THE PLEBE CLASS CHOOSES ITS PRESIDENT
Not a man save two on sick report at cadet hospital was absent
when Cadet Hopper, acting as temporary chairman, the plebe class
called to order.
"Gentlemen," he announced, "you all know the principal reason for
our being here. We are, in especial, to elect a class president.
Therefore I will take time only to urge upon you the great
importance of to-night's planned action.
"The class president is to be, in a word, the class leader. The
president of this class is to stand before the entire cadet body, and
before the authorities of the United States Military Academy, as
the representative of this class.
"It goes without saying, I think, that our president should be, in
every respect, the best possible representative of the class as a
whole. He should be as nearly as possible the ideal man of the
class--the man who stands for the best, the manliest and the most
loyal thoughts and aspirations of this class.
"As brevity is always highly to be prized, I will say no more at this
moment. If any gentleman present desires to address the class, I
will recognize him for that purpose. If, after a pause, we ascertain
that no member desires to make a general address, I will then rule
that the election is next in order."
"Mr. Chairman!"
"Mr. Lawrence."
"I believe, Mr. Chairman," cried Mr. Lawrence, "that I have never
heard the objects or the duty of a meeting better expressed, or in
fewer words. I am certain that I voice the sense of this class
meeting when I say that the thanks of the plebe class are due to the
chairman. I have only to add my own personal, urgent appeal that
the man chosen for the greatest honor we can bestow be truly a
man who represents the best that there is in this class. And now,
Mr. Chairman, I move that we proceed at once to nominations."
"Nominations with speeches?" asked the chairman.
"Yes, Mr. Chairman."
"I second the motion, as amended," declared Cadet Thompson.
The motion was put and carried.
Cadets Hopper and Lawrence were both nominated, and the
nominations seconded.
"Mr. Chairman!"
"Mr. Delavan."
Cadet Delavan was upon his feet, the recognized and avowed
arch-supporter of Mr. Dodge. Delavan made an introductory
appeal in which he brought forth and endorsed the remarks of the
chair. He then brought forth, as leading characteristics in a wise
and capable class president a high sense of honor, wide judgment,
intimacy with the world and its social usages, and unswerving
loyalty to country, the Military Academy and the class.
"In these and in all other essential and even ideal respects, Mr.
Chairman, we have everything that can be asked for in Mr. Dodge.
Mr. Chairman, I most earnestly and urgently place Mr. Dodge in
nomination for the office of president of this class."
Then Hadley was on his feet at once. In a longer and more
eloquent speech he seconded the nomination. Hadley possessed the
gift of eloquence. As he proceeded in his remarks he convinced
many, until now wavering, that Bert Dodge was the most available
man for the great office. When Hadley sat down it was the general
opinion that Dodge was about as good as elected.
There was a long pause. Then:
"Mr. Chairman!"
"Mr. Anstey."
The Virginian nodded to the chair, then looked slowly around at
all the faces. It was some moments ere his voice was again heard.
When he did speak it was in a low, clear voice that gradually
increased in volume.
"Mr. Chairman, and fellow members of the fourth class," Anstey
continued in soft accents, "it may, at first thought, seem almost
treacherous that I should favor any comrade over my own
roommate."
Bert Dodge flushed angrily, then paled.
"Believe me, sir and gentlemen, only a burning desire to see the
best interests of the class served could nerve me to such a seeming
lack of grace."
In the intense stillness that followed the noise that Bert Dodge
made in shifting his feet on the floor sounded loud, indeed. Anstey
was a trifle paler than usual, but he was working under an intense
conviction, and the grit and dash of his Revolutionary forbears was
quite sufficient to carry him on unswervingly to his goal of duty to
the class.
"Against Mr. Dodge, sir and classmates, I have no word to offer. I
will admit that he would make a good president of the class. In one
study Mr. Dodge for a while stood so persistently among the goats
as to hint at the possibility that he might not be with us long."
Bert flushed angrily.
"But, most fortunately," pursued Anstey, in the same soft, Southern
voice, "Mr. Dodge has lately pulled himself up from among the
goats, and is most likely to remain here at the Academy for the
allotted period of four years.
"Yet, sir and classmates, the words of our temporary presiding officer
have sunk deeply into my brain. We must choose the man who is most
truly representative of the whole spirit, purpose and daring of the
class. With all due and high respect, gentlemen, for my own roommate,
I desire to bring forward for your consideration the one who, I feel
certain, stands more closely than any of us to all the grand old
traditions of intelligence, daring, loyalty, leadership, good
fellowship and unfailing good judgment. The man I would nominate,
sir, will, to my mind, lead this class as no class has been led at the
Military Academy within the last generation or two."
Mr. Anstey paused, glancing at the faces in front.
"Name him!"
"Yes! Name him!"
"Mr. Chairman, and classmates," continued the Virginian, "I have
the honor--and I assure you I feel it an honor to have made the
discovery--I have the honor to place in nomination for the class
presidency the name of that splendid fellow and soldier-at-heart--Mr.
Prescott!"
Greg it was gave a whoop that started the cheering.
"You sneak!" muttered Dodge under his breath, trying to hide the
fire that burned in his eyes as he looked again at Cadet Anstey. But
five men caught the low-uttered word and it cost Dodge five votes.
"Further nominations are in order," suggested Chairman Hopper.
There was a long pause, after which it was moved, seconded and
carried that the nominations be closed.
"The chair then directs," continued Mr. Hooper, "that Messrs.
Gentry, Hawkes, Fletcher and Simmons serve as tellers. Voting will be
by written ballot, on slips that will be supplied by the tellers."
Soon the tellers circulated again through the meeting, receiving the
written ballots in their caps. These were brought forward to the
table behind the platform desk and counted. Then, after securing
the floor, teller Hawkes announced the result as follows:
"Whole number of votes cast, 122; necessary to choice, 61. Of
these Mr. Dodge has received 48; Mr. Prescott, 39; Mr. Hopper,
19, and Mr. Lawrence, 16."
"No choice having been made by the majority voting," decided the
chair, "the tellers will again distribute blank slips and another
ballot will be cast."
The second balloting resulted in this layout:
Dodge, 52; Prescott, 40; Hopper, 16; Lawrence, 14.
"No choice having yet been made, a third balloting will be
necessary," ruled the chair.
"Mr. Chairman--one moment, please!"
"Mr. Lawrence."
"Mr. Chairman and classmates," went on Lawrence hastily, "I
regret that I have not the silver tongue possessed by some who
have spoken to-night. Did I possess such a precious thing I would
know how to thank appropriately, perhaps, those who have favored
me enough to vote for me. I do thank these friends, though not as I
would wish I might. But I now respectfully ask all of my friends
who have voted for me to vote with me, and cast their votes for
Mr. Prescott."
"The chair wishes to withdraw its name from this contest, with a
similar tribute of thanks," declared Mr. Hopper. "Yet, perhaps as
temporary presiding officer, it will not be wholly proper for me to
declare in favor of either of the remaining candidates."
Then the tellers distributed ballots again. There was a great deal of
excitement in the air. Bert Dodge and Dick Prescott were the
observed of many eyes. Again the ballots were taken up and
counted.
"Gentlemen," announced Chairman Hopper, as one of the tellers
handed him a slip, "Mr. Dodge has fifty votes and Mr. Prescott has
seventy-two. Mr. Prescott is, therefore, elected president of this
class."
"Mr. Chairman," cried Greg, leaping to his feet, "I move to make
the election unanimous."
"Second the motion!" called half a dozen at once.
It was put to an aye-and-no vote and carried rousingly.
"The chair gladly relinquishes its temporary post to the one elected
to fill it," announced Mr. Hopper.
Anstey, Greg and a dozen others gleefully escorted the class
president to the platform.
Dick addressed the meeting in a quiet, low voice, but he heartily
thanked the class for the honor it had accorded him.
"I'm not going to make a speech, gentlemen," he continued.
"Perhaps a speech from me will be worth more when I am through
with the office. But I have listened attentively to what has been
outlined to-night by other speakers as constituting a worthy
president, and I can only add that I shall do all that may possibly
be in my power to live up to such ideals. The chair now stands
ready to be advised of any further business that may properly come
before the meeting."
There being no "business," the time was taken up with speeches
from several plebes who wanted to be heard. The subject of their
treatment by the yearlings came in for much attention. Many of the
speakers expressed burning indignation at the "small show"
accorded to the plebe class.
"Hasn't our president something to say on this subject?" called
some one.
"I shall be glad to speak on this very matter," smiled Cadet
Prescott, rising. "Gentlemen of the class, I know that we are
traveling over a road that, even under the most genial conditions,
would be a rough one. Many of us feel that the yearling class is
devoting all its energies to making that road a still rougher one."
"Hear! Hear!" cried a dozen at once.
"But, gentlemen," continued the new class president, "next June
we shall be yearlings. There will be a new lot of plebes here, and I
feel rather certain that we shall treat them just about as we are now
being treated."
There were murmurs of dissent at this.
"For generations," continued Cadet Prescott, "the plebe at West
Point has had to rough it. You are all familiar with the truism that
a soldier must learn to obey before he is fit for command. In much
the same way, I fancy, the plebe must travel a rough road before he
is thoroughly broken in and fitted to enjoy the delights of full
equality and recognition with upper class men.
"We are no more put upon than was every present upper class
man during his first year here. When we reach the sublime heights
on which the yearlings dwell I believe that we shall look back and
appreciate the fact that we truly needed some round thrashing into
shape. We shall feel grateful to our present enemies, the
yearlings--and we will turn around and help the new lot of plebes
through the same kind of first-year life. In the meantime,
classmates, I earnestly advise that we establish at least one record
here. Let us, from now on, prove ourselves to be the gamest of
plebes who have suffered here in many a year. The more patiently
we bear it now, in all patience, the better yearlings, the better
second class men and first class men we shall be when our time
comes. The motto of a famous sovereign is, 'I serve.' Let our plebe
class motto be, 'I grin and bear.'"
This wasn't exactly what the plebes had been expecting from their
new leader. For a few moments after Dick sat down there was
silence. Then a half dozen began to applaud. The noise grew, until
half the plebes were cheering.
"Thank you, gentlemen," smiled the class president. "I think we are
now well started on the way to becoming useful members of the
Army."
"What do you think of our new leader?" one of Bert Dodge's late
supporters asked that young man after the meeting had broken up.
"We're going to have a boot-lick president," growled Bert.
"Then there's a strong boot-lick sentiment in the class," returned
the other cadet. "But I think Mr. Prescott is going to head a
manlier lot than we were yesterday."
When Anstey entered their room at barracks Dodge refused to
notice him, or to answer a pleasant greeting.
"I have been trying to forgive Dick Prescott for all of the past,"
Cadet Dodge told himself darkly. "I wanted to start a new life, for
both of us, here at West Point. But the fellow won't let me. He is
always getting in my way. Oh, what a laugh there'll be in Gridley,
among the mucker part of the population, when they find that I'm
not class president, but that Dick Prescott is!"
Even after he lay in bed, following taps, Bert Dodge could not
sleep. He lay tossing restlessly, dark thoughts surging through his
mind.
"No place on earth seems large enough for Dick Prescott and me
together!" muttered Dodge in the dark. "Dick Prescott, if I haven't
lost my cunning you shan't be here much longer."
But the forcing of Dick Prescott out of the West Point cadet corps
was not easy to accomplish nor were ways of doing it to be come
upon quickly.
First, Mr. Dodge realized that he was falling behind in
mathematics, and for weeks he had to give all his energy to
keeping a place in the class.
Finally January came and with it examinations. The plebe escapes
written examinations if he has shown proficiency in the general
review of the first half of the academic year. Dick and Greg got
through without these "writs." Bert Dodge was compelled to face
the written test in mathematics, but he made the grade and stayed
on. He was gratified, for thirty-one of the plebes were dropped
after this examination.
"I've got to stay on," Bert Dodge had ground out between his teeth.
"If I'm to be dropped from West Point, it must be after I've found a
way to send Dick Prescott back to Gridley ahead of me!"
Spring came, and still Bert's opportunity was lacking. He and Anstey
greeted each other, but that was about all the communication the two
held. Yet, one night, having noted the fact that for some time Dodge
had seemed depressed, the Virginian asked:
"What's wrong, Mr. Dodge? Anything in which another fellow
can lend a hand?"
"Nothing's wrong," replied Dodge shortly, and turned at once to his
books. Still his gloom continued, and one evening not long after
Anstey said to Dick and Greg:
"That townsman of yours is so deep in gloom that it's like living in
an unlighted cave to be in the same room with him. What's wrong,
do you suppose?"
"No telling," replied Dick. "Just disposition, I presume. He's no
longer a townsman of ours, by the way."
"Do you note really savage looks on his face?" put in Cadet
Holmes.
"Don't I, though!"
"Then Bert Dodge has a mean streak on and is plotting mischief
to some one!"
"Is he underhanded and treacherous?" demanded Anstey quickly.
Prescott hesitated a moment, then said:
"Perhaps you'd better keep your eyes open. You're pretty close to
him, and you don't want him to do anything to bring your record in
question. Still, so far as any of us knows, he's been honorable and
square here; so let's give the fellow his chance and say nothing to
prejudice any one else."
"You're right, Dick. Still, I wish something would pull the fellow
out of his gloom. It spreads thick through the whole room."
The truth was that because he could think of no feasible plan to
drive Prescott from the Military Academy, Bert Dodge had
become morose and irritable. But at last he thought he saw his
chance.
It was May when Greg Holmes received a telegram that an aunt of
his of whom he had always been fond had died. Another telegram
from Greg's father to Superintendent Martin asked that the boy be
allowed to go home for the funeral. After an inquiry as to Greg's
standing in class, Colonel Martin granted the permission, handing
Holmes the money his father had telegraphed for the purpose.
When Bert Dodge saw Greg leave the Academy his eyes lighted
up.
"Prescott will be alone in his room," he muttered in evil glee.
"There'll be times when he'll be out; but I'll have to work quickly!"
Then a gleam came into his eyes. "Prescott will be in Lieutenant
Pierson's quarters talking over football plans to-morrow night.
That's my chance!"