The Republican journal., 1903-11-19
We had timed our arrival at the


parade ground in order to see the cadets
march to dinner at one, and in response
to bugle call they came tumbling out
of the gloomy old barracks, soon to be
replaced with new and modern ones,
and enjoyed few minutes fun, laugh
ter and boy-like capers before forming
for rol-call and the march to the mess
hall. 1t was a pretty sight to watch
over five hundred uniformed young
men, all as perfectly erect and as much
alike as if they had been run IN molds
differing only in length, keeping perfect
step and moving as if they were run by
clockwOrk.
When the last blue-coated figure had
turned correctly square corner out OF
sight we sought the museum and spent
an interesting half hour examining its
treasures. 1t contains Revolutionary,
Mexican, Civil and Spanish war relics,
models of all sorts of arms and ammu-
milton, Indian implements of warfare
and other curios, and many interesting
things recently brought from China.
What interested us most, was, think,
part of the f1ag-pole at Fort Sumter
and the first shot fired in the civil war.
When we returned to the parade we
found the football squad, evidently re-
turned from the training table little
early, hard at work at their practice.
Taking advantage of the iron seats
placed for the benefit of spectators we
sat and watched them practicing punts
and tackles. The scene before us was
grand. The hills for background, the
fine trees, the smooth grass and the
stately columns of .Cullom Memorial
Hall. all added their charm. The dingy,
prison-like buildings in the rear are no
part of the picture, which will be mar
velously beautiful when Uncle Sans
plans for the comfort and convenience
of the boys who will form his body
guard later on are completed. We sat
there until the cadets reappeared from
dinner and spent their twenty minutes
recreation before the sections formed
for the two o'clock recitations.
There is always a romantic interest
attached to the blue uniforms and bell
buttons of the cadets. Their life and
surroundings are unique and are inter
estingly described in book by H. IT.
wing Hancock entitled Life at West
Point and which is in our public il
brary.
1t was now nearing time for the re-
turn boat and we strolled slowly toward
the landing, stopping on the way to
rest and enjoy the view and also to
amuse ourselves in watching our fellow
passengers who were returning from
the various places where they had
spent the day. Finally, however, we
were obliged to join the procession to
the wharf. where we awaited the New
York which was to carry us back to her
mother city. She was on schedule time
and among her passengers we recogniz-
ed many faces we had seen ON the up
trip of the Albany.
This time we devoted ourselves to
the Palisades and were repaid for the
closest attention by the grandeur of the
panorama Stony Point was the Rev.
olutionary point of interest and brought
daring Anthony Wayne to our minds.
We did not see much shipping on the
usually busy waterway. A schooner or
two and tow sluggishly creeping along
were the only indications of life except
on board our steamer, where a very
good band played constantly, picnic
parties and family groups talked and
laughed, and everything was bubbling
over with good cheer. At 123d street
we babe a regretful adieu to our COM
Portable easy chairs and went ashore.
Under the Corporafs guidance we
climbed the steps to the top of the en-
bankment, walked along the famous
Riverside Drive and around Grants
tomb, which we found we could not
enter as it was past four O'Clock. Walk
ing down and waiting for our car we
had a good look at the fine buildings OF
Columbia Barnard and the Horace
Mann School near by. A short wait
for our train at the station was soon
past and we were safely aboard the
train for home, looking hungrily at
our watches and wishing for seven
O'Clock, when dinner would end the
incest possible birthday gift.
M, d. P,