The age-herald., 1898-06-12
Hobson's Strategy in School

Stories of Lieu tenant Hobson are now in order, and the following one is related by a lady in the city who attended school with the hero of the hour, when he was a pupil at Greensboro, Ala, in the eighties. Greens boro, like most all towns, had two flourish ing schools, one for each sex-the Greens boro seminary, for the girls, and the South
 ern university, for their brothers. The last named was where young Hobson at- tended. These schools were largely patron- ized by the states surrounding Alabama, and the students boarded in the college buildings, ewhere strict surveillance was kept over them; and anything like frta- tion between the boys and girls was pro- hibited in the most rigid manner. Once month, however, the literary society of the male school held an open session at the seminary, to which the girls were Invited and to which they came under the chaper- onage of thedr teachers. They formed in long line in pairs, and with two teachers in front and two in the rear, they filed from the seminary grounds across town to the university, which stood back in the yard, and on each side of the serpentine path way leading to the door were rows of elm trees. The boys were accustomed at the close of the open meetings to rush from the chapel and stand on each side of the walk against these elms and give a mlli- tary salute to the girls as they filed past them on their way back to the seminary.
 One evening after one of these entertan- ments and just as the procession had start ed from the church there was piercing scream heard coming from the center of the line, where the utmost confusion was found to prvail. The lady teachers from both ends hurried forward to see what could be the trouble. The spectacled pro- fessors of the college also hurried forward and demanded what had happened. One of the prettiest girls of the school was in tears, and declared that "DiclS'' Hobson had rushed out from the line of boys and hugged her. That was a very serious ac- cusation, indeed, and shortly afterward the teachers of the Judson school and several of the pupils were asked to appear against Richmond P. Hobson, who was to be tried by court martial. It was an interesting trial, and much interesting testimony was brought out. The girl in the case said that while she could not see the face of the one who hugged her, she was sure it was Dick" because he had been slipping notes to her at Sunday school Her companions also agreed that they couldn't see the face of the hugger in the darkness, but from the way Dick had looked at them when they were in the church they were sure he was the guilty party. Everything seemingly went to prove the young mans guilt, and finally the grave professor, who was presid- ing over the court asked the culprit if he had anything to say in his own defense. The future hero of Santiago bay stood up before the crowded room, and with great solemnity said: MT. Professor, have only one thing to say, and that is, if the court will let me hug the young lady now, and if she says it's the same kind of hug she received that evening then am willing to be expelled,' and he took his seat amidst a very audible litter. It is hardly neces- sary to say that while he was not allowed the privilege of the test, MT. Rihmond escaped expulsion.