Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1909-10-19
A WEST POINT HAzINC
1t Knocked All the EgOtism Out
of the New Cadet.
SINGING HIS OWN PRAISES.

! Home Paper Started The Trouble.
Hazing at the United States Military
academy. West Point has in the past
ten years been so frequently followed
by punishment and otherwise discoun-
teDauced that it has practically become
a thing of the past. \ third of cen
fury ago the modes OF hazing were
varied and many of them unique A
certain graduate who hailed from
south of Mason and Dixon's line and
from west of the Allegheny noun
ltalns !elq tbis story of his own expe-
rience:
He was tail. n" ooueu lelow
when he entered the aeHas nS as d
-'pIebe" and had been assignee ~ !"
room with bright little chap, wifi
whom he soon became very friendly
and confidential Several weeks after
he had entered he academy he receiy.
ed a letter from his good mother, in
which she had Iselosed a clipping from
their county newspaper
The article mentioned the fact that
yOuhg Mt, - had received IA ap-
pointment TO West Point and haa left
for that pace several days before; that,
whereas they extended congratulations
TO the young man, the United States
government was to be much more
greatly congratulated upon obtaining
ms one of it's embryo soldiers man
from their community. the son of sRch
I eli cir nd GRO =
had been equally noble. young man
above reproach. of great intellect and
! bound to make his mark in any call
ing he might elect. etc
This article inspired its recipient
with pride and pleasure. He found it
| impossible to refrain from showing it
to his roommate and an hour after
| having done so was accosted while
going downstairs by an upper class
man who had been drilling him and
| had been very severe. At this meeting
the upper class man. who was about
| half his size, looked at him solemnly,
removed his cap and said: MIR. -,
humbly beg your pardon for having
been so stern with you. did not
distinguished aud intellectual young
man you were. you honor us by be-
coming one Of US"
The pleased 'plebe," never for
moment seeming mischief, grinningly
replied: That's all right, Mr.. -.
forgive you"
That evening while the 'plebe" and
Ia In, ~
there was IL knock at their door, and
there entered the upper class man who
had accosted and apologized to the
"plebe" on the stairs. he being accom-
panied by dozen other upper class
men. He thus addressed the "plebe:"
Mr.. -, here are a number of your
brother cadets who are DESTROYS of
knowing what a particularly distin-
guished man they have among them.
You will therefore kindly read what
your newspaper says Of you"
The 'piebe" was inclined 60 demur.
out the determined manner and steely
eye of the little upper class man COM
PEELED obedience. Embarrassed. he
stumblingy read the whole article, at
the conclusion of which the little upper
class man stated that the reader had
mumbled in parts. had failed to enun-
ciate distinctly and required the poor
''plebe' to read it again. This having
| been done. all shook hands with him
in an apparently most deferential man
| ner. after which the little upper class
| man stated that they would call the
hrr
diets and that in The meantime the
'plebe" would commit the article to
memory and be in readiness to repeat
it when hey called.
His manner brooked no disobedience
The call was made the next evening.
The number of cadets being nearly
double that of the previous evening.
and he repeated the article. being
prompted by the little upper class
man. Before the departure of his Wis
itors he was informed that he would
be visited the next evening by a still
greater number of cadets. and he was
ordered TO be prepared to declaim the
article depicting his virtues.
The visit was made and the declama-
tion rendered He was then informed
/ that he would be again visited the fol
, lowing evening and would prepare
himself so as to be able to render the
article In song This visit was made.
the room being fairly packed with ca
diets. and the poor ''plebe" was re-
quired to stand on a table and howl
the article from start to finish. for be
had not the falntest understanding OF
how to sing or turn tune. In after
years he said that If he had ever had
any egotism in his composition it was
completely knocked out of him by hav-
ing to handle that article as he had to
handle i'll. W. Duncan in Lippin-
eOtt's.
The Black Hand Business.
! Mrs. Rart-My husband got a letter