THE "LUCKY" ONES TAKE UP THE NEW LIFE
Candidate Prescott did not take the best examination by
any means, but he got through without discredit in any branch.
A number of these candidates had spent the last year or so at some
"prep." school that made a specialty of preparing young men for
West Point and Annapolis.
Greg did fairly in English, quite well in history, geography and
arithmetic; in algebra, through sheer nervousness, young Holmes
barely escaped going short.
Nearly twoscore of the candidates failed utterly. These went
sorrowing home, giving their alternates a chance to enter the corps
in their places.
Soon after the results had been declared, the young men who had
passed went over to headquarters. There they signed a statement to
the effect that they entered the Military Academy with the consent
of their parents or guardians, and bound themselves to serve in the
Army at least eight years, unless sooner discharged. These new
young men were then formally and impressively sworn into the
service of their country. They were now cadets, even if only new
plebes.
Why "new" plebes! Because, under the new system, with
candidates admitted in March, there is still a "plebe" class above
them who remain plebes until commencement in June. Hence the
distinction between old and new "plebes."
In the presence of all plebes the yearlings and other upper class
men keep themselves loftily apart, except when compelled to drill
the plebes or perform other military or other official duties with
plebes.
The plebe, old or new, is still but a "beast"--a being unfitted for
intimate contact with upper class men. The plebe is not an outcast.
He is merely fifteen months on probation with his upper class
comrades. Unhappy as the lot of the freshman is at some of our
colleges, the plebe at West Point is of far less importance in the
eyes of the upper classes.
Early every morning cadet corporals marched squads of new
plebes out into the open and put them through the mysteries of the
Army "setting-up" drills. These drills are effective in giving the
new man, in an almost marvelously short time, the correct military
carriage and physical deportment. Between these and the squad,
platoon and company drills, it is truly wonderful how rapidly the
new cadet begins to drop his former awkwardness.
The new plebes had now drawn their uniforms and rapidly learned
the care of these parts of the soldier's wardrobe. They were also
taught the proper occasions for wearing each article of uniform.
Academic studies had now begun in earnest too. The idea in requiring
cadets to begin in March instead of in June, as formerly, is that they
may have three months in which to become accustomed to the fearfully
exacting requirements of study and recitation in force at West Point.
It was a proud day for all these new plebes when they "drew" their
rifles and bayonets and began the laborious study of the manual of
arms.
One after another, as fast as they were sufficiently proficient, the
new plebes were sent into one of the companies into which the
Corps of Cadets is divided.
Cadet Prescott entered D Company four days before Greg Holmes
was assigned to the same company. Dick's success indeed spurred
Greg on to new efforts, although poor young Holmes had felt that
he was working as hard already as human flesh could endure.
Early in April nearly all of the new plebes had joined their
companies. It was a wholly new, revolutionized life.
Many of the new plebes had come from homes of luxury, where
servants had abounded.
But here at West Point former social lines had no significance,
unless it was to invite trouble down upon the head of any new
cadet who felt inclined to be priggish.
No cadet had a servant, nor could he engage anyone to perform
any of his own duties for him.
Each cadet in the entire corps rose at the tap of a
drum--"reveille"--at 5.45 A.M.
At the first sound of reveille every young man sprang from his bed.
Then followed hasty but orderly dressing and the making of the
toilet. The cadet must be spick and span.
Incidentally, but promptly, he fell to policing. The room must be in
order, and the bed made up exactly in accordance with the
regulations on the subject. All clothing must be hung as prescribed
in the regulations. A match end or a scrap of paper on the floor
brought reprimand and demerits.
"Policing" is the orderly care of quarters. At 6.20 police call
sounded on the drum outside in the area. Then came a swift but
all-seeing inspection of every occupied room in barracks.
Swiftly, indeed, was this done, for at 6.30 the tap of the drum
sounded mess call for breakfast. The cadet corps formed outside
the north sally port and marched to breakfast.
About seven o'clock breakfast ended. The corps marched back to
barracks and was dismissed.
By 7.15 every young man was hard at work, "boning" hard over the
studies in which he must recite during the forenoon. He "boned"
until 7.55. Then, in his own appropriate section, he marched off to
the Academic Building, remaining in the section room, under the
instruction or quizzing of some officer of the Army until 9.20.
Now the new plebe, like the cadets of all classes, marched back to
his room. At his desk he studied until summoned at 10.55 for the
second recitation of the day, in some other subject.
At 12.10 he was dismissed from this second period of recitation,
but 12.20 found the young man in dinner formation. From this
mid-day meal the cadet reached barracks at 1.10. Now he had
some time with which to do as he pleased; to be exact, he had
fifteen minutes. At 1.25 the freshman marched off to recitation in
English, history or French. At 2.30 the cadet found himself back in
his room, forced to study, as few young men ever study in civil
life, until 3.30.
From 3.30 to 6.25 P.M. the plebe was allowed to do as he pleased
with his time, provided that in so doing he broke none of the
regulations. He might amuse himself in various ways. He was at
liberty to go over to the library, to read, for instance; he might call
at officers' houses on the post on Saturday or Sunday afternoon if
invited; he was at liberty to take a walk--within cadet limits. Or, if
he felt the need of something really "wild" in the way of
diversion, the lucky plebe was permitted to go over to the
Academic Building and examine the mineralogical or geological
collection!
As a matter of fact, the plebe who in most instances was doing
badly with the great amount of study and recitation required of
him, was likely to spend most of his afternoon leisure in "boning"
the studies in which he was deficient or which he found difficult to
master.
At 6.25 came the call for supper formation. That meal was through
at about seven in the evening. Then came study time, lasting until
9.30 in the evening. At 9.30 the plebe was at liberty to turn down
his mattress and go to bed, if he felt tired enough; if not, he was at
liberty to study a little longer.
At 10.30, however, taps sounded on a drum just inside the north
sally port. Now Mr. Plebe was obliged to turn out his light,
instanter, and be in bed against the visit of the subdivision
inspector, an upper class cadet, immediately afterward. If Mr.
Plebe failed to be in bed he was reported--"skinned"--and punished
accordingly.
In between there were always the drills, the gymnasium work,
inspections, guard mount for each plebe about once a week after
he had been admitted to the ranks of the battalion.
To the boy fresh from home it is a fearfully hard lot at first. That
it can be lived through and endured, however, is proved by the fact
that about six out of ten of the cadets who enter at West Point
manage to graduate, and go forth into the Army, splendid
specimens of physical and mental manhood. Very few of the
cadets who fail at West Point and are dropped go away from the
Military Academy without a mist before their eyes.
The plebes at West Point are not ostracized by the upper class
men. These new men are merely "kept in their places" with great
severity, and without any encouragement whatever. If the plebe
can't stand it, then he is plainly not of the stuff to make a
soldier. If he does stand it, he goes on into the upper classes,
one after another, graduates and is commissioned by the President
as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.
It is a hard ordeal, that fellowship of "nothingness" during the
first portion of the West Point course.
Homesickness is the worst ailment of the new cadet. Day by day
he grows more homesick until it seems to him that he simply
cannot endure the Military Academy for another twenty-four
hours.
One afternoon, while taking a walk as a relief from too hard
application to his mathematics, Cadet Dick Prescott stumbled
upon some news that made him open his eyes very wide.
"Well, of all things!" he growled to himself.
Then he walked faster.
"Greg must hear of this," muttered the new plebe.
Going down the street at military stride, Cadet Prescott turned in at
the north sally port, stepped briskly along one of the walks,
bounded up the steps and in at the outer door of the subdivision in
which he dwelt.
Up the stairs with considerable speed went Cadet Prescott, still
revolving in his mind the news upon which he had stumbled.
"What on earth will Greg think?" throbbed the new plebe.
In a very short time Prescott's hurrying feet carried him to the door
of his room on the top floor. The door yielded as Dick put his hand
to the knob.
"Greg, what do you think?" whispered Dick breathlessly, as he
went quickly into the room and toward his roommate, who sat bent
over his study table.
The very attitude was unmilitary--a fact that struck Prescott
suddenly.
Then Greg, hearing his roommate's voice, raised his head
somewhat and wheeled about in his chair.
What a woebegone face Cadet Gregory Holmes presented!
"Greg, what on earth is the matter?" demanded Dick, halting short
and staring hard.
"I can't help it," replied Greg miserably, shaking his head.
"Can't help what?" demanded Dick thunder-struck.
"I can't help what I've gone and done. I had to do it!" cried Greg,
with sudden fierceness in his tone.
"What you've done?" echoed Dick. "Well, what have you gone and
done, anyway, old fellow? Does it stop anywhere short of
murder--or lying?"
For in the West Point code of honor lying ranks very nearly as bad
as murder.
"I guess perhaps it isn't quite as bad as either," smiled Greg wanly.
"However, I couldn't help doing it."
He rose to his feet, a bit unsteadily, leaning one hand on his study
desk.
Greg's hair was a bit awry, as though he had run his hands many
times through it in some mood of desperation. This, in itself, was
in defiance of West Point traditions for the personal neatness of
the cadet.
"You still have me altogether in the dark, Greg," murmured Dick
wonderingly.
"You'll lose all respect for me, Dick," went on Greg miserably.
"Then it must be something awfully bad that you've done," retorted
Dick, opening his eyes wider than ever.
Without another word Greg reached to his desk, picked up a sheet
of paper and in silence passed it over to his comrade.
Dick read with a gathering of his eyebrows. Then gradually a look
of anger shot into his clear eyes.
"Greg Holmes," uttered the other cadet indignantly, "you're a
disgrace to your native town of Gridley!"
"Well, what are you going to do about it!" demanded Greg almost
defiantly.
"Do?" retorted Cadet Prescott. "I believe I'll thrash you--just for
being a disgrace to our native place!"
Not intending anything of the sort, but merely as a dramatic
expression of his rage, Dick doubled one fist, advancing upon
Holmes.
At that instant the door was flung open. Cadet Lieutenant Edwards,
of the first class, strode into the room.
Instantly both cadets straightened, where they were, standing at
"attention," as required to do when a superior officer entered their
quarters.
"What is this?" demanded Cadet Lieutenant Edwards, though
betraying no more than official curiosity in his tone. "Have I
entered just in time to prevent a fight!"
"No, sir," replied Cadet Prescott.
"Then what!"
"Sir," responded Cadet Prescott, "I wish to report my roommate,
Mr. Holmes, for writing this letter!"
Dick held out the sheet of paper, which the cadet lieutenant
scanned earnestly.