Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-07-10
APPLICANTS AT WEST POINT.
The DisappeIntments 70 which Some CT the
Applicants Have to Submit.

Applicants Have to Submit.
If the men passed physical muster
they were sent to quarters in the new
barracks in charge of five cadets de-
tailed especially to look after them.
The boys treated the newcomers kind
ly, but they made them stand up straight
with heels together and taught them to
salute the officers. When any one with
uniform entered the room where they
were sitting the candidates would jump
to their feet, hang their hands by their
side, and stare at the wall with Woe
fully solemn faces. They drew up in
line to march TO dinner as awkward as
SO many deck-hands in full evening
dress. One could not but pity the poor
fellows in their embarrassment at the
strange surroundings. l talked with
few of them and tried to find out
what their ideas were of the life they
were to lead. The first impression of
some exceeded the ideal they had
formed of the place; others were in
clined to be a little disappointed at
finding that the cadets do not have
everything their own way. ANY boy
who comes here unprepared for rigid
discipline, hard study, and absolute obe-
dience to orders will find himself disap-
pointed. The boys are made comfort
able until the examinations next week,
put they are furnished with no equip
ment or articles of furniture for perma-
| nent use. Then, in case they fail, they
have very little to turn in.
Two candidates were rejected because
they did not come up to the physical re-
quirements of the law The surgeons
do not tell boy his fate, but send him
back to the adjutant with sealed re-
port. l happened to be in the office
when one of the boys doomed to disap-
pointment came in. He must have sur
missed, from the careful examination
made of him, that his case was in
doubt. for he trembled like leaf while
the officer ripped open the envelope.
my boy" he said, II am sorry to
say that you will have to go back
home"
The poor fellow seemed utterly dis
pirited. He CROPPED his way to chair
and sat down without speaking, striv-
ing bravely to keep pack the tears
He had set his heart on being soldier,
and had saved his money to pay the
cost of 2,000-mile journey. Here
were all his hopes, all his dreams of fut-
ure happiness and honor blasted in a
moment. He went out of the office
with scarcely audible Thank you,
Sir; good day." and walked slowly
down the hill to the railroad station
with scarcely a farewell look at the
buildings where he had hoped to get an
education. The other fellow did not
seem to care so much. He had prob
ably been sent by his parents rather
againt his will anyway, and was rather
glad to go back. saw the two boys
again at the station waiting for the
train for home. The first mentioned
sat in the waiting room and cried like a
child, while his companions in misery
did his best to cheer him up.
Nearly all the boys who come here
come with the hope of staying, and it is
bitter disappointment for them to be
sent home, whether it be the first day,
the first week, or at the end of the first
year. 1t always falls to Adjutant Hoyle
to tell them the bad news, and the duty
is about as disagreeable one as can be
imagined. 1t needs man with the cal
lous nerve and feelings of a public ex-
ecutioner to perform the task unmoved.
If the Adjutant were not soldier |
should VOW saw tears in his eyes when
he shook hands with that young man
this morning; but duty is duty, and the
physically weak or mentally incompe-
tent must go.