Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1888-08-23
EATING SOAP AND CANDLES.
How the "Plebe" is Hnzed Mt Annap
oils,

This is an attempt to detail the early
experience of ''plebe.' Naval officers
who write magazine articles all agree
that hazing has been abolished. 1t has,
in name only. One never hears OF haz-
ing now; but no one who has ever been
"plebe" can truthfully deny that
dumping" and running have not yet
fallen into decrepit old age.
Let us first imagine the ''plebe" who
arrives in September at the Naval Acad-
envy. He is green-looking chap. Men
from all quarters OF the country come
tumbling into town, i'll all sorts OF cloth
ing and with all sorts of airs. The new
man is Immediately sent on board the
Santee. His first struggle is with his
hammock. He doesn't sleep i'll the ham
mock the first night. Most of his time
is spent in learning how to get into it,
and after he gets in, how to stay in. He
goes in on one side and goes out on the
other, with bedding and pillows follow
ing him. Finally, after he has spent
three hours in learning how to stay in
the hammock, he finds that he hasn't n
berth in what might truthfully be called
paradise anyway. Perhaps some "May
Plebs" has poured salt in the hammock ;
or perhaps three or four short hairs have
been placed in it where they will do the
most good, and the poor ''plehe' is in
agony all night. Or, if nothing of this
sort has come about, the man could new
er sleep in hammock stretched like o
half-moon, anyway, and the newcomer
always hangs his hammock that way.
| The next night it has less Of curve;
still less the next; and finally he gets it
stretched on level. Then he sleeps.
The next morning, at bugle call, the
cadet tumbles out and gets down in
some shape for inspection. This is o
fearful ordeal. There he stands, with
thumbs turned out and toes turned in,
trying to look veteran, when the in
spector hurries along, glares at him,
and pointing at his cap, shouts, Haul q
little to the starboard left" The cadet
opens his mouth and says, "Eh-h," and
then opens his eyes aud says. "How," and
finally learns that his cap has not been
set squarely on his head. He has been
"spotted."
AS he grows older he learns that there
are many things for which man may
be spotted. Soap not properly squared >
"Trousers not brushed" 'sShoe-strings
hanging" ''ButtoN off blouse" ssNot
properly shaved" 1t is marvellous
what little things catch the eagle eye OF
the inspector.
Somehow the cadet manages to get to
b eakfast, and fiops in the first seat.
Perhaps grace has been usually said al
home to slow and measured tones. Any
way he waits moment, aud soon finds
that everybody has made dive for the
food and that there is none left for him.
Then some more comes on, and he dives
too. The scene that follows is indescrib
able.
But it is not always so. When the
upper class men return from their cruise
no man dares reach half an inch ovei
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, 6
crowd of about fifteen men approach
him, their caps cooked at an angle of Al
degrees over their left eyes, and they
demand: "Whats your name." in fierce
tones. 'sWhere do you come froma'
"Albany, N. Y" 'sEh. what States'
"New York" "Any more like yor
theres' "Ye.s-s." "Great guns
"Yes-s." "say, SIR" "Yes's sir.
"Stand on your head" And the poo
plebe gets on and off his head till he il
dizzy.
Then all fifteen men demand at once
"Who's the 'savez' man here2" ''Who,
the handsomest2" "Who's the woodel
man." And whichever way he answers
the plebe offends fourteen of the tifteel
and stands the consequences. Then on,
man orders him to do something, ant
another orders him not to. "If 20,
don't I'll jump you, says one. "If yo,
do I'll run you, shouts the other. Th,
plebe obeys the first and is dumped
by the second, and then to his ute
disgust, the first man says, "Guess II
jump you anyway just for the fun of it.
And again he stands on his head.
Perhaps the plebe has now fiagrantl,
violated some Of the rights Of the uppe
classmen, and if SO he is made to Sea
soap or fight" If he fights and get
whipped he eats soap. Ii he fights an,
wins he eats double dose. So it doe
no particular good to fight.
By October list the cadets leave tn
Santee and goes to quarters. There hi
first experience is at bugle call. H
flies out of bed, jumps into his clothes
and goes down four steps at time t.
formation, and one can imagine what
task he has in getting his proper plac
among the three hundred cadets present
He finally gets among his green compan
ions, and sorry looking lot they make
That night he gets another dose o
hazing. The upper class men give it to
him between $50, when supper is over
and 1880, when inspection comes. HI
is made to read page after page O
French, though he never read French
in his life; he speak the orations of hi
school days. He stands on his head A
small button is put in basin of wate1
and he fishes it out with his nose. HI
eats candle.
The funny man OF the party fires fur
at him. and if he smiles lie is sat upon
All through tho performance he mus
keep straight face, and, indeed, by til,
time he is out of it his straight FACE
seems to have grown there for good.
Then taps come, his tormentors hurr,
away, and the officer of the day come
around to inspect his room. The office
taps at the door, and the cadet shouts
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