henry ossian flipper-第31部分

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　The　length　of　their　leave　is　therefore　shortened　by　just　so　many　days。

There　are　a　number　of　customs　observed　by　the　cadets　which　I　shall　describe　here。

To　disregard　these　customs　is　to　showat　least　it　is　so　construeda　want　of　pride。　To　say　that　this　or　that　〃is　customary；〃　is　quite　sufficient　to　warrant　its　conception　and　execution。　Among　these　customs　the　following　may　be　mentioned：

To　begin　with　the　fourth　class。　Immediately　after　their　first　semi…annual　examination　the　class　adopts　a　class　crest　or　motto；　which　appears　on　all　their　stationery；　and　often　on　many　other　things。　To　have　class　stationary　is　a　custom　that　is　never　overlooked。　Each　class　chooses　its　own　design；　which　usually　bears　the　year　in　which　the　class　will　graduate。

Class　stationary　is　used　throughout　the　period　of　one's　cadetship。

In　the　early　spring；　the　first；　second；　and　third　classes　elect　hop　managers；　each　class　choosing　a　given　number。　This　is　preparatory　to　the　hop　given　by　the　second　to　the　graduating　class　as　a　farewell　token。　This　custom　is　rigorously　kept　up。

Next　to　these　are　customs　peculiar　to　the　first　class。　They　are　never　infringed　upon　by　other　classes；　nor　disregarded　even　by　the　first　class。

First；　prior　to　graduation　it　is　an　invariable　custom　of　the　graduating　class　to　adopt　and　procure；　each　of　them；　a　class　ring。　This　usually　bears　the　year　of　graduation；　the　letters　U。　S。　M。　A。；　or　some　other　military　character。

This　ring　is　the　signet　that　binds　the　class　to　their　Alma　Mater；　and　to　each　other。　It　is　to　be　in　after　years　the　souvenir　that　is　to　recall　one's　cadet　life；　and　indeed　every　thing　connected　with　a　happy　and　yet　dreary　part　of　one's　career。

The　class　album　also　is　intended　for　the　same　purpose。　　It　contains　the　〃smiling　shadows〃　of　classmates；　comrades；　and　scenes　perhaps　never　more　to　be　visited　or　seen　after　parting　at　graduation。　Oh！　what　a　feeling　of　sadness；　of　weariness　of　life　even；　must　come　upon　him　who　in　after　years　opens　his　album　upon　those　handsome　young　faces；　and　there　silently　compares　their　then　lives　with　what　succeeding　years　have　revealed！　Who　does　not；　would　not　grieve　to　recall　the　sad　tidings　that　have　come　anon　and　filled　one's　heart　and　being　with　portentous　gloom？　This；　perhaps　a　chum；　an　especial　favorite；　or　at　any　rate　a　classmate；　has　fallen　under　a　rude　savage　warfare　while　battling　for　humanity；　without　the　advantages　or　the　glory　of　civilized　war；　but　simply　with　the　consciousness　of　duty　properly　done。　That　one；　perchance；　has　fallen　bravely；　dutifully；　without　a　murmur　of　regret；　and　this　one；　alas！　where　is　he？　Has　he；　too；　perished；　or　does　he　yet　remember　our　gladsome　frolics　at　our　beloved　Alma　Mater。　My　mind　shudders；　shrinks　from　the　sweet　and　yet　sad　anticipations　of　the　years　I　have　not　seen　and　may　perhaps　never　see。　But　there　is　a　sweetness；　a　fondness　that　makes　me　linger　longingly　upon　the　thought　of　those　unborn　days。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIV。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　INCIDENT；　HUMOR；　ETC。

IT　may　not　be　inappropriate　to　give　in　this　place　a　fewas　many　as　I　can　recallof　the　incidents；　more　or　less　humorous；　in　which　I　myself　have　taken　part　or　have　noticed　at　the　various　times　of　their　occurrence。　First；　then；　an　adventure　on　〃Flirtation。〃

During　the　encampment　of　1873I　think　it　was　in　July　Smith　and　myself　had　thefor　usrare　enjoyment　of　a　visit　made　us　by　some　friends。　We　had　taken　them　around　the　place　and　shown　and　explained　to　them　every　thing　of　interest。　We　at　length　took　seats　on　〃Flirtation；〃　and　gave　ourselves　up　to　pure　enjoyment　such　as　is　found　in　woman's　presence　only。　The　day　was　exceedingly　beautiful；　all　nature　seemed　loveliest　just　at　that　time；　and　our　lone；　peculiar　life；　with　all　its　trials　and　cares；　was　quite　forgotten。　We　chatted　merrily；　and　as　ever　in　such　company　were　really　happy。　It　was　so　seldom　we　had　visitorsand　even　then　they　were　mostly　malesthat　we　were　delighted　to　have　some　one　with　whom　we　could　converse　on　other　topics　than　official　ones　and　studies。　While　we　sat　there　not　a　few　strangers；　visitors　also；　passed　us；　and　almost　invariably　manifested　surprise　at　seeing　us。

I　do　think　uncultivated　white　people　are　unapproachable　in　downright　rudeness；　and　yet；　alas！　they　are　our　superiors。　Will　prejudice　ever　be　obliterated　from　the　minds　of　the　people？　Will　man　ever　cease　to　prejudge　his　fellow…being　for　color's　sake　alone？　Grant；　O　merciful　God；　that　he　may！

But　au　fait！　Anon　a　cadet；　whose　perfectly　fitting　uniform　of　matchless　gray　and　immaculate　white　revealed　the　symmetry　of　his　form　in　all　its　manly　beauty；　saunters　leisurely　by；　his　head　erect；　shoulders　back；　step　quick　and　elastic；　and　those　glorious　buttons　glittering　at　their　brilliant　points　like　so　many　orbs　of　a　distant　stellar　world。　Next　a　plebe　strolls　wearily　along；　his　drooping　shoulders；　hanging　head；　and　careless　gait　bespeaking　the　need　of　more　squad　drill。　Then　a　dozen　or　more　〃picnicers；〃　all　females；　laden　with　baskets；　boxes；　and　other　et　ceteras；　laughing　and　playing；　unconscious　of　our　proximity；　draw　near。　The　younger　ones　tripping　playfully　in　front　catch　sight　of　us。　Instantly　they　are　hushed；　and　with　hands　over　their　mouths　retrace　their　steps　to　disclose　to　those　in　rear　their　astounding　discovery。　In　a　few　moments　all　appear；　and　silently　and　slowly　pass　by；　eyeing　us　as　if　we　were　the　greatest　natural　wonder　in　existence。　They　pass　on　till　out　of　sight；　face　about　and　〃continue　the　motion；〃　passing　back　and　forth　as　many　as　five　times。　Wearied　at　length　of　this　performance；　Smith　rose　and　said；　〃Come；　let's　end　this　farce；〃　or　something　to　that　effect。　We　arose；　left　the　place；　and　were　surprised　to　find　a　moment　after　that　they　were　actually　following　us。

The　〃Picnicers；〃　as　they　are　called　in　the　corps；　begin　their　excursions　early　in　May；　and　continue　them　till　near　the　end　of　September。　They　manage　to　arrive　at　West　Point　at　all　possible　hours　of　the　day；　and　stay　as　late　as　they　conveniently　can。　In　May　and　September；　when　we　have　battalion　drills；　they　are　a　great　nuisance；　a　great　annoyance　to　me　especially。　The　vicinity　of　that　flank　of　the　battalion　in　which　I　was；　was　where　they　〃most　did　congregate。〃　It　was　always　amusing；　though　most　embarrassing；　to　see　them　pointing　me　out　to　each　other；　and　to　hear　their　verbal　accompaniments；　〃There　he　is；　the　first〃or　such　〃man　from　the　right〃〃or　left。〃　〃Who？〃　〃The　colored　cadet。〃　〃Haven't　you　seen　him？　Here；　I'll　show　him　to　you；〃　and　so　on　ad　libitum。

All　through　this　encampment　being　〃young；　a　novice　in　the　trade；〃　I　seldom　took　advantage　of　Old　Guard　privileges；　or　any　other；　for　the　reason　that　I　was　not　accustomed　to　such　barbarous　rudeness；　and　did　not　care　to　be　the　object　of　it。

It　has　always　been　a　wonder　to　me　why　people　visiting　at　West　Point　should　gaze　at　me　so　persistently　for　no　other　reason　than　curiosity。　What　there　was　curious　or　uncommon　about　me　I　never　knew。　I　was　not　better　formed；　nor　more　military　in　my　bearing　than　all　the　other　cadets。　My　uniform　did　not　fit　better；　was　not　of　better　material；　nor　did　it　cost　more　than　that　of　the　others。　Yet　for　four　years；　by　each　and　every　visitor　at　West　Point　who　saw　me；　it　was　done。　I　know　not　why；　unless　it　was　because　I　was　in　it。

There　is　an　old　man　at　Highland　Falls；　N。　Y。；　who　is　permitted　to　peddle　newspapers　at　West　Point。　He　comes　up　every　Sabbath；　and　all　are　made　aware　of　his　presence　by　his　familiar　cry；　〃Sunday　news！　Sunday　news！〃　Indeed；　he　is　generally　known　and　called　by　the　soubriquet；　〃Sunday　News。〃

He　was　approaching　my　tent　one　Sunday　afternoon　but　was　stopped　by　a　cadet　who　called　out　to　him　from　across　the　company　street；　〃Don't　sell　your　papers　to　them　niggers！〃　This　kind　advice　was　not　heeded。

This　and　subsequent　acts　of　a　totally　different　character　lead　me　to　believe　that　there　is　not　so　much　prejudice　in　the　corps　as　is　at　first　apparent。　A　general　dislike　for　the　negro　had　doubtless　grown　up　in　this　cadet's　mind　from　causes　which　are　known　to　everybody　at　all　acquainted　with　affairs　at　West　Point　about　that　time；　summer　of　1873。　On　several　occasions　during　my　second　and　third　years　I　was　the　grateful　recipient　of　several　kindnesses　at　the　hands　of　this　same　cadet；　thus　proving　most　conclusively　that　it　was　rather　a　cringing　disposition；　a　dread　of　what　others　might　say；　or　this　dislike　of　the　negro　which　I　have　mentioned；　that　caused　him　to　utter　those　words；　and　not　a　prejudiced　dislike　of　〃them　niggers；〃　for　verily　I　had　won　his　esteem。

Just　after　returning　from　this　encampment　to　our　winter　quarters；　I　had　another　adventure　with　Smith；　my　chum；　and　Williams；　which　cost　me　dearly。

It　was　just　after　〃evening　call　to　quarters。〃　I　knew　Smith　and　Williams　were　in　our　room。　I　had　been　out　for　some　purpose；　and　was　returning　when　it　occurred　to　me　to　have　some　fun　at　their　expense。　I　accordingly　walked　up　to　the　doorour　〃house〃　was　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　and　on　the　third　floorand　knocked；　endeavoring　to　imitate　as　much　as　possible　an　officer　inspecting。　They　sprang　to　their　feet　instantly；　assumed　the　position　of　the　soldier；　and　quietly　awaited　my　entrance。　I　entered　laughing。　They　resumed　their　seats　with　a　promise　to　repay　me；　and　they　did；　for　alas！　I　was　〃hived。〃　Some　cadet　reported　me　for　〃imitating　a　tactical　officer　inspecting。〃　For　this　I　was　required　to　walk　three　tours　of　extra　guard　duty　on　three　consecutive　Saturdays；　and　to　serve；　besides；　a　week's　confinement　in　my　quarters。　The　〃laugh〃　was　thus；　of　course；　turned　on　me。

During　the　summer　of　'74；　in　my　〃yearling　camp；〃　I　made　another　effort　at　amusement；　which　was　as　complete　a　failure　as　the　attempt　with　Smith　and　Williams。　I　had　been　reported　by　an　officer　for　some　trifling　offence。　It　was　most　unexpected　to　me；　and　least　of　all　from　this　particular　officer。　I　considered　the　report　altogether　uncalled　for；　but　was　careful　to　say　nothing　to　that　effect。　I　received　for　the　offence　one　or　two　demerits。　A　short　while　afterwards；　being　on　guard；　I　happened　to　be　posted　near　his　tent。　Determined　on　a　bit　of　revenge；　and　fun　too；　at　half…past　eleven　o'clock　at　night　I　placed　myself　near　his　tent；　and　called　off　in　the　loudest　tone　I　could　command；　〃No。half…past　eleven　o'clock；　and　all…l…l…l