New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-15
EATING SOAP AND CANDLES
HOW THE "PLEBE7 IS JIAZED AT ANNAP-
OILS

ono meyer hears OF hazIng now; but no ono who ha'
ever been plebc7 truthfully deny that Jump
ngp and running" have not vet fallen into decrep
Old age.
Let us first imagine tho plcbe' who arrives In
September at the Naval Academy. lie Is green
looking chap Men from all quarters OF the country
come tmbling into town. In all sorts of clothing, and
with all sorts Of airs. Tho new man Is Immediately
sent on board the Santee. His first struggle IS WIN
his hammock. Ho doesn't sleep in the hammock the
first night. Most OF hts time is spent IN iearhihe
how TO ret into IT, and after he gets in how to stay
in IIo goes in on ono side and goes out on inc
other. with bedding and pillows following him.
Finally after he has spent three hours In learning
how to stay In the hammock he finds that he hash
berth In what might truthfully be called pafaoSe
ANYWAY Perhaps soma May plebe' mas poured
salt I'm the hammock; perhaps three or -FOUR shor'
hairs have been placed in II where they VIII 10 INC
most good and the poor plebe' IS In agony all night
Or If nothing OF this sort has come about, the man
could never sleep In hammock stretched like half
NOON anyway, and the newcomer always hangs MS
hammock that way The next night 1t has less OF
curve: stu less the next and finally he gets IL
stretched on level Then he sleeps.
The next morning, at bugle call, the cadet tumbics
out and gets down in shape to inspection.
This Is fearful ordeal There he stands, with
thumbs turned out and toes turned in, trying to look
a veteran when the inspector hurries along giares
at him, and pointing at his cap, shouts, Haul a
little on tho starboard lift The cadet opens MS
mouth, and says, Eh-h,7 and then opens his eyes
ami says How and finally learns that his cap has
not been set squarcly on his head. He has been
"spotted"
As he grows older he learns that there are many
things for which man may be spotted. cap not
properly squared Trousers not brushed " SHOE
strings hanging Button Off blOuse.' Not prop
erly shaveda It IS marvellous what little things
catch the eagle eye of the inspector
Somehow the cadet manages to get to breakfast ana
nops in tho fist scat. Perhaps grace has been
usually said at home to slow and measured tones
Anyway he waits moment; and soon finds that
everybody has made dive at the food and that
there IS none left for him. Then some more comes
on and be dives. too. The scene that follows is
indescr.bablc.
But It Is not always When the upper class
men return from their cruise no man dares reach a
half an inch over his side Of the table for food. or
he will be terribly jumped. And, by the way, the
Jumping soon begins for our plebe. AS he wanders
down for breakfast crowd Of about fifteen men
approach him, their caps cooked at an angle OF DO
degrees ever their left eyes; and they demand what's
your name? ?" In fierce tones. Where do you come
from?n Albany y. Y" " Eli, what state y New
York; "Any more like you there9' E" fe-s-s' Great
gunss Yes-s." say sir' "Yes-s-sr' Stand
on your head" And the poor plebe gets on and
of his head till he Is dizzy
Then all fifteen demand at once: who's the
.savez' man here rWhos tho handsomestl" "Whos
the wooden man. And whichever way he answers
the plcbe oAends fourteen of the fifteen and stands
the consequences Then one man orders him to do
something, and another orders him not TO. II you
don't I'll jump you,' says one. If you do III run
vou9 shouts the other The plebe obeys the first
and is jumped by the second, and then to his
utter disgust the first says, Guess I'll Jump
YOU anyway Just for the fun of IT," And again he
stands on his head
Perhaps the pebe has now hagrantly violated some
of the rights of the upper classmen, and If so he Is
made 10 eat soap or fght1 If lie fights and gets
wblpped he cats soap. If he fights and wins he eats
q double dose so 1t does no particular good to
fight.
BY October 1st the cadet leaves the santee and
goes to quarters There his first experience Is at
bucle call lie flies Of bed jumps into his clothes,
and goes down four steps at a time to formation
and one can imagine what task lie has in getting
his proper place among the three hundred cadets
present. He finally gets among his green com
panions, and a sorry looking lot they make.
That might he gets another dose OF haz-
ing The upper class men give II
70 him between 80, when supper is over, and $780,
when lnsrecton comes He IS made TO read page after
,oc, Of French though he never read French In his
life he speaks the orations Of his school days lilo
stands on his head. small button is put In basin
Of water and he fishes it out with his nose. lie eats
candle.
The funny man of the party fires fun at him. and If he
smiles he is sat upon. All through the performance
no must keep straight face, and indeed, by the time
he IS out of it his straight face seems to have grown
there for good.
Then fans come his tormentors hurry away, and
tho officer of the DAY comes around TO inspect his
room The officer taps at the door, and the cadet
sbouts q hearty Come Inn Imagine the look he
receives for his pains; for the rule Is Tor the ocer
TO push open the door, take hasty glance and shout
So Good night, The cadet answers Good night sir,'
and the inspection is over. Immediately that IL Is
his tormeutors are back again; and they arrive in
aocks He IS ordered to eat four dry soda crackers
at time perhaps and when he has done, is told TO
cock his feet on the table and sit there TIL told to
move While there a highclass man comes in, and
sbouts: " Get up" lie has received Instructions and
will not move sect up Not a move. Ana
finally no is shouted up and keeps getting up anu
sitting down in obedience TO orders until he can harS
move one man refused TO obey any commands be-
was Sunday and the hazers actually sat at Ms
table played cards and compelled MN to deal
crowd Of men hurried In night and found cauet
on his knees, preparing to go to bed Hey wna'
are YOU doing there ?" they shouted, and routed him
out
"Do you know they said to companion, as they
went out: eve found man IN the queerest position
in there Blamed If he wasn't on his knees
Why no was saying his prayers was the reply,
which staggered the jewellers Be It said to their
credit that they back and apologized to the man.
Hazng IS now quite harmless, and the victims them
selves find It laughing matter-more laughapie' 10
tell tho truth. however. after 1t is all over
Perhaps It may not be ont OF place TO give somo
Annapolis locasms, slang terms.
"sux7 IS nice "Spuds' are potatoes. Skinny"
IS chemistry. To be protector or hung on tho
Christmas tree Is TO be posted for low mark sat-
and unsat" are short for satisfactory and unsaiis-
factory. Tag ends Is the name OF book OF jokes
recently issued at the academy Tho yacht Is tho
santoe. where man Is sent for light imprisonment
I'm nun,shcnt for smoking drinking, etc. II is three
quarters OF milo from quarters, and the men who
get there have to walk back and forth TO recitation
e c. twelve times a day The brig Is the berth deck
OF the Santce where is sent for serious disobed
nrca nf runs TO " shale Leg msans % hurry. and