The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-08
The Cay Season Among the
Highlands.
The Military Annual in Full Blast, but
the Visitors Behindhand.
THE WHY AND THE WHEREFORE.
The Graduating Class-WhO and What
They Archie Examination in
Engineering.
WEST POINT. June 9, 1872.

Point now IN the land OF the living runneth not
back TO the time when the season. in these parts
was SO backward in coming forward as it is
this year. The why and the wherefore
questions which are sOrely puzzling the
minds Of every man, woman and child
for miles around, who is in any way dependent
upon the frivolites and extravagancies of the an
nual occasion for the wherewthal to keep body ana
soul together. Indeed, there are those of bilious
turn of sentiment who roll up the whites OF their
eyes and cross their piously their bosoms,
and declare from their heart of hearts that the
reason OF the present dearth OF all that In years
gone 10y was wont to make this delightful retreat
from metropolitan hustle and confusion
HEAVEN ON EARTH
is owing entirely, exclusively and vlllanously to the
horrible fact that the Academy is not what
II used to be in the days when Southern
cbivalry fourshed in the land, and when the
daughters OF the sunny South frollicked about the
mistresses OF all they surveyed, and poured out
their dollars, won by the sweat of their beloved
slaves, as freely and avishly as though the days of
chvalry never to end II you run down into
the little village, mile below the post. and ask
why the season lags of the miiners, the dress
makers, the shopkeepers, the stable cutivators
and the hundred and one other people who
settled hereabouts years upon years ago,
and to whom the West Point season was always q
golden godsend-l0oked forward to In the dreary
winter times with that anxiety that dependant
always looks up to the one whose favors give
him life-they will one and all give you
the same mournfu reply. They win drag
you metaphOrically back to the days when
Lee was the wOrshipped superintendent
and Beauregard the idol OF the cadet corps, and
the cadet corps the idol OF the Southern bellies;
and they will tell you how they Jared then and how
they do not fare now; how the war has brought
about
AN AWFUL CHANGE
for West Point and turned the Academy into a
resort for an entirely different class OF visitors
than once upon a time made 1t the great
summer abiding place OF the creamiest cream OF
polite society. With tears in their eyes they will
bewail the absence OF the extravagances of those
golden days when the Northern cadets were not
even thought of, because they were not
of the same blue blood fk as their fire.
eating chums from beyond the dividing line,
and when the vile innovations inaugurated
by Northern rule were not even dreamed Of In the
philosophy OF the most liberal Southern visitor To
these and all other OF the neighbors Of West Point
the situation OF the Academy has, 1t must be con-
fessed always been looked upon as something
Providental In the matter OF bread and butter and
| it is not to be wondered at that, now that
able concomnants'' OF the fashionable season as
| once they did, they should purse up their hungry
mouths and maliciously grumble because the sun
does not shine night and day, so that they make
| hay at all hours Still do not think that they are
altogether wrong in their reckoning as TO what, in
and exclusive elegance that made 1t perfect pur-
| ANY ORDINARY INDIVIDUAL
| who was not born with silver spoon in his mouth,
or who could not count shoulder strap among the
heirooms Of his Siam family IT. IL Is now nnquestonaby
80, as II ever was. The same grand mountains sur
round it upon every side, the same great river
flows as majesticaly and winds, as OF DID, about
the rugged rocks upon which 1t Is perched,
the hotels as well kept as ever and
the same "magniGcent magnncencen OF views
exists to-day as when the oldest officer now in the
army was cadet and, perhaps like Shakspearcs
lover composed sonnets to the eyelashes OF his lady
love. And yet why do we not have
THE ANCIENT GALA DAYS
in all the freshness and brlliancy Of the past Why
wont to be so great OF the regular seasoners that
o transient" was in daily risk OF being compelled
to go whence he came, unfed and nncared for,
there Is ample room for all corners, with welcome
so warm that 1T betokens how truly
'every mickle makes a mucke., The fact Is, the
question IS "a conundrum that do not propose to
answer, for the simple reason that do not know
how TO DO It, II Is pretty certain that the Academy
itself is not at fault, for the military season has
opened with the usual flourish of trumpets and the
beating OF drums, and even he whom West Point
for good and disciplinarian reasons looks upon
looked upon their wooden gods has put in his APP
pearance and been hailed with salvo of guns,
encc. / refer to the Secretary OF
War, that great physician whose individual
prescriptions to cadetdom never fail to work to the
life or death, las the case may be-" There is one
particular class OF the community, however, who,
have perceived during the past few days. doing
their best to MI up the gaps in the hotels made by
the absence OF the regular annual guests allude to
the brides and bridegrooms. think know some
what Of West Point and the kind OF people who
generally come here yet do not think that 1t was
ever, at least within my recollection, favorite re-
sort OF
THE BILLING AND COOLING coTERIE.
You see, the greater the crowd, like at Niagara
for instance, the greater the inducement for 1.-The
happy couple to- be lost sight OF, for where every
body Is In confusion, In hurry coming from some
where and In greater hurry to 90 somewhere
and the interruptions to those little, un-
ceasing attentions which the blessed pair
win persist In paying TO one another In and
the circumstances 1t does seem strange that this
season, and just at the quietest portion OF it, the
down in our midst. Not less than dozen OF them
twenty or, rather, twentyfonr persons in all
ow one does gei mixed nno up 10 sns kmd
OF course. they have been and will be-those who yet
remain-the observed Of all observers. One ofthese
new-nedged duets who, am sorry to say, have
already winged their way elsewhere, graced the
same table as myself two or three days ago
HAVEN'T the slightest dea Of the Wealth and
beauty OF things in general as expressed in that
language, l need not say that the conversation,
very interesting one to me. However,
ACTIONS SPEAK STRONGER THAN WORDS
with the newly married. they say, and the drift OF
the conversation and good deal OF the energetic
gestures OF the happy young man became clear to
me when, after the brides disposing of one orange,
he deliberately, In his enthusiasm, took up the
fruit dish and with the greatest possible In the
world tumbled out Its entire contents into her lap.
or course she blushed-perhaps, you say, placed
the fruit in the dish again Not bit OF
1t. Making a sack OF her napkin she placed the
delicacies In 1t and followed her lord and master to
their room, where no doubt there was feast. !
saw this same couple scaling the battered walls OF
| old Fort Putnam later In the day. each with an
orange in hand. Who says happiness was born in
| palace
THE EXAMINATIONS.
But now that have spoken as to the backward
ness OF the present society season and what there
is OF 1t already-of the season, not the backward
ness-let me say word about the military part OF
1t. Rain or shine, Of course, this is livey" every
| year. II always has been so, IL always win be
| SO, and 1t can never be otherwise SO long as
the army fate Of nifty sixty embryo warriors Il at
stake by means OF II. Already the usual pifpaf-
| poum reception OF the Board OF Visitors has been
| INDUCED In by the Academic Starr and all the
other dgniied and undignined dignitaries Of the
place, and, Notwithstanding the harmless old gen
tlemen who have been the objects Of It