Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-08-22
TROUSERS WHITE.
THE WEST POINT CADETS KEEP THE
WAsHWoMAN BUSY.
The Light Battery Drfn-How the Cadets
Manage to Keep Their Leg Gear So
Spotiessly C1eau-Curious
Etiquette.

ives. Point Cor New York Timesl
The light battery drill was an effective
display of motion AMI noise. The exhibition
is one Of the few among those usually ar.
ranged for the griilating ceremonies that
afford the participant equal enjoyment
with tn, spectators. The cadets were brim-
full of enthusiasm as they rolled rapidly
over the plain on jolting gun-wayons, run
ming, jumping, charging, wheeling and fir
ing voiiey after vo!ley until their forms
were lost to viaw in the smoke and
their shouts indis.inyu;shabls in the echoing
roar Of cannon Gen Sheridan remarked when
he watched the same drill a year ago, that
the cadets were at a great disadvantage in
having to use cavalry horses for artillery
drill Three months practice year. all
that can be spared for this drill, does not
take enou, h friskness OUT Of tbs animals to
prevent them doing great many stupid
and annoying things that trained artillery
horse; would nsver dream Of. The third
class men acted as cannoneers and the first
class men as mounted officers, the whole
under the generalship of Lieut. Price.
little rain at midday was an excellent
thing for the visitors, but made the roads
ruinous to the cadets white duck trousers.
It is q constant source Of wonder to civil
ians here how the cadets manage to keep
their starchei leg gear so spotisssly clean.
A cadet comes out to guard mount, runs
around the barracks for an hour or two. sits
on dirty benches, and then walks into the
recitation-room with his white trousers as
free from dirt and creases as though they
had lust come from the ironing board.
@why," said one lady to-day. a. she saw the
cadets marching to dinner, "my boy
wouldn't 10 fit to be seen after he had worn
such trousers five minutes" As it is q
punishable offea.e to wear dirty trous-
ers the cadets are sometimes careful,
and each one change, four or five
times day if necessary. Three pairs
day is con iidered economical Every cadet
has anywhere from thirty to fifty pairs OF
white trousers, and he is allowed fourteen
pairs in each weeks wash The cadet adju-
tant, who is called upon at times to make o
little more display OF himself than his com.
redes in the ranks, is permitted to send
eighteen pairs to the washwoman every
week, AMI he doesn't have to worry about
the wash-b bill, either.
There is a Curious edqlstts among tbs
| cadets as TO the disposal of their trousers
when they leave the academy. II a young
| man i, at all popular soms OF his comrades
bequeath him their trousers as token OF
respect AM remembrance. The shortest
| cadet in the graduating class his an &C
| emulation OF i2) pairs which have coms to
him in this way, and he has to hang them
| all up in his room. As the trousers seldom
wear out, except at the bottom Of the legs,
they are sent to the commissary's depart
ment to lie treated after a fashion custom
airy in families where growing boys over
balance limite1 income. The Ettlest fell
low in tho corps at present is jose Victor
Zavala, from Guatemala, who is very
popular for his patience and his peculiari-
ties. As mark - their regard the entire
first class are talking Of giving him their
white trousers Should they really do 50
| the little Soutl American will have to find
pegs for nearly 1890 pairs of trousers