The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-19

times the deviling that fell to ,the lot Of the
plowboy, and no men ] ever heard Of were
30 psrsistsntly, systematically, scientifically
drilled, and double extra worked "a the
Igrandson of the inspector Of the academy
| and the son OF one of its most honored and
distinguished professors. West Point
everything said OF II to the contrary not
w~ithstandinR = IL democracy lntsnained.
Tho higher the social standing Or connec-
tions Of the new. conner the harder the or
deal through which he was forced,
What did the ordeal consist Of? There
was practically no guardianship over The
candidates in those days. Three times =
"How is it. MIR. Ferguson, that You havs
failed to report to the superintendent OF
the Fourth division? Go at once, sir.
Front room, second fioor," and the poor
fellow. abashed, goes; knocks timidly, hnds
himself IN the august presence 81 2 cours
uniforms, false whiskers. etc.. So he Ia
arfaigned and tried for INSTRUMENTATION;
sentenced to be stripped and run the
gauntlet" il promptly stripped and sud
denly tho surgeon o: the court discovers a
physical defect; one leg ia surely shorter
than the other; tho sentence cannot be car
ried out because a man SO manned Is mint
for service. He must mount an iron table
and dance to satisfy the court he is physi-
cally sound, and dance ho does and stands
on his head, chambers over the nlcoys par
tition, leaps over brooms held higher
ters sounds; the court disappears in a
~twinkling and 30 do his clothes. The
officer of the day, q cadet just about to
graduate. inspects the room and is properly
shocked to find = cadet-even q new one
without q stitch to his back. How dare
you appear at inspection of quarters in this
condition, sir? Dress at once and accom-
psny me to the dark prison." Through the
kindly q? minlstrations of ~neighboring
cadets he is speedily dressed. One con-
tributes an old uniform coat three sizes
too big, another an old pair OF riding
shoes into either one of which he could
shove both feet. An old ''tar bucket
dress hat is placed on his head: a rusty
cavalry saber grit about his waist. Now
go at once, sir, to tho presence of the super
%intendent and plead your case. You are
and of limits in the barracks of Company
B. Nothing but prompt measures can save
you. Go at once!
Fancy the sight the poor devil makes as
in this motley garb, followed by the delir
ious mirth and suppressed plaudits from
ventures forth upon the plain-thronged
with visitors "a it is in Juns-and shapes
his course as directed to the s~uperintend-
ent's house. What was o to the per-
sscutors? Nothing! In those days the
plebes could rarely recognize them again
and, to my knowledge, never told when
they did. We were "smoked out" physi-
ca!ly examined, court martialed, aroused
in the dead of night and marched up the
mountain roads and left to find our own
way back, had all our clothes stolen after
midnight and distributed all over the post.
and when ~revsille sounded we were ordered
clothed like SO many Sioux in blankets.
We were sent on absurd errands to indig-
nant officials, were badRered,, bullied,
leased, tormonted, laughed and jested at
day after dsv-neyer told anybody in au-
thority a word about it and lived to grow
into a staunch feeling of ~comradeship for
and many a fellow whom we hated
in '62.
But all this is changed.
CHARLES KING, Captain, q. 8. A.
Copyright.