The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1896-09-09
aeNERAL aHnRMANe lokg.

SGNGNfNh- OIi%H"Fa'N - -
How ne Gave Two west Point Cadets .
bad Quarter OF an Hour.
Anecdotes of America g great gem
erals are always good reading, and
the following story, illustrative of
one of the best trSSits in General
Sherman g character, is no exception
to the rule. The narrator thereof
was Lieutenant David Du b. Gail
lard of the corps of engineers, u. s,
A., who told how the general once
paid memorable visit to himself
and his ohum while they were ca
diets at West Point.
You know, said the lieutenant,
tthat all the rooms occupied by Gu
dots in the barracks have big open
stone Areplaces, with correspond
ingly large chimneys. In these
chimneys the boys, even since the
academy was established, have been
in the habit of rigging up shelves as
storehouses and places OF conceal
ment for luxuries in the nature OF
food and drink, which arc forbidden
by tho exceedingly strict military
regulations imposed upon us. This
smugglcd provender we were in the
habit of devouring with great gusto
late at night, after final inspection
was over.
"Now, 1t so happened that my
roommate and myself occupied the
quarters which had once sheltered
General Sherman when he also
wrestled with his comic sections and
military engineering at the Point.
Ono June afternoon, just before ex-
animation time, we were both sur
prised by smart rap Mt tho door.
opened it, and in walkod the illus
trious former occupant, with party
of ladies and gentlemen, who wero
anxious to see what a cadets quar-
ters looked like. OF course my chum
and myself saluted and stood at at
tention' all the time the old general
was bustling about showing his
friends around.
"The veteran looked happy enough
as he pointed out tho hard mattress.
es and iron bedsteads which consti-
tute the young West Pointer sleep
ing accommodations and illustrated
the manner i'll which wo folded up
our trousers and slept on them to
keep them from becoming knee
sprung, closing his explanation with
n detailed account of tho cadets
method of sweeping out and keeping
their rooms in order. We both
thought he was through, but no
wasn't.
"Just as tho party was about to
leave tho room their experienced
guido went up to tho fireplace and
said in an exasperatingly cool way:
when was a cadet, tho boys used
to secreto nll sorts of plumber that
was contraband of war i'll their
chimneys. wonder if they do it
now?' Then he took his Cane and
poked it up tho chimney. Chummy
and I looked at each other with anx-
ious Dyes, and nearly had II fit.
Tho eminont strategist's recon
noissanco was one of tho most sue
cessful in his career. He knew just
whore to look, and his cane hit the
mark at almost his first poke. Tho
pies, cakes and bottles of prohibited
fluids fell on the hearth with u Olaf
tor and dull thud, breaking to pieces.
BY this time dummy and 1 wore
ready to faint. Tho old general must
have observed it, for lo turned to
us with hearty laugh and morry
twinkle in his oyo, saying: You
needn't bo afraid, young gontlomen.
1t was all my fault. 1 shan't say
anything about it.
eve wero on tenterhooks for sew
eral days, fearing court martial and
dismissal. But our distinguished Wis
itor rcligiously kept his word, and
we heard nothing more about tho in
oident. Shorman's bummors burned
my grandmother's house at Column
bia, S. o." concluded Lieutenant
Gaillard rchectively, "but liked tho
dear old follow all tho Same. Ho was
SO genial and considerato of others"
Nov York Herald.