Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1891-07-24

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some time or another or who is not
now cogitating whether he would be an
ornament to the army and could not
distinguish himself as an Indian fighter.
Perhaps he would like to know some
thing of the way boys are received at
the academy.
In the year 1872, in the early summer,
| received an appointment to a cadet.
ship at West Point through the kind
ness Tor unlsindness) OF Hon. John G.
Schumacher, then congressman, and
now prominent lawyer. ! thought
1t was kindness then. After
had been n week at West Point | be-
gan to realize that it was a deeply
planned scheme on the part of my
faehcr to lessen his responsibilities and
to have me killed.
With my credentials in my grip and
with a light heart boarded n Hudson
river train and started on my. career as
soldier. Every body must have real
lied the fact that | was born warrior
as passed through the street on my
way to the station. My shoulders were
thrown back, my chest was thrown
forward, my chin was depressed, and
kept perfect step to the martial airs
produced by the organ grinders on the
route.
The only thing that dctracted from
the suggestiveness of n soldier was my
hat, which was of the kind known as
plug" That plug hat cost me many
a weary thought after / arrived at the
point.
At Garrison's / took boat across the
river to the government reservation.
1t was just in the early evening, and as
landed gun doomed out its greeting.
l wondered il they treated every new
cadet in that way, but afterward ascer-
tanned that 1t was the formal notifica-
ton to the sun that they were through
with him for the day.
Clint bing the hill, at once reported,
as had been instructed to do, to the
coamandant Gen. MacMahon was
the commandant of the post at that
time. He afterward committed suicide
by throwing himself from n Hudson
river boat hold myself guiltless in
the matter, and cannot bear to think
that my appearance had anything to
do with it, although l afterward real
lied that a 'plebe" with "plug" hat
was looked upon as a sort of freak in
military circles.
The commandant gave me the liberty
of West Point until the following morn
Ing at nine o'clock. when l was TO re-
port to the medical examiners. re-
rait 70 oh nj a
sentry box on the top floor, and went
10 bed.
At nine o'clock the next morning |
reported TO the medical examiners.
There were three Of them and they
were in full uniform. BY their direc-
tions / stripped off my clothes. They
then held up cards of different hues
and compelled me TO guess their colors.
Then they exhibited cards printed in
differcnt-sized letters and / was in
structed TO read the print at different
distances.
Then / was compelled to hop around
the room like frog, first on one foot
and then on the other. Then | had To
swing my arms around in different di-
rections until | resembled n wind
mill working ON full time. When ]
imagined that they were about through
with me one of them placed his ear
against my spinal column, supposedly
for the purpose of ascertaining what
was going on inside.
Another tapped me on the chest and
then listened, evidently with a desire &c
ascertain if he would be invited &c
spend the day. While they were thus
amusing themselves with me the third
was taking measurements of my
height, breadth, depth and style OF
beauty. sgas finally informed that 4
j had any use for my clothes / could
put them ON.
"Am / sound?" | asked.
BY that time / was weary OF soldier
life...and prayed ipwardlyxthat-thcY