"one Fortesque Turbeville." Now, I do not know whether this came about through his having no title, a very serious drawback in the eyes of the aristocracy of those days, or whether this designative unit had been made to preface his name because of its significant suggestion of his having been the one of all others, the pivot on which this queer election hinged. At any rate, we will accept this latter explanation, since he may have been a man of family, and no risk must be taken of hurting feelings. The day of the election came. The deputies met. Two of them had their votes fixed, the same as though they had been cast. Strange to say, the third one, and " the one of all others," had not. He was anything else but a pivot at this period of the proceedings. He was more like a pendulum, swaying back and forth; but, as the sequel showed, he was far from being a brassy one. Neither had he taken unto himself any such thoughts as had flown to high places in the minds of the other two from the moment of the announce ment of the necessity of the election. Coming from his plantation that morning in his canopied boat, propelled by his six stout negro rowers, Colonel Thomas Broughton had communed with himself something after the following manner: — "It is only too evident that I, and I alone, am the man for the position, for which one of my associates has such qualifications as I? If the proprietors could speak, I am sure I would be the man of their choice." Very nearly the same comments had passed through the mind of Mr. Chief Jus tice Gibbes, as he left his East Kay residence in grand style for the scene of the election. The three deputies were soon closeted in the room, while outside the crowd waited anxiously. The Hon. Mr. Gibbes at first showed the most nervousness of the three; but in a few moments he sat smoothing his ruffles with a pride and complaisance that indicated they might very soon pass into the possession of the governor of Carolina.
Colonel Thomas Broughton opened his silver box and took therefrom snuff in the good oldfashioned style, in a pinch conveyed to the nose. Then he sneezed once, twice, thrice. An unkind observer of the present genera tion, noting the rather alert expression of the eye, the furtive look now and then out of the corner, might have somewhat smartly declared that he was up to snufl". The first ballot showed a decidedly mixed state of things. Broughton and Gibbes had each voted for himself. Turbeville, still play ing pendulum, hadn't voted at all. So, as yet, behold, there was still no governor of the mighty Province of Carolina! "Mr. Turbeville," said Mr. Chief Justice Gibbes blandly, "this will never do. Come, my dear sir, your ballot must be cast. I am sure you cannot hesitate further when you realize what might be the result, nay, is the danger of leaving this great Province of Carolina one moment longer without an offi cial head. The question is easy enough to decide it seems to me. It is simply as to which one of us now is the best fitted to under take the responsible duties of this position." At these words the chief justice looked at him in a way that plainly indicated that if he, Turbeville, had but half an eye, he could see clearly that point as Mr. Gibbes himself saw it. "Yes, friend Turbeville," said Colonel Broughton, going a degree further in his ex pression of affectionate interest, "you must vote; otherwise there can be no election, and things must not remain at this pass." It was clear that the thought had not entered the colonel's head that one of the two already voting might play the role of self-abnegation, and change his vote to the other. Such a course was plainly beyond even contemplation. "Yes, friend Turbeville," continued Broughton, and looking at him in the most affectionate and solicitous way, " you must vote. Of course, you will cast your vote in the fear of God and to the best interests of your
