The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-02-25
SAVED By A BAlGE
A sroRy rLAr WILL INTEREsT A.
COLLEGE mEN

IT,, vv.. Zone Round the Gamms
net. Man. Neck, and he Was About to
he strung Up When his College Society
Emblem Was Seen by One who Knew It.
The sixticth annual dinner Of Gam
ma Beta was certainly great success.
At the long table sat / 80 guests, OF all
aces and from all parts Of the land
The feast Seas ended when the captain
sruSe from his place near the head OF
the board Straight of figure and alert
of eye, be bore his 60 years lightly.
BOYS" says the captain, Il haven't
been 10 q Gamma Beta dinner for 80
wears The last time went l was boy .
in college AS look around me am .
glad am not the oldest alumnus here, /
Tor / feel rs young as any freshman .
But came here tonight TO tell You
story, and if yen have patience to hear
me | may as well begin. Remember,
we old oues are GarTulous at times and
stoD 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 %
plant cotton in Arkansas after the war.
: The state hsld declared for the Union
1 early in 1864, but there was plenty of
/ lawless sccCSSionism about, and north
erner's life and property were none too
safe Before | had been long at my
planting got "a notice from some Of my
secesSionist friends that ! must stop op-
erations or leave the district IL had
anv regard for my life-in short, the:
/ gave me to understand that If they
caught me they would string me mp 10
the nearest tree rs sure rs my name was
Jim Roberts. Now, / didn't intend to
stop planting, and didn't intend To Ia
hanged. SO went ahead and told them
they could hang me-if they could catch
me.
.,About month after that was MD
lug across country one afternoon 10 get
little business done IN the nearest
town As | entered a lonely piece Of
road a dozen men jumped out of tho
woods, pointed their guns at my head
} and ordt red me 20 halt and dismount.
saw | could dC. nothing but surrender
at discretion, "a came down from my
horse and was Iaarchcd of IN silence
I'm q few MINUTES we turned into lane
} that led deeper into the woods and keI
on until we came TO little clearing
One Of nay friends brought ont a rope.
I slung one end Cf il over the limb Of q
J convenient tree and had the other enc
slipkuotted aroUhd my neck in Jitfy.
Probably none Of you has ever felt ,
: hangman's : rope around his neck, so yul
+ can't appreciate the state of my feelings
at that time I'll tell you, | felt pretty
i serious and Thought my lease Of life ha'
{, run out for certain But a man clinl
to life ut such times. and all at once
had n haPpy thought. ] remember
that had a package of excellent cigm
in my pocket, and drew it out.
= 'Gentlcmen, / said, with as muc'
GOODNESS Is / could muster. 4 kno,
II that | have but few minutes more {
+, live want TO ask one favor. Give IN
time To smoke out cigar before 70
swing me into eternity. Will you joi
e mC? You Will find them most exec
5 lent.
my captorS grimly asscntcd. and W
lighted our weeds together. No on
Is said word Well, boys. / made tn;
= cigar hold out. You may depend But
would burn Little by little the ash ~
= gan to get longer and drop off unit
m there was just 20 much left " And ti
- captain held up his smoking stunt
measuring its email remainder CritiCa
: ly with his finger.
lie We'll, Thought ] to myself, he
or goes for "a few more puffs anyway
and was Just getting the very last
$ them when We heard a horse comm
through the trees. a fine looking follo
rode up. who seemed 10 be a sort
nj commander of the company. He'll
, boysr he called out, 'who've you &
here?' We've got Roberts, and we
going to hang him, said they. A
e. right, said the officer and came over
-, have look at me
> Now, had on my watch chain Oh
a little badge here, and the capita
ad touched icweled monogram of SO
shat hung 10 his breast " have alwa
az worn it there and expect TO as long a,
nd live My coat was open. and as the Go
.ot federate came mp mis- eye caught {
badge Well sirs. he turned all sorts
eolors. and leaning close To my Z
ep whispered the name Of our fraternii
n at the same time grasping my hand Wi
the good old Gamma grip, given wi
the strength Of giant Then he turn
=. TO his men. Boys. said he. this M
rs my friend You must let him &
~ @ And in an instant he took tine rope FRI
mi my neck. led up my horse. pulled a p
ri of pistols from his pocket and hand
ar one TO me. Now, brother. said he, Z
ing fend yourself and get away as best y
the cam lost no time in following his
'ng vice and made my escape. And her
md NJ, toIev aud tbat il ain -
There was a storm Of applause wi
ollI thn rar,rnir, hnn Rnirhanl nnl hnl tn l