The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1895-02-28
SAVED BY A BADGE.
a STORY That WILL INTEREST ALA
COLLEGE MEN,

There Was a RoPg Round the Gamma
Beta Mans Neck, and lie Was About 20
he Strung Up When His College Society
Emblem Wa Seen by One who Knew It.
The sixtieth annual dinner Of Gam
ma Beta was certainly n great success
At the long table sat so guests. OF all
ages and from oil parts Of the land
The 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 90 years lightly.
Boys" says the captain, II haven't
been to q Gamma Beta dinner for 30
years. The last time / went was n boy
In college. As look around me / am
glad l am not the oldest alumnus here.
for / feel rs young as any freshman
But / came here tonight to tell you
story, and il you have patience to hear
me ] may as we'll begin Remember,
we old ones arc garrulors ut times and
stop me when you have had enough 3"
His audience was all attention, and
the captain lighted fresh cigar. blow
out a puff of smoke and began
81 wcs the first northern man TO
plant cotton in Arkansas after the war.
The state had declared for the Union
early in 1864, but there was plenty Of
lawless sccessionism about, and 4 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 tho district il I had
- - Tv,
gave me TO understand that II they
caugrt me they would string me mp G,
the nearest tree as sure us my name was
Jim Roberts. Now, ! didn't intend to
stop planting, and didn't intend to bo
hanged, 50 went ahead and told theIn
they could hang me-if they could catch
me.
About a month after that was rid
ing across count-- 1ne afternoon TO get
a little business one IL tho nearest
town As ent, d lonely piece of
road a dozen mc Jumped out Gf tho
woods, pointed their guns at my head
and ordered me 10 Lalt and dismount
saw could do nothing but surrender
at discretion, so came down from my
horse and was Iha~vhed of in silence.
=
that led deeper into TIE woods and kept
ON until we came to a little clearing
One of my friends brought out n rope.
slung one end Of il over the limb of a
convenient tree and had the other emo
shpknotted arould my mock in jiffy.
Probably none Of you has ever felt
hangman' S rope around his neck, so you
can't appreciate the state Of my feelings
at that time. IN tell you, felt pretty
Serious and thought my lease Of life had
run out for certain. But a man ciincs
/ to life at such times, and all at once
/ had happy thought. / remembered
that had package of excellent cigars
in my pocket. and drew il out
'Gentlcmen, said, with as much
GOODNESS Is / could muster. Il know
that have bus 4 few minutes more to
live. Iwant to ask one favor. Give me
time to smoke out a cigar before yua
swing mo into eternity Will you join
me? You will find them most excel
lent
''My-captorS grimly assented. and we
lighted our weeds together No one
said aawOrd Well, boys, made that
cigar hold out. You may depend. But IL
. would burn Little by little the ash be-
gan to get longer and drop of until
there was Just so much left " And the
captain held up his smoking stumI,
measuring its small remainder critical
ly with his finger.
Well, thought to myself, here
goes for a 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,
bOysf he called out, 'who've you get
here:' We've got Roberts, and we 'ra
going to hang him. said they. AN
4 right, said the officer and came over to
I have look at me-
/ Now, had on my watch chain this
/ little badge here" and the captain
I touched a ieweled monogram Of gold
I that hung to his breast. Ihave always
worn it there and expect to as long IN I
live. My coat was open, and ~ the Con-
federate came up his eye caught the
badge Well, sirs, he turned all sorts Ut
( colOrs, and leaning close 20 my car
/ 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 turnel
TO his men. Boys. said he. this maj
is my friend. You must let him GO.
And in an instant he took the rope from
my neck, led up my horse. pulled a pair
Of pistols from his pocket aud handel
one to me. Now, brother. said he. de-
fend yourself and get away as bcst voal
cam lost no time in following his ad-
vice and made my escape. And here |
am today, and that is all. "