Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 February 1889 — ORIGIN OF A SAYING. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

ORIGIN OF A SAYING.

[From the Chicago Ledger.]

ORE than one subscriber to Thb . Ledger has writ'ten us within the last few months for information L as to the circumstance or occasion which elicited from the Governor ot Sotitli Carolina the famous ■ remark, addressed to the Governor of North -Carolina: “It’s a long time between drinks.” -Hitherto we have been unable to satisfy their curiosity; but now,

through the kindness of a Texas correspondent, we are enabled to supply the coveted information. Mr. Ernest YVyatt, of Dallas, in that State, sends us the annexed oxcerpt from an old scrap-book, which embraces a circumstantial narrative of the historic episodo:

A great ninny years ago the Governor of North Carolina received a friendly visit from tho Governor of South Carolina. After a real North Carolina dinner of bacon and yums. tho two Governors lit pipes and sat in tho shade of tho back veranda with a demijohn of real North Carolina oornwhisky. copper-distilled, within easv roach. “Thore is nothing stuck up about those Governors." says a North Carolina State historian, in tho hornoly but vigorous language of his soetion. “There they sot and smoked, and sot and smoked, every once and awhile taking a mutual pull at tho demijohn with tho aid of tho gourd, which they used as a democratic goblet. The conversation between tho two Governors was on tho subject of turpontino and rice, the staplos of thoir respective States, and the furthor they got into tho subject the lower down they got into tho jug. and

tho lower they got into tho jug the dryer tno (lovornor of South Carolina got. who was a square drinker and a warm man, with about a million pores to every square inch ot Jiis hide, which enabled him to Mate In a likely share of corn-juioe or other beverage, and keep his carcass at tho same time well ventilated, nnd generally always ready for more, while the Governor of North Carolina was a more cautious drinker, but was mighty sure to strike bottom at about tho twelfth drink, like as if nature had measured him by the gourdful. "Well, they sot and smoked nnd argued, and the Governor of North Carolina was us hospitable as uny real Southern gentleman could tio, for ho ladled out tho whisky tn the most liberal manner, being particular to give his distinguished guest threo drinks to his one, and gauging nis own drinks with great care, for fear that if he didn’t he might lose the thread of his argument nnd the demijohn might run dry before tho Governor of South Carolina should bo ready to dust out for home, in which cuso it would look like ho hail not -observed the laws of hospitality, which would have been a selfinflicted thorn in his side for years to come, and no amount of apology could ease his mind or enable him to feel warranted in showing his countenance to his follow-men, especially in his homo district, where for generations it had been a main point with every gentleman to keep his visitor well supplied with creature comfort*, and to hand him a good gourdtui as a stirrupcup when about to make his departure for the bosom of his family. Singular to relate, the cautiousness manifested by the Governor of North Carolina was of no avail, for at one and tho same time the jug went dry, and the Governor of North Carolina, much to his subsequent mortification, when ho learned the fact aftorward, dropped

off into a quiot sleep, while tho Governor of South Carolina continued to keep on with his argument, holding the empty gourd in his hand in close contiguousness to the demijohn, und wondering at the*apparent absent-mindedness of his hitherto attentive host, to whom, after a minute and a half oi painful silence, he made use of but one remark: ‘Governor, don’t you think it’s a long time between drinks?’ Tho remark was overheard by George, body servant of tho Governor of North Carolina, who, knowing that there was something wrong, took to the woods, whore he remained in seclusion for throe days; hut tho Govornor ol f-outh Carolina, receiving no reply front the Governor of North Carolina, mounted his horse and rode sadly homeward, with an irrepressible feeling at his heart that there was coming to be a hollowness in friendship. and that human nature was in danger of drifting into a condition of chaotia mockery." I

THEY SAT AND SMOKED AND ARCHIED.

"GOVERNOR, DON’T YOU THINK IT’S A LONG TIMH BETWEEN DRINKS?"