The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-02-23
SAVED BY A BADGE.
4 STORY THAT WILL INTEREST ALL
COLLEGE MEN.

There was n Rope Round the Gamma
Beta Mans Neck. and He Was About TO
Be strung Up When His College society
Emblem Was Seen by One who knew n.
The sixtieth annual dinner Of Gam
ma Beta was certainly a great success
At the long table sat / so guests, Of all .
ages 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 and alert
OF eye, he bore his 60 years lightly.
Boys" SAYS the captain, i haven't
been to a Gamma Beta dinner for 40
years. The last time went was a boy
in college AS look around me | am
glad am not the oldest alumnus here,
fer | fCoI as young as any freshman
But came here tonight to tell you "a
story, and if you have patience to hear
me l may as well begin. Remember,
we old ones are girrulous at times and
stop me when yOu have had enough.
His audience was all attention, and
the captain lighted fresh cigar, blew
out q puff of smoke and began.
Il was the first northern man 20
plant cotton III Arkansas after the war.
The state had declared for the Union
carly in 1864. but there was plenty Of
I lawless scctsSiOnism about. and a north
erner's life and property were none too
safe Before | had been long ut my
planting got a notice from some Of my
secessioniSt friends that | must stop op-
crations or leave the district if / had
any regard for my life-in short, they
gave me 70 understand that if they
caught me they would string me up 20
the nearest tree rs sure as my name was
Jim Roberts. Now, | didn't intend tu
stop planting, and didn't intend to be
hanged, so | went ahC al and told them
they could hang me-if they could catch
nc.
About month after that was rid
ing across country one afternoon To get
little business done III the nearest
town As | entered a lonely piece Of
road a dozen men Jumped ont Of tho
woods, pointed their gums at my head
and ordered me 10 halt and dismount.
saw | could dc. nothing but surrender
at discretion, so came down from my
horse and was Ilarchcd 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 a lite clearing
One of my frigI.ds bruLsht out . rope.
slung one end q II over the limb of a
! convenient tree and had the other enc
slipknotted around my neck III jiiIy.
Probably nCne of you has ever felt a
] hangman' ; rope around his neck. SO you
Z can't appreciate the state of my feelings
at that time. I'll tell you. felt pretty
serious and thOJght NY lease Of life had
run out for Gel tain. But man clina,
to life at such times, and all at once
had 4 happy thought. ! remcmbere5
2 that / had a package of excellent cigar,
3 in my pocket. and / drew it out.
'Gcutlcmcu, l said, with rs mucl
ccolnoss as / could muster. I know
? that have hut a few minutes more {,
: live. Iwant tn ask one favor. Give IN,
time to smoke out cigar before yog
sN ing me into eternity. Will you ioil
r me? You will find them most excel
. lent
MY captorS grimly asscnted. and w
n lighted our weeds together. No on
O said word. Wei, boys. l made tina
=. cigar hold cut. You may depend. But j
would burn Little by little the ash he
gar 10 get longer and drop of unit
there was Just 30 much left. 3" And tn
captain held up his smoking stumT
measuring its .nall remainder critical
ly with his finger.
" We'll. thought l to myself. her
" goes for few more pufTs anyway.
and / was just getting the very last 4
them when we heard a horse comm
y through the trees. a fire looking felloN
Is rode up, who seemed to be n sort q
commander Of the company Hello
boysr be called out, 'whO've you e
9 here:' We've got Roberts, and we r
; going 10 hang him, said they. "A
right, said the officer and came over {
. have look at me.
le Now, lad on my watch chain thi
J. little badge here" and the captai
touched a jeweled monogram Of gol
u that hung to his breast. Il have alway
/. worn ii there and expect to as long as
j. live. My coat was open, and Us the Coz
federate came up his eye caught I'll
= badge Well. sirs, he turned all sorts
re colUrs, and leaning close To my ca
whispered the name of cur fraternity
at the same time grasping my hand wit
/ the good old Gamma grip, given wit
the strength of giant. Then he turno
to his Een. Boys, said he, this ma
is my friend. You must let him go
ut And in an instant he took the rope fro
10 my neck. led up my horse, pulled pa
of pistols from his pocket and hande
q one to me. Now. brother. said he, d
T. fend yourself and get away as best Y,
m canl' lost no time in following his a.
vice and made my escape. And hero
OF am today, and that is all -
re There was a storm Of applause wht
the car,ain had finished and had tax,
his seat.
as But. captain. - -ried more than ON
"yOu II have Tn finish the story VI