The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-01-12
4 WEST POINT HAz|kG
1t Knocked All the Egotism Out
of the New Cadet.
SINGING HIS OWN PRAISES.

He Was Kept at II to His Own Morti-
s:casion and the Delight Of the Upper
Class Men-A Clipping From His
Hom. Paper Started the Trouble.
uaz;ns at the United States Military
academy, West Point. has in the past
ten years been so frequently followed
By punishment and otherwise discoun-
,enanccd that 4. has practically become
thing Of the past = third OF cen
,urv ago :he modes OF hazins were
varied and many Of them unique
certain graduate who hailed from
south Of Mason and Dixon's line anc
from west Of the Allegheny noun
.ains told this story Of his own cxpe-
riencc:
&c was 4 tall. rawhoncd fellow
when be entered the academy rs
"plehc" and had been assigned TO
room with bright little chap. with
whom he soon became yer: friendly
and confidential. Several weeks after
be had entered the academy he rcec;v-
eo = letter from his good mother. IN
which she had inc!csed /, clipping from
their county newspaper.
The article mentioned the fact that
youac Mr.. - had received an ap-
no;u.men, 10 Yves, poin; aud had left
for that place several days before; that
whereas they extended congratulations
70 the young mac. the United States
government was 10 be much more
greatly congratulated upon obtaining
as one o. its embryo soldiers 4 mar
from their community. the son OF such
noble sire. whose sire and Srcat-sires
had been equally noble. young IMAM
above reproach. Of great intellect and
bound TO make his mark il: any call
Ing he might elect. etc.
This article inspired lis recipient
with pride and pleasure. &c fonno II
;mpossible 10 refrain from showing It
10 his roommate and "n hour after
having done so was accosted While
going downstairs by an upper class
man VITO lad been drilling him and
, hac been very severe. At this meeting
tie upper class man. who was about
bali his size, looked at him solennly.
removed his cap and said: Mr.. -,
humb!y beg your paedon for having
been so stern with You. ! did not
know until! few moments ago what
distinguished and Intellectual young
man you were. You honor US by be-
coming one OF Us.
The pleased ''plebe." never for
moment scentins mischief. Szinnins!y
replied: That's all eight. Mr.. -.
forgive you
That evening while the '.plebc" and
his roommate were engaged in study
there was q knock at their door. and
;he.e entered the upper class man who
had accosted and apo!osized TO the
'.plebe" or the stairs. be being accom-
panied by dozen other upper class
men. Ee thus addressed the 'piebc:
"Mr. -, here are = number or yode
bro,he. cadets who are deSirors OF
knowing what particularly dist!n-
suished man they have among them.
You vii; therefore kindly read wha;
your newspaper says Of you"
The ''ple5c" was inclined 10 deDcr.
but the determined manner and s:ecly
eye Of the little upper class man CON-
PEELED obedience. Embarrassed. be
stunblingIy read the whole article. at
the conclusion Of which the little upper
class uao stated that the reader had
nunbled in parts, had failed to enun.
cIase distinctly and required the poor
'.pIebe" to read il again. This having
been done, eli shook hands with him
in n apparently most deSerent!al maa-
ner. after which the little upper class
man stated that they would cal! the
next evening augmented by other ca
de:s and that in the meantime the
"plebe", would commit the article to
! memory and be il readiness 70 repeat
It when they called.
His manner brooked 10 disooedieacc.
The call was made the next evening.
the number OF cadets beng nearly
! double that Of the previous evening.
1IiO ue ESieltcN t0S A-<t$'Ss S\~o
,, prompted by the little upper class
man. Before the departure Of his VS.
itors be was Informed that be would
be visited the next evening By still!
greater number.of cadets. and be was
ordered TO be prepared 20 declaim the
article depicting his virtues
The visit was made and :hc Gecla ma
ton rendered. he was then informed
that be would be again visited the FOL.
lowing evening and would prepare
himself so rs 10 be able to render the
article in song. This visit Mss made.
the room being fairly packed with ca
dets. and the poor "plebe" VAS re-
cuired 20 stand on table and howl
the article from start TO finish. for he
; had rot the faIntcst understanding OF
how to sing or turn = tune. in after
years be said that II he had ever had
any egotism in his composition It was
completed: knocked out Of him by har-
Ing to handle that article as be had 10
| handle i'll u. Duncan in Lip2in-
colts.