Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-03-06
A DUG PLACE.
Whya Young Man Does Not Care to Serve
Uncle Sam by Taking a Course at West
Point.

Uncle sam by Iak1nS q Course at West
Point.
81 don't, care to see West Point
again." said a young man, who, having
just returned frem the great institu-
ton, was asked how he liked the place.
ooh, yes, the discipline is good, and
they take the stoop from a fellows
shoulders, still they do not observe
those little niceties OF politeness which
l like to see practiced among gentle
men. l went in with a young fellow
named Adams, a youth of good man
ners, who, l thought, could not fail to
make a good impression. W. were
shown into an office, where I was
pleased to meet a Lieutenant with whom
1 was acquainted. He shook hands
with me cordially and asked about my
relatives. l introduced him to Adams,
and he seemed glad to meet him and
profoundly acknowledged his gratitude.
'Ah, young gentlemen said he, sc.
you contemplate joining us. Glad of
it. You'll find everything pleasant
here. just sign this, please SHOW
ing out something that looked
like a cut-throat mortgage. just
as we had signed the thing,
the Lieutenant, turning to a pug-noso
thing who stood car with a gun, said:
Take these fellows down to the Com
missary Department. Adams and I
looked at each other and smiled. Get
out of here demanded the Lieutenant.
Corporal, take 'em away Wedid not
like the change in his manner, put
thinking that such freaks might be
among his personal peculiarities, wo
said nothing, but accompanied the Cor
poral down to the Commissary Depart
ment. where we were each furnished
with fifteen pairs OF shoes, fifteen pairs
of boots and about four hundred pairs
OF socks. Then, loaded down with our
first spOils, we We're conducted into AL
upper room. Fix these things said
the Corporal. How fix emp / asked.
He stormed at us and told us that if
we had not stacked 'em up in shape by
the time he got back he would reportus.
Sic went away, and we went to work
to arrange u goods. l thought that
my socks were especially well arranged,
but when the Corporal came back, he
gave them q kick and said: Elk these
things | felt like knocking him down,
but thinking thatI had not got the
hang OF the place, l restrained my feel
ings. Come On here, now,' said the
Corporal. We were then shown into u
long hall. The Corporal left, us and,
having given nc instructions, we knew
not what to do. After awhile Adams
remarked: L see a lot OF tracks leading
to that door. Believe I'll go i'll and
ask for directions He went into the
room, but a moment afterward, came
out like Il mar falling down stairs.
Pretty oon after this we saw, posted
on the wall, a couple of sheets OF paper.
They referred to us, giving IL every
thing but fatherly advice. Well, |
concluded to go in. When I entered q
bluff officer looked up and asked:
What's your name?'
"'Jackson.'
"'Get out Of here!!'
81 went back to my bill of instruc-
| tons and learned that my name was
jackson, L. D., sir Thought I'd try
it again, and went back.
whats your name?'
cdChSOu, -. ~. +FE
"'Get out of here
event back to my bill again and
found that l had left off the sir.
1.-The next time l succeeded, but
Adams, l think must have been fired
out four times, at least. We soon
learned that for the first three months,
we were to be known as beasts and
that no cadet would speak to us, and
that we were not even allowed to look
at one of them. One day happened to
look up at a fellow. Swelling like a
toad, he exclaimed: Take Your Shiny
eyes off me!
Il wanted to knock him down, but
by this time l had learned to endure
insults. There may be places more un-
comfortable for beginners, but /
wouldn't know where to look 0 rthem.
They say that the Penitentiary is rough,
and l suppose it is, but l warrant you
that if a West Point beast We're to
awake some morning and find himself
in States prison, he would wonder how
he came to be thr3wn into such pnlitt
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