Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-07-31
West Point Experience.

"CSe OAAAu HAECllCACC.
Having been honorcd with an appoint
ment as cadet in the United States Mil
itary Academy, 1packed my trunks, said
good-by to parents and sweethearts, and
hurried to West Point ny rail-. At
o'clock in the morning after my arrival I
reported to the Commandant, Gen. Ma
han. I was directed by him to report at
once to the surgeon of the post for physi-
cal examination. l shuddcred. When
entered the room. at the surgeons head
quarters felt as if had the fever and
ague. shook in every eyelash, and yet
my face felt like red-hot stove. Three
military gentlemen sat at intervals around
the room.
''Go into the other room and take off
your clothes" commanded one
GAIL of 'em?" asked.
"Certainly!" he yelled, and every let
ter of the word was a capital. 1t was a
| very small word, but it sounded like a
shutdown gun to me, and I jumped at
least foot. When I came back l didn't
have any clothes on. How got them
off I haven't the slightest recollection. I
know that tore my shirt down the back
in my efforts to ''be quick.'' Then was
ordered to hop around the room, first on
my right and then on my left foot
was made to swing my arms until l re-
semble an amateur windmill under full
head Of steam; then was compelled to
shut, first one eye and then the other, and
distinguish colors and read large and
small print at different distances. A con-
sultation was held and while it was going
On kept up my shivering. Finally the
three officers appeared to be satisfied, and
! they made rush for me. While one
made bass drum of my body and placed
his ear on my chest, the other walked
around and viewed me as if I was prize
OK. The man who was hammering and
listening evidently thought that I was
tryipg to conceal Something about nv per-
son, for he looked suspiclously into my
face several times. II he had said that
wasn't sound and had thrown me out of
the window, I would have blessed h m
I wanted to 60 home.
The surgeon finally told me to go back
and put on my clothes. When returned
they told me was "sound.' How sorry
I was. would have given $40 if they
had informed me that l had the consump-
| ton or heart disease, but the fates were
against me. Having been given IN charge
! of youthful member of the Irregular
Army" I was led to the barracks. [ felt
happier and happier step by step, and
was beginning to think that all was ovel
and that was a full-hedged cadet, when
a yell from an upper room drew my at
tcntion in that direction.
"Hat, where arc you going with thai
boy?" shouted a man in full gray uni
form.
The windows were soon filled with ca
diets, and the yclls that rent the air were
dca(ening.
"Here comes plebe." "Who blowed
up that gripsack?' ''Ain't you afraid t.
trust yerself on them legs?" and ejacula
lions Of a like nature increased my com
posure.
! Soon was surrounded by about doz
en- natty young gentlemen, all of whom
expressed desire "to try on that plug
; Of course submitted. When they hat
all measured their heads with it m,
hat looked like concentrated concer
tina.
| was then taken up stairs to he pu
through "a course of sprouts" My con
ductors raped on a door at the head o
the stairs and somebody said, "Come in
l went in. had no sooner entered thai
what was left of my hat Uas knocked GU
OF nay hand and went flying in one dlrec
ton and my valise sored away in another
These were the quarters Of the "Captail
] ut or T 4o Io l.,
the duties of a soldier. There we're fou
young officers present, and each tool
particular pains to countermand the orde
| Of the other three.
"Toe that mark" shouted one.
PUT your hands down the seams O
your pantsH' yelled another.
| eye that tack in the wall ~ yelled tn,
third. y
'"Compre your chin, throw out YOU
chest, turn out your toes, keep your hea(
erect,' commanded the fourth.
| I obeyed all four at the same time, anC
wriggled and twisted AMI turned anc
grew red in the face and grew pale, all a
once. Oh! for sight of New York
again.
"What's your name?"
! tOld them.
"Was your grandfather Spanish p
rate?"
"No, STRIP
! "What do you mean by laughing in
our presence?"
I'll take my oath didn't laugh. Ii
did didn't mean it, and it must havs
been sickening attempt.'
"Have you brought your trunk?''
! "No, SIR
"Where is it,
cts on the road
"Have you any cannons in it!''
"N-n-o, sir"
"Lucky for you. If you were caught
here with cannon, or regiment of ar,
tlllery, or ton Of powder in your trunk
we would kill you fatally dead"
None Of the questloners we're as big as
I was, and if I had had them at that mo
ment anywhere outside of West Point, ]
would have spanked all four; but didn't
feel like it just then.
j. After been had yanked about until the
young men appeared to be satisfied,
was shown to my quarters. AS entered
the room was greeted with another yell
or rather series Of yells. Each yell rep.
resented "plebe" and each "plebe'' rep
resented different State There were
eight in all, and they had become accli-
mated. Here I was again "hazed'' but
| COON l,oron IN chou NM crurc opl moo