The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-07-17
pLrRE A1 MEsr po1Nr.

I1n;fsS Sh1tes Militnfv NcaiI,inv have
inst becn concluded thousands of school |
boys mud others tbrongholf .the country
are deeDlv n,tstested IN The subject of
West Paint rhere1 Is 'nerhaps. not one
in rem ~ tba,,, Who has net-earitated at
M somo time or another or who is not
now co,itat;ng yhetber he would he an
o,sa nent fo the,arnIv and could not dis
tingr{sb liimsSlf rs An Infiian FIGHTER.
PeThans he would like TO know some
th;,ig ps fi,a y,a,f bavS arc NODDED m fine
ocade,ny SAYS fhe New York TiibesN
IN Az var 1sJ5 II, tbe earl ,,s,,nliner.
:, 7 feceivod an .anno,int,ncnt Ia n eadetslib
~ Wsst Point throuSb the Kindness Tor
unkindnessl Of ,Jobn, al Schumacher al
CONGRESSMAN. and now ait5fomifient law.
ver 5f Ills eifv i thouu6t N was a kind
moss tben After had been a week Mt.
XVest Point / betr11, To Tealize that IL WIS
n daenlv.nIonned scheme ON the part of
NV father Ia lessen his RESPONSIBILITIES
and 10 have mo killed tr
WITH INV credentials.,n NV grin and
with a'light heart / boarded a Hudson
Pivh,. train and started on NV career as
soldier Everybo6y must have realized
fine fact that was a born warrior as I
nassed throuph the street on my way to
the station. NV shoulders were thrown
hack INV chest forward my chin was
depressed. and | kent perfect step to the
martial airs produced by the organ
grinders on the route.
The only thing that detraoted from the
INCONSISTENCIES OF n soldier was my hat,
which,was of the kind known as ''plug."
That Ming hat cost me many weary
thought after arrived at the Point.
Al Garrison's took n boat across the
- ., :. - ,i.,,,,r, I;o,, II
was inst i'm the early evening, and as
landed gun doomed out its greeting.
wondered if they treated every new cadet
in that way. but afterward ascertained
that it was the formal notification to the
sun that they were through with him for
the day. tHt
Climbing fine hill at once reported, as
had been instructed TO do. to the com
mandant. Gen. Mcmahon was the com.
mandant at that time. He afterward
committed suicide by throwing himself
from a Hudson River boat. L hold my
self guiltless in the matter. and cannot
bear to think that my appearance had
ANYTHING to dowith.it although after
ward realized that "a 'pleben with Z
''piug'' hat was looked upon rs a sort Of
freak in military circles.
The commandant gave me the liberty
of West Point until the following morn
ing at o'clock. when | was to report tC
the medical examiners. / repaired tt
Cozzen's hotel, obtained a sentry box Of
the tor, floor. and went to bed. ff
At9Cclock the next morning / re
ported to the medical examiners. There
were three of them. and they were, il
full uniform. BY their directions
stripped off nv CLOTHES. They then helt
up cards of different hues and compelled
me to guess their colors. Then they ex
hibited cards printed in differentiated
letters and Twas instructed to read thu
. print at different distances. a ~.
Then was compelled to hop afounC
the room like frog, first on one foo
and then on the other. Then l had tC
swing MY arms around in different direc
tions until Iiresembled windmill work
ing on full time. When / imagined tina
they were about through with me one o
them placed his ear against my spina
ascertaiiiingr What was going on inside.
Another tapped me on The chest an'
ascertain if he would be invited in q
pass the day. While they were thu
amusing themselves with me the thiTC
was taking measurements. of my height
DieaQtl, uGDtn ana StVle OF DeallJN.
was finally informed that if / had an,
use for my clothes could put them ON
tam j Sound?' asked, $500. III
Bythat time was weary Of soldie
life and pfayed inwarrlly THAT they hat
discovered enough diseases about inc 3,
start a clinic. Unluckily, | was healthy
was nextgiyen over into the tende
care of ail orderly, who was instructed
to conduct me to the cadet barracks a
the other side Of the square. As w
started to cross the ward he hooked at m,
glossy ''plug'i and ciuckled. S|t
. ''Ifrd 'aYbeen you Twouldn'E Sa' wori
that hat lp here. {" he said, commtserat
inSly: chat hats Going to ret YOU int
n heap of trouble. :"
Itdid. We had not proceeded roc
before nearly every window of the hug,
three-sided barracks was filed witt
bowling cadets who had spotted it. slri
''Take that thing away and drown ii
orderiy!n. g,.--. =
WHAT kind Of bait didlyou use?'
Don't want any Conc around mex
weektr's ~ 10 tft A-a " ~
''Block and runp'
"Get on to the kid under the pipey!'
"Pa, please kin / wear q high hat?"
These were some of the salutation
that erected me and l realized that wa
in for it. /. shivered, but the orderl
never moved an eyelash. Hewas accus
toned to such pleasantries. he led m
upstairs TO the second floor, front room
He tapped upon the door, voice sal
"Come!,, and he left me to my fate. 20
l waptt 10 say right here that hav
not exaggerated in the least. and that
am giving my actual experiences for tn
benefit of prospective cadets. If the
succeed in obtaining appointment, the
will bear me out in my statements.
why don't you come when you're II
vited?' yelled half dozen voices
chorus. t@t -
came. | found myself IN a rool
about l2x14 feet In dimensions. 1t wa
occupied by six young men in cadet I;
tigue uniform. They were the cadC
officers who took tender care OF the We
dant plebe and instilled into his buddih
mind the first principles of warriorslil
had scarcely entered the room vile
my hat was landed in ono corner Of I'll
room and my grip in another Two
them caught ashland apiece, jerked
down the side of my legs, jammed I'll
little finger OF each hand along the sean
of my trousers, flattened out the pain
full to the front.
Another grabbed me by the shoulder
placed his knee in my back, and pulle
me out straight until i cracked. Sti
another was busy dislocating my chi
while the fifth was jerking my feet I'M
tack into the wall at about the height
my nose. ,. ~ o, rifi uf e.,Iau.
n l. -.