The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-11-23

ing chair, to wear civilian
clothing, to have pockets in which
to put his hands. to be able occasion
ally to lie in bed in the morning, all
these privileges are to him the acme of
bliss. At West Point the railroad sta
ton at the foot of the hill is 'off linn
its'' Cor cadets, and to go to a station
every day of his Through if he likes,
TO get on a train and take a trip, is,
indeed, purchasing a through ticket to
the seventh heaven
The first year cadets constitute what
is officially the fourth class, but "the
plebe class" is the name generally aD-
piled. The next year this becomes the
third or "yearIing'' class, its members
being termed ''yearlings," from the
length of their stay at the academy
thus far. A cadet goes through a
''plebe camp and ''yearling camp
but at the end of ''yearling year. he
does not begin his third year with a
camp. This is his summer off. He be-
comes a second classman, and, leaving
the other three classes to make up the
camp, his class goes on furlOugh,
whence its unofficial designation as
the "furlough class Back comes the
furloughman" to resume student and
barracks life the LIST of September,
and when summer rolls around again
he goes to first class camp" for,
having arrived at the dignity of his
senior year, he scorns to use any eX-
cept the official designation of first
class" Toward the end of this year
his is spoken of as the graduating class,
and at the end of a successful four
years he goes on graduating leave"
for three months and a half. at the
end Of which, as a second lieutenant,
he joins his regiment wherever it may
then be-" in Maine or Texas, in Alaska
or Florida
It will be noticed that when the col
leges give summer vacations the Mil
itary academy establishes a camp and
hangs on to its cadets during three
summers out of four. Camp brings a
welcome relief after months of hard
study, but nevertheless it includes a
good share of hard work. Only drill
books are taken to camp and the cadet
now does physical rather than mental
work. He goes to rifle practice. to in
fantry drill, to light battery drill. to
various kinds of heavy artillery drill,
and to mechanical maneuvers, where
he jacks up greaT guns and puts in
practical use the principles of philoso-
ply which he has learned during term
time
He builds bridges Of pontoon boats
or of such materials as the woods af-
ford. The thermometer may be in the
nineties in the shade, but the cadet
stands in the broiling sun, and at the
word of command embraces a heavy
stick of timber and waltzeS it into po-
siuon as graceful as he will his best
girl at the hop that night. Perhaps in
some unaccountable way that self
same girl will discover that both of
the cadets hands are blistered by the
pick and shovel with which he has
been digging a siege parallel or throw
ing up earthworks. In his after life
as an officer the cadet may never have
to labor thus with his hands, but he
will have to command soldiers who do,
and ne must know how it is himself
AS soon as the cadets march into
camp in June guard is mounted
and never until the tents are struck,
at the end of August, is the camp with
out sentinels. Night and day, rain or
shine, they keep their silent watch
About once a week each cadet has, in
some capacity or other, a tour of
guard duty which lasts for twenty
four hours In his best uniform he
prepares for the rigid inspection at
guard mounting, and that ceremony
over, he go0s on duty. There are
three reliefs, each sentinel walking two
hours and resting four It can hardly
be called resting, for the member or
the guard stays or sleeps at the guard
tent with all his clothes and belts on
and his rife at his side. ready to spring
UP at a, moments notice to repel the
real or imaginary attack of an enemy
that may happen along. This enemy
is usually the inspecting officer, who
comes around once or twice during the
night and turns the guard out, to the
great disgust of all concerned.
During the camp three hops are held
during each week. They last only two
hours, but make up in hearty, enthusi-
astic enjoyment what they lack in
length. The girls are relatives of the
officers and cadets or visitors at the
post, and come from all parts Of the
country In spite of the guard and
other duty the cadet in camp finds
considerable time for happy strolls
around Irritation walk" with some
girl friend, and adds, mayhap. his
romance to the many secrets which
the historic old rocks hold for those who
have gone before. He is usually able
to attend a couple of hops every week,
but sometimes when he is most anx-
ious TO go he will be detailed for guard
in place Of a man who has been taken
sick. or the department Of philosophy
will decide that it is a beautiful night
for part of the first class to have prac-
teal astronomy. AS a soldier he can
only obey, and with a telescope for a
partner and the crickets for an orches-
ira he goes to his task, like Aeneas of
old. to read in the stars what career
the future has in store for him.