The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-03-04

tE OQAEE~& NlENt
TherelWms-m -Revpu= H1Qund=fhu=olmu
Beta Mans Neck. and he was,Ab0pt TO
BE Strung Up When His College SOCIETY
Emblem WaSse~n by one W4ho ku~w lG
~ The saxtieth annuud dinner Of Gam
ma Beta was certainly great success
At tho long table sat $50 guests. Of Ell
ages and from all parts Of the land
Tho feast Nsls ended when the captain
-strose from his place Rsara the head Of
tho board. Straight Of figure and alert
of eye. he bore his so years lightly.
2 Boys" says the captain. Il baven't
been TO a Gammn Beta dinner for 40
years. The last time ] went / was n boy
in college As look around me | am
glad am not the oldest alumnus here.
for feel, rs young as any freshman
But cnme here tonight TO tell you .
story. and IL you have patience TO hear
me ] may rs well begin Remem ber,
we old ones arc garrulOus at times and
stop me when you have had enough.
Hi5Aaudience was all attention, and
the 80 .pin lighted fresh cigar. blew
out p Fud of smoke and began
Il WAS the-fEst northern man to
p'~nt c>tton in Arkansas after the war.
state had declared for the Union
early in 1854. but there was plenty Of
fawlcss secgssionisln about, nndn north
erner' 8 life and property were none too
safe. BefC-e / had been long at my
planting | EJt q notice from sclno of my
seceSEionisf friends that must stop cp-
erations or leave the district IL / had
any regard for my life-in short. they
gave me to understand that if thCy
caught ne they wuCld string me up 70
thc nearest tlee as s,:Te IS my name was
jim Roberts. Now, | didn't intend 20
sop planting, and didn't intei Il to be
hanged, SO ] went ahead ard told them
they could hang me-if they could catch
me-
Abort month after that was rid
ing acrOss country one afternoon to get
a little business done in the nearest
town As | entered q lonely piece Of
road u dozen Len jumped out nf the
woods, pointed their guns at my head
and urders d me 10 halt ard dismount
saw | could do nothing but surrender
at discretion so | C, me down from my
hoI-e and vas I4archcd off in silence
In few minutes we turned into Il lame
that led deeper into the woods and kept
on until We came to a little clearing
One of my friends brought out a rope,
slung one end OF is over the limb Of q
convenient tree and had the other enc
slipknotted around my neck in q jiffy
Probably hone Of you has ever felt 4
hangman' 5 rIpe aTou:id his neck, so you
can't appreciate the state of my feelings
ct that time. I'm tell you. felt pretty
serious and thought my lease OF life hal
rur out tor celtain- But a man clings
10 lie at such times. and all at once I
had a hSTpy thought | remembered
that | had package Of excellent cigars
~ ny tocse and drew il out
'GvI4tl-Eo.I, / said, with as much
cOolEess IL / cJCld muster. 4 know
that hive but few minutes more to
live lwalit Ia ask one favor. Give me
time 10 sniOAe ont a cigar before yuu
swing Ile into eternity. Will you Join
me: Io1 will find them most excel
lclt
My ca :: - griuly assented. and we
lighted C-r weeds together. No one
said : we'd Wei, b,ys, l made that
cigar held ut. yuu may depend. Bot il
would bum. Little by little the ash be-
gar to get longer and drop OFT until
there was lUst SO much left. " And the
captain held Up his smoking stump.
r'"asnrip@ its snail remainder critical
ly with his frgcr.
Well, thought | TO myself, here
goes fur 4 lew nGre puffs anyway.
and vas .1st getting tie very last Il
them when We heard horse coming
through the trees a fine looking fellow
rode up, who sccElcd TO he a sort uf
coinmab''-F - -" company. Hello,
boys he ,.io1 out. 'who've you rrt
hcref' ", We eut Roberts, and We -
E""g - ;'aHg ..l:n, said they. All
~, s-sid the officer and came over to
IL look at me-
Now. / had on my watch chain this
little badge here and the CAPTAIN
touched :cveled monogram of gold
that EUns To his breast. I have alwavs
worn it tnele and expect Co a. long as
I've My cost WAS open, ard as the Con
fcdtr2te came up his eye caught the
badge Well siTS, he Turned all sorts Il
cOlorS, and L..IIing close To my ear
whispered the name Of ouf fraternity,
at the same time grasping my hand with
Tie SoOd old Gamma grip, given with
the strength Of a giant Then he turnel
to his men. Enys. said he. this mai
Is my friend. You must let him GO. .
And IL III irstant he took the rope FROM
my neck, led up NY horse. pulled pair
of Pistols from ms PCclet and handel
oUo TO r'e. Now. brother, said he. de
feld yourself and get away rs best yul
cant ! luss 10 time in following his nd
vice and made my &C. re. And here