Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-07-25
SPOILED THEIR RAIN.
THE CADETS HAD A LAUGH At rhE
OFFICERS EXPENSE.


There are many traditions and xN.
ries Of escapades at the Military aa:at<-
my at West Point that are haUata&
down from class to class and one IT.
the most interesting Of these Is thai r.-
lating to the billiard table. Sbass9p
after the civil war the cadets, aiwaW
on the alert for some new scheme fur
amusement decided that they wGsaiG
like to have a billiard table and M--
cordingly organized billiard club H.
collection was taken up with which sx
purchase a table. and q suitable pE,rs'
was sough, III which to set it up. UaisI
the present steam heating apparsrg1
was installed in the cadet barrae&s,
about 30 years or more ago. the lissat-
ing was by means of furnaces. I'aK.
basement of the sixth division of tIy
barracks was used for coal bins. ts4:
bins being so arranged that there WIZ
large one near the center Of trs
building, which could only be reacis4E'
by passing through one Of the Othsza..
After considering all available plassaE
this coal bin was finally selected as fse-
ing the place least liable to detecfjgN-
for 1t must be remembered the tatis
was unauthorized.
The table was bought in New Yo,s
and sent to Garrisons. across the rive1
for there was no West Shore railrnaE
in those days. One cold winter nigh.
it was hauled by a team Of oxen aernsE
the river on the ice and up the bill AMI
was safely slowed away in the coal hiG
before morning. The table was sSx
set up and became a source Of grsE.
enjoyment to the cadets. A key E
beer WAS always kept on tap, and
lamps were hung from the ceiling, g1S+-
ing the room a CHEEKY appearaos-t-
The members of the club used to g:ssh-
er there at all hours of the day aEA
night when their presence was not r.
quired elsewhere by their duties, AMI
sit around smoking, drinking and tfAr-
ing stories while two of them plaTxk
billiards.
The authorities soon became awsn-
that there was a billiard table sog.S-
where in the barracks, for they coxEsa
hear the balls clicking together. 1.gx
they could not find it. The cadets caa-
tinued to enjoy the privileges Of tia
billiard club for more than a year.
Finally one night soon after Err
night. as two officers were returning
from convivial evening at the mex,
they saw two cadets, clad in their Im-
derclothing and dressing gowr6k
1,n uy+f
disappear down the steps to the anear
way in front of the barracks Inst1Mt
ly the thought Of the billiard tabs
flashed through the minds Of the tr;*
officers. and they started quietly az.
the cadets On reaching the basenit 3
doorway Of the sixth division the tt
cadets entered. and the officers, ar
ing moment later. saw them climb
over pile Of coal and enter an opex
door, through which came sounds d
laughter and conversation and tin
clicking of balls. while the air was fk
| den with fragrant tobacco smoke
The officers paused for a momeax
Finally deciding that they would nsR
the other officers Of their discovery xnt
have all Of them come down the naf
lowing night and enjoy the fun 1t .
raid on the club, they withdrew axc
went home. Next day all the offioeB
at the post were Informed Of the d.
| covery. and 1t was arranged that IL
raid should occur at midnight
All might have gone we'll, and cas
| officers might have had their little tEE.
had 1t not been that there were dHnE
cadets the previous night instead ID
two. The third had forgotten his ngys
| and had gone back for 1t, while txnt
| ed by the officers. The third. coming,
along a moment later, saw the othnu
| and quietly followed them. observiE1
| all their movements and listening VI
their whispered conversation.
When they withdrew. he went in aaE
told the members Of the club all he M
heard and seen. The cadets at oyrc~
realized that it was all up with IL.
club, but they determined to lave 1
laugh at the expense of the office,
Accordingly all arrangements weir
made before the club adjourned uAa
night
| The next night the officers met as n
ranged and crept stealthily down tin
area way and into the sixth diysShaE-
| Hearing no sound Of clicking tzDE,
| some became skeptical and concius&aG
| the whole thing was a hoax. but nevsca
theless they pushed on and clinisSsE
| over the pile Of coal. Opening EaHs
door, they were greeted with glow 81
| light. but still no sound. On ertaYKC
| they found the room deserted, asMs
there were the billiard table. an aimosz-
untouched keg of beer several pouraer
of tobacco. some chairs and lastly e
note on the table, addressed to the dff-
! GERS on duty at West Point. The nssts
was to the effect that as the officers e
the post had been so kind as to pergFlaS
the club to continue it's existence 6T
more than year it desired to present
to them (he officers) the table and xA
TIC, ,pf 4, n ~ n dnnn1fAK