The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-02-27
SAVED BY A BADGE.
A STORY THAT WILL INTEREST ALL
COLLEGE MEN.

There Was EoPe Round the Gamma
Beta Mans Neck. and lie Was About Co
lie Strung u when Ills college society
Emblem Was seen by One Who Knew 10.
The sixticth annual dinner Of Gam
ma Beta WIS certainly a great success
At the long table sat $50 guests, Of all
Ggcs and from all parts Of the land
Tho feast WAS ended when the captain
arose from his place near the head Of
the board. Straight Of figure ard alert
OF eye, he bore his so years lightly.
Boys. A" says the captain, Il haven't
been 10 a Gamma Beta dinner for 80
years. The last time / went ! was a boy
in college. As lock around mo | am
glad / am not tie Oldest alumnus here,
tor | feel Is young rs any freshman.
But / c9me here tonight TO tell You a
story, and if Won have patience to hear
mo ! may as well begin. Remember,
we old ones are gIT1uloC at times and
stop me when you have had enough. "
lis audience was all attention, and
the captain lighted fresh cigar, blew
out puff Cf smoke and BEGAN.
Il was the first northern man to
plant cotton in Arkansas after the war.
The state had declared for the Union
carly in 1851, but there was plenty of
lawlCss scccssionisin about, and a north
erner's life and property Elro none too
safe. Before | had been long at my
planting got q notice from some Of my
scccssionist friends that I must stop op-
er&tiols or leave tie district il | lad
any regard for nly life-in short, the.
gave me to understand that if they
caught ne they wouid string me up 10
the nearest tree a. sure a. my name was
Jim Roberts. Now, | didn't intend 20
stop planting, ami | didn't intend T. be
hanged, 50 | 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
4 little business done il the nearest
town As | entered q lonely piece Of
road q dozen men jumped out Of the
woods, pointed their guns at my heal
and ordered me 10 halt and dismount
| saw | could do nothing hut surrender
at discretion, so I came down from my
horse ard was marched of in silence
In a few IlinUtcs we turned into a lane
that led de per into tho woods and kept
ON until we came 10 little clearing
One Of my friends brought out a rope
slung one end of il over the limb Of a
convenient tree and had the other enc
slipknotted around my neck III jifFy
Probably ncne of you has ever felt a
hansman's 5 rope around his neck. so You
can't appreciate the state Of my feelings
at that time Ill tell you, / felt pretty
serious and thought my lease Of life hal
run out for certain. But q man clincs
to lie Ct such times, and all ut once / \
had a happy Thought / remembered
that | had u package of excellent cigars
Ill Ily pocket, and / drew il oct.
Gentlemen, said, with rs much
coolnoss rs | could muster 4 know
that / have But = few minutes more tc
live. Iwant t. ask one favor Give lle
time TO smoke out q cigal before .voa
swing me into eternity. Will You join /.
me: You VIII fnd them most excel .
lent.
Ally captorS srimly asscnted. and we
lighted our weeds together No one
said word. Wen, boys, I made thaf
cigar held out. you may depend. But il .
would burn. Little by little the ash be-
gan TO set longer and drop off until
there was just 20 much left " And the 4
captain held mp his smoking stumI.
measuring its small remainder critical. 4
" with his finger.
" Well, thought to myself, here
goes for few more pufFs anyway.
and l was just getting the very last cf
them when we hond a horse coming
through the trees. A fine looking fellow
rode up, who seemed to be a sort Of
commander of the company. Hello.
boys! he called ont, 'who've Won rgt
hcre:' We've got Roberts, and were
going to hang him, said they AN
right, said tie officer and came overtoI
have look at me
Now, h&d Oh my watch chain this
little badge here, and tile captain
touched a jCweled monogram uf eoli
bat HING to lis breast Il have always
worn II there and expect to as long -
live. My coat was open, and as the Con
came mp his eye caught the
badge, Well, sirs le turned all sorts II
2olorS, and leaning close to my ear
the name of our fraternity.
1t the same time grasping my hand with
Inc good old Gamma grip, given witl
the strength Of giant. Then he turnel
70 his men. Boys, said lac, this MAJ
s my friend. You must let him go.
And III an instant he took the rope from
ny neck, led up my horse, pulled pair
IF pistols from his pocket and handel
me to me Now, brother, said he. de
'end yourself and get away as best yo1
cant | lost no time i'll following his ad-
'ice and made my Escape and Lern !
im to-day, and that is all. 1"
There was storm of applause when
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