed by such rash ignorance, and We all
settled down in our seats prepared TO
hear temperance lecture from our
Governor as. rebuke for such audac-
ity. Imagine our surprise when our
Governor thanked the Virginia colonel
for his kind offer. and said that he
would be glad to take whatever he
could get to drink.
The Virginia aid dashed off on his
quest, but a Georgia aid, not TO be so
outdone, dashed on, too. IN very few
minutes back came the Virginia col
onel bearing a huge cup of hot punch.
At the same time from another direc-
ton the Georgia colonel rode up with
even a bigger cup of steaming liquor.
The Governor of Virginia, who had
also ridden up, intending TO oifer
toast to the new President, called out
10 the Governor of Georgia:
Now, Governor. which drink are
you going to take?'
THE temperance Governor of Geor-
gia dropped the reins, held out his half
frozen hands. and said:
Governor. | shall drink both
And he did draining the cups, too.
while we all nearly fell of our seats
in establishment The local instinct
had triumphed over principle
Acknowledge invitation.