St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-10-11
A STORY THAT WILL INTEREST ALL
COLLEGE MEN.

At the long table sat 5O guests, or 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
of eye, he bore his so years lightly.
Boys says the captain, Il haven't
been to Gamma Beta dinner for 40
years The last time l went 1 was boy
in college. AS look around me 1 am
glad l am not the oldest alumnus here,
for l feel as young as any freshman.
But [ came here tonight to tell you
story, and if you have patience to hear
me l may as well begin. Remember,
we old ones are garrulous at times and
stop me when you have had enough.
His audience was all attention, and
the captain lighted fresh cigar, blew
out puff of smoke and began.
81 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 secessionism about, and north
erner's life and property were none too
safe. Before 1 had been long at my
planting l got notice from some of my
secessionist friends that 1 must stop op-
L
any regard for my life-in short, they
gave me to understand that if they
caught me they would string me up to
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 l went ahead and told them
they could hang me-if they could catch
me.
about a month after that was rid
ing across country one afternoon to get
a little business done in the nearest
town. AS l entered a lonely piece of
road dozen men jumped out of the
woods, pointed their guns at my head
and ordered me to halt and dismount.
[ saw l could do nothing but surrender
at discretion, so | came down from my
horse and was marched off i'll silence.
In a few minutes we turned into d lane
that led deeper into the woods and kept
on until we came to a little clearing.
One Of my friends brought out a rope,
slung one end of it over the limb of a
convenient tree and had the other end
slipknotted around my neck i'll a jiffy.
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, felt pretty
serious and thought my lease of life had
run out for certain. But a man clings
to life at such times, and all at once
had a happy thought. [ remembered
that I had a package of excellent cigars
in my pocket, and [ drew it out.
Gentlemen, I said, with as much
GOODNESS as | could muster. 1 know
that have but few minutes more to
live. Iwant to ask one favor. Give me
time to smoke out a cigar before you
swing me into eternity. VIII you join
me? You will find them most excel
lent
My captors grimly asseuted. and we
lighted our weeds together. No one
said word Well, boys, 1 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.
" We'll, thought l to myself, here
goes for a few more puffs anyway
and 1 was just getting the very last of
them when we heard a horse coming
through the trees. A fine looking fellow
rode up, who seemed to be sort of
commander of the company. Hello,
boysp he called out, 'who've you got
here?' We've got Roberts, and e're
going to hang him. said they. All
right, said the officer and came over to
have look at me.
Now, 1 had ON my watch chain this
little badge here" and the captain
touched a jeweled monogram of gold
that hung to his breast 4 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, and 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
to his men. Boys, said he, this man
is my friend. You must let him 60
And in an instant he took the rope from
my neck, led up my horse, pulled pair
of pistols from his pocket and handed
one to me. Now, brother, said he, de-
fend yourself and get away as best you
CAM L lost no time in following his ad-
vice and made my escape. And here
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
ever see him again? Yes, did"
The captain laid his hand on the
shoulder of an elderly man in the seat
next to him. Yes, l can see him this
minute. Ned, tell the boys your side of