Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-22
THIS SHOULD BE CONCLUSIVE
some More Light on what the south
ern Governors safe when
They Met.

Recurring TO the paramount question of
what really happened when the governors
of the Caronuas met, Colonel Hemphlll
gives this version in the Charlestown News
and Courier:
1t has been so long that even in South
Carolina the name Of the particular gov
ernor has been forgotten, while elsewhere
1t IS an oDen question with many whether
the remark was made by the governor Of
South Carolina to the governor of North
Carolina, or vice versa. For the latter I
can say that the suggestion came from the
South Carolinian. as any one would know
who is acquainted with the true story Of
the historic incident, for everyone knows
that a South Carolina man. TO say nothing
Of the governor, would never get I'm a con-
dition to forget the rules of southern hos.
pitality. The version, as It has come down,
Is that of a North Carolina historian. who
he was I do not know, out HIS recital Of
the nomentous incident is az follows:
"A great many years ago the governor of
North Carolina received q friendly visit
from the governor Of South Carolina After
a real North Carolina dinner Of bacon and
yams the two governors III pipes and sat
In the shade Of the back veranda with a
demijohn Of real North Carolina corn
whisky, cope distilled, within easy reach.
There was nothing stuck up about these
governors. There they got and smoked
and sot and smoked and every once in a
while taking a mutual pull at the demi-
John with the aid of a gourd which they
used as a democratic goblet. The CONVEX
sation between the two governors was on
the subject of turpentine and rice. the
staples Of their respective states, and the
further they got into the subject the lower
down they got into the jug and the dryer
the governor Of South Carolina got. who
was a square drtrker and a warm man.
with about a million pores to every square
men Oh MS hide. which enabled him to
histe In a likely share of corn Juice or
other beverage and keep his carcass at !
the same time we'll ventilated and gener-
ally always ready for more, while the
governor of North Carolina was a more
moderate drinker, but was mighty sure TO
strike the bottom at about the twelfth
drink, like as if nature had measured him
by the gourdfuL.
We'll, they sat and smoked and argued.
and the governor of North Carolina was as
hospitable as any real southern gentleman
could be, for he Labeled out the whiskey I'm
the. most lavish manner, being particular
to give his distinguished guest three drinks
TO one and gauging his own dose with
great care, for fear II he didn't he might
lose the thread of the argument and the
demijohn might run dry before the gov
ernor of South Carolina should be ready
to dust out for him, In which case II
would look like he had not properly OBJ
served the laws of hospitality, which would
have been a ~self-inflicted thorn in his side
for years to come and no amount of apol-
ogy could ease his mind or enable him To
feel warranted In showing countenance to
his fellowmen, especially in his home dis
trict, where for generations, 1t had been a
main point with every gentleman to keep
his visitor we'll supplied with creature COM
forts and to hand him a good gourdful
as a stirrup cup when about to take his
departure for the bosom of his family.
singular to relate, the cautiousness
manifested by the governor Of North Car
olina was of no avail, for at one and the
same moment the jug went dry and the
governor Of North Carolina, much to his
subsequent modification when he learned
the fact afterward, dropped off into a quiet
sleep. while the governor OF South Caro-
I Ina continued to l:eep on with his argu-
HIent, holding the empty gourd in his hand
IN close contagiousness to the demitohn
and wondering at the apparent absent
mindedness of his hitherto attentive host,
to whom. after a minute end a half OF
painful silence, he made use OF but one
remark: Governor, don't you think It's a
long time between drirks?'
"The remark was overheard by George,
the body servant of the governor of North
Carolina, who, knowing there was some
thing wrong, took to the woods, where he
| rEpnalraA ~ a,I,.aE- 49,
governor OF South Carolina, receiving no
reply from the governor Of North Carolina,
mounted his horse ard rode sadly home.
ward, with an irrepressible feeling at his
heart that there was coming to be hollow
ness in friendship and that human nature
was in danger of drifting into a condition
OF chaotic mockery."