The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-07-31
West Point Experience

having Deen lOHOrcu WIN an appoint
ment as cadet in the United States Mil
itary Academy, Ipacked my trunks, said
good-by to parents and sweethearts, and
hurried to West Point py rall. At 8
o'clock in the morning after my arrival l
reported to the Commandant, Gen. Ma
han. ". a:-@otaa :; hin. 10 Eo,5oi:: q;
once to the surgeon of the post for physi-
cal examination. l shuddercd. When l
entered the room at the surgeons head
quarters I felt as if l had the fever and
ague. I shook in every cyelash, 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.
"All of 'em?" l asked.
sCertainlyn ne yelled, and every let.
ter of the word was a capital. It was a
very small word, but it sounded like a
sundown gun to me, and 1 jumped at
least foot. When came back didn't
have any clothes on. How got them
off haven't the slightest recollection. I
know that tore my shirt down the back
in my efforts to 'be quick" Then l was
ordered to hop around the room, first on
my right and then on my left foot. l
was made to swing my arms until l re-
scmblc an amateur windmill under full
head of steam; then l 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 shivcring. Finally the
three officers appeared to be satisfied and
they made a rush for me. While one
made bass drum ofmy body and placed
his car on my chest, the other walked
around and viewed me as if l was prize
OK. The man who was hammcring and
listening evidently thought that 1 was
trying to conceal something about nv per-
son, for he looked suspiclously into my
face several times. If he had said that l
wasn't sound and had thrown me out of
the window, l would have blessed him
l wanted to go home.
The surgeon finally told me to go back
and put on my clothes. When returned
they told me 1 was 'sound." How sorry
I was. l would have given $40 if they
had Informed me that had the consump-
ton or heart disease, but the tatcs were
against me. Having been given In charge
of youthful member of the 'Rcgular
Army" l was led to the barracks. | felt
happier and happier step by step, and
was beginning to think that all was over
and that was a full-tledged cadet, when
a yell from an upper room drew my at
tcntiOn in that direction.
"Hat, where are you going with that
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
dealening.
"Hcre comes plebe" "NNho blowed
up that gripsack" ''Ain't you afraid to
trust yerself on them legs?" and cjacua-
tions Of a like nature increased my COM
posurc.
Soon was surrounded by about Il doz-
en- natty young gentlemen, all of whom
expressed a desire "to try on that plug
Of course submitted. When they had
all measured their heads with it my
hat looked like a concentrated concer-
tina. ...-...
was then taken up stairs to be put
through "a course of sprouts My con-
ductors raped on door at the head Of
the stairs and somebody said, "CoElc in
l went in. | had no sooner entered than
what was left of my hat was knocked out
of my hand and went flying in one dlrec-
ton and my valisc sored away in another.
These were the quarters of the "Captain
OF Cadets" and was to be initiated into
the duties of a soldier There we're four
young officers present, and each took
particular pains to countermand the order
of the other three. ..s s-.
"Toe that markn' shouted one.
Put your hands down the seams Of
your pants!" yelled another. "-f .-.
'Eyc that tack in the wall!" yelled tho
third.
"Compress your chin, throw out your
chest, turn out your toes, keep your head
erect" commanded the fourth.
l obeyed all four at the same time, and
wrigglcd and twisted AMI turned and
grew red in the face and grew pale, all at
once. Oh! for sight of New York
again. .#. -. ..,s- -.. .r.5 faas
"What's your name?" n.@ts..
told them. 'a.H5# ". b." a1#L"s
"Was your grandfather Spanish pi
ratc?' -.5r . 5-s
emo, sir!" -.aal.
"What do you mean by laughing in
our presence" ---- ..ant g
"I'll take my oath didn't laugh. 1t
| did didn't mean it, and it must have
been a sickcning attempt" ,..j@ @
"Have you brought your trunk"
"No, sir" ...-.rs ... a.......sF-r. 81
"Where is it,
otis on the road" @ ..s-
"Have you any cannons in it?'' "
IN no, sir" # et .s..
LUCKY for you. If you were caught
here with a cannon, or regiment of ar
tlllery, or ton of powder in your trunk,
we would kill you fatally dead"
More Of the quest,oners were as big as
I was, and if had had them at that mo-
ment anywhere outside of West Point, 1
would have spanked all four; but didn't