The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1894-10-08
SAVED BY A BADGE.
q 5ToRY THAT WILL INTEREST ALL
COLLEGE MEN.

bttd Nsths tHN ~ " AbNN' ~
Be strung Up when his College Society
Emblem Was Seen by One who Knew II.
The sixtioth annual dinner of Gam.
ma Beta was certainly great success
At the long tab,e sat 80 guests, Of all
ages aud from all parts OF the land
Tho feast was ended when the captain
arose from his place near tho head of
the board. Straight of figure and alert
of eye. ho bore his 60 years lightly.
Boys. says the captain, IL haven't
been to Gamma Beta dinner for 40
years The last time went was boy
in college. AS look around ne | am
glad ain not the oldest alumnus here,
for | feel as young as any freshman.
But | came here tonight to tell You "A
story, and IL you have patience to hear
ne | 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
ont puff of smoke and began
al was tho first northern man TO
plant cotton in Arkansas after tho war.
The state mad declared for the Union
early in 1864, but there was plenty Of
lawless seccssionism about, and n north
erner's life and property were none too
safe. Before | had been long at my
planting got notice from some of my
sccessionist friends that | must stop op-
erations or leave the district il | had
any regard for my life-in short, they
fa t,,,Iar.fanA thaf 10 fhpx
caught me they would string me up to
the nearest tree as sure as my name was
Jim Roberts Now, didn't intend to
stop planting, and didn't intend to DO
hanged so | went ahead and told them
they could hang me---if they could catch
/ me-
About month after that was rid.
| ing across country one afternoon to get
ht,io business done in the nearest
town. A. entered lonely piece Of
road dozen men jumped out of the
woods, pointed their guns at my head
and ordtr,d me to halt and dismount.
saw | could do nothing but surrender
at discretion, so came down from my
horse and Nyas marched off in silence.
In a few minutes we turned into II lano
that led deeper into the woods and kept
on rutil We came to n little clearing
One OF my friends brought out rope,
slung one end Of il over the limb of q
convenient tree and had the other end
slipknotted around my neck in liify
Probably none of you has ever felt a
hangran's rope around his neck, so yor
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 n uial olines
to life at such times, and all at once
had "a happy thought ! remembered
tina: had "a package Of excellent cigar.
in roy pocket, and drew it ont.
Gentlemen. | said, with rs much
coolness as | could muster Il know
that have but few minutes moro 10
live. Iwant to ask one favor. Give me
time to smoke out o cigar before yuu
swing RIO into eternity. viii you join
me! You will find them most excel.
lent
My captors grimly asscnted. and we
lighted our weeds together No one
said word Well, boys. made th.s
cigar bold out, you may depend. But il
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 It's small remainder critical
ly with his frger.
Well, thought TO myself hers
goes for few more puffs anyway.
and 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 a sort of
commander of the company Hello,
boysp he called out, 'who've you got
herey We've got Roberts, and wc'rl
gOiig to hang him, said they. 'All
right, said the officer and came over to
have II look at mo
Now, ! had on my watch chain this
little badge here" and the captain
touched ieweled monogram Of gold
that hung to his breast. II have always
WON it there and expect TO as long as ]
live. My coat was open, and as tho Con.
fedorate came up his eye caught the
badge. Well, sirs, he turned all sorts ui
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 go.
And in an instant he took the rope from
my neck, led up my horse, pulled pair
of pistols from his pocket and handel
one to me Now, brother, said he de-
fend yourself and get away as best yon
canP | lost no time in following his I'D
vice and made my escape. And here
am today, and that is all.
There was n storm Of applause when
the captain had finished and had taken
His seat
But captain, .ried more than one,
'you' II 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 her Well, he belonged to one
Of our southern chapters. And did