The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1898-09-15
fHossoN ASA ROMEO.
Hero of the Merrimac Was Once Tried
for Hugging a Girl.


Stories of Lieut.. 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 Marion, Ala, In the
eighties. Marion, like most college
towns, had two fiourishing schools, one
for each sex-the Judson seminary for
the girls and the Marion Military lnstl-
tute for their brothers. The last named
was where young Hobson attended.
These schools were largely patronized
by the States surrounding Alabama,
and the students boarded in the college
buildings, where a strict surveillance
was kept over them, and anything Ike
a Irritation between the boys and girls
was prohibited in the most rigid man.
ner.
Once a month. however. the literary
society of the military school held an
open session at the church, to which
the girls were invited, and to which
they came under the chaperonage of
their teachers. They formed in long
line in pairs, and, with two teachers In
front and two in the rear, they filed
from the Judson grounds across the
square to the church, which stood back
in the yard. and on each side OF the
serpentine pathway leading TO the door
were rows of elm trees. The boys were
accustomed at the close Of the open
meetings to rush from the church and
stand on each side of the walk against
these elms and give military salute to
the girls as they filed past them on their
way back to the seminary.
One evening, after one of these enter
tanments, and Just as the procession
had started from the church, there was
a piercing scream heard coming from
the center of the line, where the utmost
confusion was found to prevail. The
lady teachers from both ends hurried
| forward to see what could be the tou-
BILE. The specialized professors of the
college also hurried forward and de-
manded what had happened. One of
the prettiest girls of the school was In
tears, and declared that ''Dick" Hobson
had rushed out from the line of boys
Gus accusation indeed, and shortly af-
terward the teachers of the Judson
school and several of the pupils were
asked to appear against Richmond Z.
Hobson. who was to be tried by court
martial.
1t was an interesting trial, and much
interesting testimony was brought out
| The girl in the case said that While sne
| could not see the face of the one who
Rugged 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 We're sure he was the guilty party.
Everything seemingly went to prove
the young mans guilt, and finally the
grave professor who was presiding 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: "Mr. Professor, l
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 l am willing to be expelled, and
he took his seat amidst very audible
litter 1t is hardly necessary to say
that while he was not allowed the priv.
ilege of the test. Mr. Hobson escaped
| Washington Post.