The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-03-21
ROSE FROM THE RANK
EXPERIENCES OF A BOY WHO WON
SHOULDER STRAPS.
how Americas Tommy Atkins Is
Drilled Into Shape for Efficient
service-SOmc Amusing Customs OF
the Boys in Blue. :.

| MY father had been an officer during
the war, and at the age of nineteen I
was fully resolved to become an officer.
II possible. There are every year from
Sixty to seventy vacancies among the
commissioned officers Of the army. OF
these the graduates Of West Point take
all out dozen or so, which are re-
served for meritorious Young men
from the ranks.
Now my district was already repre-
gented at West Point by bright
young fellow. who was sure to grad
uate, but had two years Of the course
yet before him. 1t was no use to wait
for him. Two years at my age were
precious, and at the end Of them I
would have no surety Of being ap-
pointed. The only alternative was to
enlist and work my way up. It was
pretty hard thing to do 1 thought,
but the game was worth the candle.
Two days later, gripsack in hand, I
walked into the adjutant's Office at a
large military post q few hundred
miles from home, and meekly said
wanted to be a soldier.
l WAS Immediately asked a whole
string Of questions, the answers to
which covered not only every detail of
my existence, but gave an extended
account Of my ancestors Then I was
sent to the doctor.
That worthy asked me SOME more
questions, thumped and pounded me-
after the manner Of the massage treat
ment, and then proceeded to train me
for athletics by having me run, jump,
and go through series of gymSSa:tic
exercises. When the programme was
finished the doctor said I would do,
and I was Immediately taken back to
the adiutant and sworn in.
In Government Straight"
A day or two after enlisting the first
sergeant Of the company to which 1
had been assigned issued me uni
form or. as the soldiers call it, ''gov-
eminent straight Arrayed in that
uniform I was a sight The trousers
were high water" the coat too long
and the shoes, or "bull hides" made
me think I was wearing clogs. The
cap was of the high variety known in
the barracks as 'tWo-story.' When a
man has been in the service Il few
months his figure straightenS and fills
out by gymnastics and drills, and he
finds out just what sizes Of clothing
will fit him. If he is inclined to be Il
dude he can draw the material and
have his clothes made by the COM
pany tailor. He also finds out that lie
can reduce the altitude of his cap by
putting it under his mattress and
sleeping upon it.
A rocky" or recruit, acquires an
other thing besides a good figure from
his outdoor exercise, and THAT is a ire
mendous appetite. The soldiers have
a set of words for mess call:
Porky, porlSy, porky, without any lean;
Soupy, soupy, soupy, without any bean;
Coffee, coffee, coffee, without any
cream.
But this doggere1 must have been
composed years ago, when ratlons
were not so abundant, for I found
plenty of good, wholesome food,
though plain, and perhaps not so we'll
served as at Delmonico's. The sol
diers have name for every dish.
Stew is ''slum.'' ''Hash in full dress"
is Il rolypoly with hash inside. There
are other names quite as amusing per-
haps but not to be mentioned III polite
society," Butter is not 4 part of the