The record-union., 1894-12-11
ROYAL BAKING POWDER.
GAMMA BETA SAVED HIM.
a Reconstruction story That All Col
lege Men VIII Read.

"A SSOEy AL SOl-
lege Men VIII Read.
The sixteth annual dinner of Gamma
Beta was certainly a great success. At
the long table sat $50 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 of eye, he
bore his 90 years lightly.
Boys" says the Captain, 81 haven :
been To a Gamma Beta dinner for forty
years the last time l went / was a boy
In college. AS l 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 II you have patience TO hear me l
may as we'll 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 a fresh cigar, blew out a
puff of smoke and began.
Il was the first Northern man to plant
cotton in Arkansas alter the war. The
State had declared for the Union early in
'64, but there was plenty of lawless Sc
cesSioniSm about, and q n orth heruor's life
and property were none too safe. Before
L had been long at my planting L got a
notice from some OF my SeceSsiOnist
| friends that L must stop operations or
| leave the district ii | had any regard for
| my lite-in short, they gave me to under
stand that Ii they caught me they would
string me up TO the nearest tree as sure as
my name was Jim Roberts. Now,
didn't propose 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.
"A bout month after that | was riding
alone across country one afternoon to
get little business done In the nearest
| 1 10 lNt, nlx ~.
a dozen men jumped out OF the woods,
| pointed their guns at my head, and
| ordered me TO halt and dismOunt. | saw
could do nothing but surrender at diScre-
| ton, SO | came down from my horse, aud
| was marched OF IN silence. In a few
minutes we turned into a lane that led
deeper into the woods, and kept on until
we came TO little clearing. One OF my
| trienQs brought out rope, slung one end
of it over the limb of d convenient tree
and had the other end Slip-k NOTED over
my neck in a jitfy.
Probably none of you has ever felt a
| hangman's rope around his neck, so you
can't appreciate the state of my feelings
al that time. PHI tell you ] felt pretty
serious, and thought my lease of life had
! run out for certain. But man clings to
| life at such times, and all at once l had q
| happy thought. | remembered that | had
a package of excellent cigars in my
pocket and / drew 1t out.
"'GentleInen,' | said, with as much
! coOlnesS as l could muster, L know that
! | have but few minutes TO live. l want
to ask one favor. Give me time TO smok O
out a cigar before yOI swing me into
| eternity. viii you join me? You Will
! find them most excellent
MY captors grimly assented, and we
| lighted our weeds together. No one
said word. Well, boys, | made that
! oi,, hnl a
would burn. Little by little the ash be-
gan to get longer and drop off, until there
| was just about so much left" And the
captain held up his smoking stump,
! measuring it's small remainder critically
with his tlnger.
"'Well,' thought 1 to myself, here
! goes for few more puffs, anyway'-and
! L was just getting the very last of them
when we heard a horse coming through
| the trees. A tine-looking fellow rode up,
| VINO seemed to be a sort of commander OF
the company. Hello, boys,' he called
| out, 'who've you got here?' 'W9ve got
| Roberts, and we're going to hang him,
said they. All right said the officer,
| and came over to have a look at me.
Now, l had on my watch chain this
| little badge here" and the Captain
| touched a jeweled monogram of gold that
| hung TO his breast. 81 have always worn
| it there, aud expect to as long as / live.
| My coat was open, and as the COnteder-
ate came up his eye caught the badge.
! Well, sirs, he turned all sorts of coIors,
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
| a giant. Then he turned to mis- men.
Boys said he, this man is my friend
! you must let him go.' And in an instant
| he took the rope from my neck, led up
my horse, pulled a pair OF pistols from
his pocket, and handed one to me- Now,
brother said he, defend yourself, and
get away as best you canp lost no
time in following his advice, and made
my escape. And here l am to-day, and
| that is that is all.'
| There was a 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. Vino
was the man that got you free, and did
you ever see him again ?''
| The Captain rose again, smiling. "Who
was he-well, he belonged to one of our
Southern chapters. And did l see him
again-yes, l did"
| The Captain laid his hand on the
shoulder of an elderly man in the mex
seat to him. Yes, | can see him this
minute. Ned, tell the boys your side OF
the story."-New York Tribune.