Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-11-10
SAVED BY A BADGE.
A S1cRr THAT WILL INTEREST ALL
COLLEGE MEN.

DO SeruhS Up when His College Society
Emblem Was Seen by One Who X new It,
The sixtieth annual dinner of Gam
ma Beta was certainly a great success.
AT the long table sat 15G guests, Of all
ages and from all parts of the land.
The feast was ended when the captain
arose from his place near the head of
the board Straight of figure and alert
Oh eye, he bore his 60 years lightly.
Boys. says the captain, Il haven't
pecn to a Gamma Beta dinner for 40
years. The last time went I was boy
In college. AS / look around me am
glad l am not the oldest alumnus here
Tor l feel as young as any freshman
But l came here tonight to tell You a
story, and if You have patience to hear
me l may as well begin. Nmember,
VIC old ones are garrulous at times and
stop NE when you have had enough
His audience was all attention, and
the captain lighted fresh cigar, blew
out puff of smoke and began.
Il was the first northern man to
plant cotton in Arkansas after the war
The state had declared for the Union
| early in 1864, but there was plenty of
laWless sccesSionism about, ard north
erner's life and property We're none too
safe. Before l had been long at nv
planting got notice from some Of my
| secessionist friends that l must stop op-
| eratlons or leave the district if l had
any regard for my life-in short, they
gave me to understand that if they
III GU.
the nearest tree as sure as my name was
Jim Roberts. Now, l didn't intend to
stop planting, and l didn't intend to be
hanged, so went ahead and told them
they could hang me-if they could catch
me.
About q month after that was rid
ing across country one afternoon to get
little business done in the nearest
town. AS l entered lonely piece of
road dozen men jumped ont of the
woods. pointed their guns at my head
ard ordered me to halt and dismount.
saw could do nothing but surrender
ut discretion, so came down from my
horse and was marched off in silence.
In few minutes We turned into lane
that led deeper into the woods and kept
on until we came to n little clearing
One of my friends brought out rope,
slung one end Of it over the limb of a
convenient tree and had the other end
shpi1notted around my neck IL a jiffv.
Probably none of you has ever felt a
hangman' rope around his neck, so You
can't appreciate the state of my feelings
at that time. I'll tell you, l felt pretty
serious and thought my lease of life had
run out for certain. But man clings
to life at such times, and all ut once
had happy thought. ! remembered
that l had u package of excellent cigars
i'll my pocket, and / drew it ont.
Gentlemen, ! said, with as much
coolness as | could muster. L know
that l have but few minutes more to
live. Iwant to ask one favor. Give me
time to smoke out cigar before YOU
swing me into eternity. Will you Join
me? You Will find them most excel
lent
My captors grimly assented, and we
lighted our weeds together No one
said word Well, boys, / made that
cigar hold out, you may depend But it
would burn. Little by little the ash be-
gan to get longer and drop off until
there was just so much left And the
captain held up his smoking stump,
measuring its small remainder critical
ly with his finger.
Well, thought to myself, here
goes for few more puffs anyway.
and was just getting the very last of
them when we heard 4 horse coming
through the trees. A fine looking fellow
rode up, who seemed to be q sort of
commander Of the company Hello
boys!' he called out, 'who've you got
here?' We've got Roberts, and we re
going to hang him. said they. All
right, said the officer ard came over to
have look at me-
Now, l had on my watch chain this
little badge here" and the captain
touched jcwelod monogram of gold
that hung to his breast Il have always
worn it there and expect TO as long as /
live. My coat was open, and as the Con
federate came up his eye caught the
badge. Well, sirs, he turned all sorts of
colors, ana leaning close to my ear
whispered the name of our fraternity.
at the same time grasping my hand with
the good old Gamma grip, given with
the strength of giant. Then he turned
sto his men, Boys said he, this man
ds my friend. You must let him go.
'Ahd in an instant he took the rope from
my neck, led Up my horse, pulled pair
''ofi pistols from his pocket and handed
one to me. Now, brother, said he, de-
fend yourself and get away as best you
can! l lost no time in following his ad-
vice and made my escape. And here I
am today, and that is ALL
There was storm of applause when
the captain had finished and had taken
his seat.
But, captain" cried more than one,
you'll have to finish the story. Who
was the man that got you free, and did
yOu ever see him again.
The captain arose again, smiling.
Who was he? Well, he belonged to one
of our southern chapters. And did /
oversee him again? Yes, did,
The captain laid his hand OH the
shoulder of an elderly man in the seat