The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1898-09-24
PLEBEs AT WEST POINT.
= El Y, ll' Warriors Are Made to Anus


Embryo. Warriors Are Mad. to Amuss
the VearlinEs & the Academy.
. Y The new fourth classmen, OF
pleps, as they are most frequently
called, who entered the military AGA
DENY at West Point a short time ago,
link l7k that on account Of the war with
/ spain they will not be hazed,
their hopes are bound 4 to be
rudely shattered. For weeks the
yearlings have been preparing a
warm reception for them. War
or no war, the time-honored custom OF
double el'3 stepping and choo-chooing
plebs" will be faithfully observed. A
cavalry recruit might just as well hope
10 escape blanket tossing as the new
plebe" to miss the setting up exer-
Z clses, which Grant, Sherman and sher-
loan tried in vain to dodge. The :plebe''
VINO mas successfully passed the en-
trance examinations first reports to the
! aoJutant, and, after registering, is sent
TO the assembly room, where cadet off,
GERS are on hand to give him warm
reception. Knock is the advice CIV
en- by the tired looking orderly who
showed him the way, and the new re-
crult Is left to his own thoughts. The
response to his timid tap is like the
roar OF the reveille gun. Come I'M"
ecnoes from basement to roof. The tone
Is like the lions roar. It strikes ter
ror deep down in the heart of the new
sold1er, who instinctively recoils, and
Tor the first time wishes himself at
nome. The door opens with a dozen
cadets who regard him with absolute
1nolHerence. Nobody questions the
new arrival, and he is forced to intro
duce himself. It is then only his trou-
Dies begin. He finds that in address,
Ing or answering upper classmen he
must Invariably use the word "sir." He
also discovers that all questions, how
ever senseless or ridiculous, must be
answered. Here are a few samples:
Where are you from, Mr.. Dumbjohn !"
Chicago" Say sir, Chicago, sir"
How do you know you are from Chi
cago, Mr.. Dumbjohn?" II don't know,
sir" "Well, you are stupid product,
Mr.. Dumbjohn. Do you know any
thlng?" Eyes, sir" what do you
know, sir?" It is usually at this point
that Mr.. Dumbjohn willis and admits
ne knows nothing. Then a corporal
takes the new arrival in charge and his
lot thenceforward for at least year is
not happy one. In camp the "plebe"
guard is usually tackled by ghosts on
dark; stormy nights and tossed into
Fort Clinton's moat. The new fourth
classmen are drilled continuously.
Whether walking through the company
streets, or F'off Duty on the plains, the
"plebe" must be always at attention.
In his tent work will be found for him
by the "yearlings." Cleaning guns,
making lemonade and doing general
police work leaves little time for home
sickness. Sitting on a bayonet or
chewing the side of cot or double
stepping by the hour are some of the
things "plebe'' must do to amuse up
per classmen. A new amusement was
invented last summer by a, "yearling'
who has since been discharged. He
named it the Sammy race. Two
.plebes' are b11ndfolded, and each is
furnished with a jug Of molasses and
spoon. The command Feed" is then
given and one 'plebe'' tries to feed the
other with the mo1asses. By the time
half the stuff is exhausted nearly all
the wasps and hornets in camp are
settled on the ''plebes' - uniforms
drinking in the surplus sugar deposited
there. The recruits are then released
and no time is lost in trying to doff
the sweetened blouses. He is for
tunale "plebe" who manages to escape
from this exercise without at least a
half dozen wasp stings. When a
"plebe'' is ordered to laugh he usually
fins out" palms of his hands to- the
front, and, with his back against tree,
smiles pleasantly for an hour. This
is regarded as great amusement by the
upper classmen. Fistic combats may
now be looked for between the *'plebes"
and "yearlingS. New York Press