The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1921-12-16

Poor Joe II was a terrible disappointment
10 him that, after studying so hard Stamford
should be sent up section while he remained
in the third, to which he had fallen month
after entering the academy Every cadet in
the section thought that Joe would be trans
ferred up, for his recitations during the past
two weeks were so much butter than any ones
else.
No one thought because Standiford had cor
rectly solved the test problem a few days be-
FORE and which all the other cadets had failed
on, that ii would at all effect Joe's standing.
How disappointed the folks at home would
bel and they had all sacrificed so much to send
him to West Point, and the poor, widowed moth
er wished so strongly to have her boy follow
the footsteps of his father, and go through the
academy with honor.
If there was any cadet in the fourth class
at the United States Military Academy who
was under special obligations to Joe Howard,
it was Harry Stamford. Joe had helped him
with his lessons many time, and Harry prom
ised time and time again to do a good turn for
Joe. And now the opportunity had occurred,
and Harry had said nothing to Joe about the
problem, which he had found already worked
out in little book given him by his predeces-
sor at the academy.
AS the cade.s marched back across the beau
tiful parade ground after the evening parade,
Joe's heart was indeed heavy, for there was
now no chance of going up before next term
in January.
After the ranks were broken Walter Brown
his classmate said, while they were taking off
their guns and equipments, preparatory to go
ing down to the roll-can for supper:
II say, joe that was a mean trick of old
Cory to keep you down in the third section
while he sent Stamford up. Your marks have
been the best right along for the last month
and you ought to go up. I'd like to know how
Stamford got the pull on old Cory"
Old Cory, as he was thus Familiarity termed
by the cadets, was captain in the army, and
an instructor in mathematics. He was not
liked by any of the cadets.
"Oh, it was all right, Walter" replied joe
bravely. "Gory said in giving out the prob
lem that it was test, and would satisfy him
better than anything else as to how much we
had thoroughly learned this term, if we worked
it out Of course, | feel pretty bad over it, but
| didn't get the problem, and Sandiford did,
and that is all there is to it,"
well I'm willing to bet a good deal that
Harry Stamford never worked that problem
out himself He got some one to show him."
said Walter
1T may be- but how are you going to prove
it?' asked Joe. "He said he had worked it out
and he certainly explained it all to the complete
satisfaction of old Cory"
JuNb bhch lHc uiulIl DedbulB TIE call 10 sup
per put all end to the discussion, and the boys
hurried downstairs to get in ranks
After supper was over and call TO quarters
had sounded, Joe, who was a member of the
guard that evening, found himself posted as a
sentinel in the sixth division.
Harry Stamford lived in a room on the
ground floor of this division, so joe in pacing
up and down, passed his door, and thus hap
pened to hear his own name mentioned
ua kar~o -
that he heard at the same time the words:
Stuck up prig Thinks, because his father
was friend of Supe's, he can do anything he
pleases. He expects a corporalship next spring,
but he won't get it. I'm glad he did not 20 up
today. til teach him lesson not to presume
on his superiors."
Joe could hardly believe his ears, and quick
~ walked down to the farther end of the
hall, but he could not stay there long. He had
TO walk where he had been ordered to and so
back he went. And again, through the open
transom over the door, ne heard jim Bates,
Harry's roommate, say to him:
"Oh I've torn pthe original that Dana gave
me and the explanation of it he sent me- It was
lucky he CHANGED to be here last week"
Joe heard no more. as the relief came in Just
then and relieved him of duty; but he under
stood it all now.
Lieutenant Dana of the army was on leave
Of absence and the week before had spent a
few days at the Academy. As his plebe or sue
eessor, Stamford had obtained permission to