The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-12

A beautiful german was given one even
ing. All of the figures We're military and
fans with pictures of Camp Warren, the
name of the 1897 camp, and other articles
S6sSIy ons u Whlcii 10 q sousS In. VI u - W.
Point german and of no other me Vlsl-
tors always return with numerous souFe-
Mrs. The cadets give their caps, chevrons,
buttons, buckles and any quantity OF
things. The boys are allowed $45 month.
They not paid this in money, but al
owed It II chf Baye tor TO b M9a' arts
cles necessary TO repfenish their Wardrobes.
If cadet has not spent, in checks his al
West Point, he may draw what is due him
In money at the time Of his graduation.
All of the cadets wear white trousers IN
summer. These are pressed, with a crease
down the front. The cadets are very par
ticular to keep this crease perfect and they
rarely sit down. When they do they go
down with bang with their feet straight
out before them, so as not to injure the
precious crease. One man came in one day
and some one remarked about peculiar
erect OF the crease at the knees. he nau
taken a needle and fine thread and caught
the material together so that there could
not be possible break. Each man mas
thirteen pairs of trousers and he may have
ten pairs a week in the laundry. the pay
for washing them coming out of his
"check" allowance. When it is stormy the
battalion appears in gray cloth trousers.
One Saturday evening the visitors We're
treated to an entertainment given by the
cadets. The programmes have been re-
tailed as souvenirs, for they are full of
lunIly advertisements, sayings anu jokes
and have. the programme of the perform.
ance in detail. A play, THE Argo-Nits,
written by one of the cadets. was given.
Any man who has weakness is sure TO
have it set forth in unique fashion by the
other cadets; not one escapes. The nick
names are used frequently and no one out
side of the charmed circle Of cadet ac-
quaintanceship would be able to decipher
some of the paragraphs appearing in the
programme.
The ceremony of breaking camp, to go
into barracks for the winter, is an impress
sve and often an affecting scene. 1t oc-
CURED this year Aug. %. The camps have
to be emptied of the mems possessions
Each mess takes a large comfort ana
spreads it on the ground, and into this ev-
fully, but the general idea is that it is a
grand dump. The comfort is then tied up,
gether and fastened in a knot. These
bundles are left till large army wagon,
drawn by mules, comes along, and the
barracks. The cadets have all of their
trimmings on, that is, they are in their
best array. The tactical officer gives the
sign and the drummer plays Each man
stands by guy rope, and at the signal the
guy rope is loosened, at the second tap
Of the drum the knots are united, and at
the third tap every tent falls. exactly at the
same moment. They are then folded and
packed in square forms, the bugle sounds.
the band plays, the men rush TO get on
their trimmings and go TO spend an hour
with the girls. From the lst TO the 10Th OF
June is the gala time of the year. as that
There are many visitors then
Every two years furloughs are granted
and the men go to their homes or to some
resort for the time allowed them. All are
expected to return Aug. %, and then occurs
what is known as the "furlough rush" Inc
men come in by stage, and there is a rough
and-tumble fight at once, the worse a man
looks the better fellow he is. The citizens
clothes which he has worn during his FUR
Tough, are not to be worn again Tor TWO
years, and there is no cOmpunction of con-
science about destroying them. Some clothes
are converted into fit contributions for the
rag man. AS soon as the rush is over the
men go straight to the photographers TO
have their pictures taken, and these are
proudly kept On the evening of Aug. 50 the
furlough hop was given and did not close
until l O'Clock in the morning. Ihls is an
unusual privilege.
Incorporating men, and have full charge
of the training of the cadets Ihey nold
themselves we'll up to the highest standard
before the cadets, and only relax after cadet
taps have been sounded and the recruits Tor
Uncle Sans army roster are ensconced IN
their cots under the canvas. They then 90
to the hotels and make themselves agree
able to the guests, role IN Whlch lhey are
artists.
A TOOIey-Street PrOnunciamentO.
The American Society of Professors of
Dancing has decreed that the waltz is
romp. A Boston paper says:
Young persons in our set may wall and
weep and gnash their pearly teeth all they
please. The waltz is doomed. No more
will this Intoxicating revel be the proper
thing No real lady or gentleman will ever
waltz again.
''In rude dances held in halls where
the gent may remove his coat if he pleases
or talk to friend over his lady's' Shout
der while swishing her skirts around the
pillars and posts, waltzing may be contin-
ued, but no well-conducted ballroom will
ever be waltzed in again. August per-
sons who know all about the contortions
and angles and see-sawing and criss-cross-
ing of fantastic toe-tripping have spoken.
Napoleon told his old guard to die. 1t died.
RicheIieu commanded men to lay down
their lives for a within. They were laid
down. Cars and emperors have made
worlds tremble by their crotchety, sense
less and vain edicts, but all these are tri-
fies light as air compared with the ma
.estic pronunciamento issued by the Amer
lean Society of Professors of Dancing. This
organization has actually given 1T out that
the waltz is no longer a waltz. 1t Is
romp Waiting is all right and a beneht
to humanity is the way the decree goes
forth but romping is not nice. 1t is UNI
dignified not any too proper and besides
loosens the couture and produces intense
perspiration. Therefore waltzing must
"Fhis came out in the convention of the
society now in progress here. The signing
of Magma Charta was farce and silly
little bit of child's play alongside this con-
.vention. The Spanish Inquisition was
comic opera to it. Dancing Is being dis
cussed New gyrations are being tried out
and passed on, and what boot these emil
nent professors if empires fall, republics
totter or thrones crumble, so long as our
set has the right kind of a caper with
which to while away the weary hours of
the coming winter nights?
The Chicago Times, commenting on IT,
SAYS: 1T matters not what the dancing
teachers may say about the waltz. They
may frown upon it and call it bad form
They NAV refuse to instruct their pupils
in its May twistings and turnings They
may declare it rOmp or any other old
thing not to be tolerated in society and
bandmasters may forget TO bring their mu-
sic and offer a hundred other excuses IN
order to avoid playing the waltz. The pub
fishers may actually quit printing the pro-
auctions of Chopin and Strauss, and the
dealers may make bonfires of the sheet
music they have on hand which is written
in six-eight time The waltz will be
danced just the same.
THE mayor might sign an ordinance de-
claring the waltz a menace to the pubic
health The Governor might call a special
session of the legislature and have the
waltz interdicted a dangerous paStime.
President Mckinley might write a special
call upon all good citizens to forego the
dreamy dance. Congress might act in ac-
cordance with the Presidents suggestion
and pass an act making it a penitentiary
offense TO indulge in the waltz. All the
preachers in the land might unite and de-
liver daily sermons against the waltz. And
still the waltz would live"