henry ossian flipper-第41章

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id　falling　in　next　to　me；　would　deliberately　come　and　take　their　places　there。　These　plebes；　or　rather　yearlings　now；　were　better　disciplined；　and；　of　course；　my　own　scruples　vanished。

During　the　last　few　months　of　the　year　no　distinction　was　made；　save　by　one　or　two　high…toned　ones。

When　the　next　class　of　plebes　were　put　in　the　battalion；　the　old　cadets　began　to　thrust　them　into　the　front　rank　next　to　me。　At　first　I　was　indignant；　but　upon　second　thought　I　determined　to　tolerate　it　until　I　should　be　reported　for　some　offence　which　was　really　an　offence　of　the　plebes。　I　intended　to　then　explain　the　case；　à　priori；　in　my　written　explanation　to　the　commandant。　I　knew　such　a　course　would　cause　a　discontinuance　of　the　practice；　which　was　plainly　malicious　and　contrary　to　regulations。　Fortunately；　however；　for　all　concerned；　the　affair　was　noticed　by　an　officer；　and　by　him　summarily　discontinued。　I　was　glad　of　this；　for　the　other　course　would　have　made　the　cadets　more　unfriendly；　and　would　have　made　my　condition　even　worse　than　it　was。　Thereafter　I　had　no　further　trouble　with　the　plebes。

One　day；　during　my　yearling　camp；　when　I　happened　to　be　on　guard；　a　photographer；　wishing　a　view　of　the　guard；　obtained　permission　to　make　the　necessary　negative。　As　the　officer　of　the　day　desired　to　be　〃took〃　with　the　guard；　he　came　down　to　the　guard　tents；　and　the　guard　was　〃turned　out〃　for　him　by　the　sentinel。　He　did　not　wish　it　then；　and　accordingly　so　indicated　by　saluting。　I　was　sitting　on　a　camp…stool　in　the　shade　reading。　A　few　minutes　after　the　officer　of　the　day　came。　I　heard　the　corporal　call　out；　〃Fall　in　the　guard。〃　I　hurried　for　my　gun；　and　passing　near　and　behind　the　officer　of　the　day；　I　heard　him　say　to　the　corporal：

〃Say；　can't　you　get　rid　of　that　nigger？　We　don't　want　him　in　the　picture。〃

The　corporal　immediately　ordered　me　to　fetch　a　pail　of　water。　As　he　had　a　perfect　right　to　thus　order　me；　being　for　the　time　my　senior　officer；　I　proceeded　to　obey。　While　taking　the　pail　the　officer　of　the　day　approached　me　and　most　politely　asked：　〃Going　for　water；　Mr。　Flipper？〃

I　told　him　I　was。

〃That's　right；〃　continued　he；　〃do　hurry。　I'm　nearly　dead　of　thirst。〃

It　is　simply　astonishing　to　see　how　these　young　men　can　stoop　when　they　want　any　thing。　A　cadet　of　the　second　classwhen　I　was　in　the　third　classwas　once　arrested　for　a　certain　offence；　and；　from　the　nature　of　the　charge；　was　likely　to　be　court…martialed。　His　friends　made　preparation　for　his　defence。　As　I　was　not　ten　feet　from　him　at　the　time　specified　in　the　charge；　　my　evidence　would　be　required　in　the　event　of　a　trial。　I　was　therefore　visited　by　one　of　his　friends。　He　brought　paper　and　pencil　and　made　a　memorandum　of　what　I　had　to　say。　The　cadet　himself　had　the　limits　of　his　arrest　extended　and　then　visited　me　in　person。　We　conversed　quite　a　while　on　the　subject；　and；　as　my　evidence　would　be　in　his　favor；　I　promised　to　give　it　in　case　he　was　tried。　He　thanked　me　very　cordially；　asked　how　I　was　getting　along　in　my　studies；　expressed　much　regret　at　my　being　ostracized；　wished　me　all　sorts　of　success；　and　again　thanking　me　took　his　leave。

There　is　an　article　in　the　academic　regulations　which　provides　or　declares　that　no　citizen　who　has　been　a　cadet　at　the　Military　Academy　can　receive　a　commission　in　the　regular　army　before　the　class　of　which　he　was　a　member　graduates；　unless　he　can　get　the　written　consent　of　his　former　classmates。

A　classmate　of　mine　resigned　in　the　summer　of　'75；　and　about　a　year　after　endeavored　to　get　a　commission。　A　friend　and　former　classmate　drew　up　the　approval；　and　invited　the　class　to　his　〃house〃　to　sign　it。　When　half　a　dozen　or　more　had　signed　it；　it　was　sent　to　the　guard…　house；　and　the　corporal　of　the　guard　came　and　notified　me　it　was　there　for　my　consideration。　I　went　to　the　guard…　house　at　once。　A　number　of　cadets　were　sitting　or　standing　around　in　the　room。　As　soon　as　I　entered　they　became　silent　and　remained　so；　expecting；　no　doubt；　I'd　refuse　to　sign　it；　because　of　the　treatment　I　had　received　at　their　hands。　They　certainly　had　little　cause　to　expect　that　I　would　add　my　signature。　Nevertheless　I　read　the　paper　over　and　signed　it　without　hesitation。　Their　anxiety　was　raised　to　the　highest　possible　pitch；　and　scarcely　had　I　left　the　room　ere　they　seized　the　paper　as　if　they　would　devour　it。　I　heard　some　one　who　came　in　as　I　went　out　ask；　〃Did　he　sign　it？〃

Another　case　of　condescension　on　the　part　of　an　upper　classman　occurred　in　the　early　part　of　my　third　year　at　the　Academy；　and　this　time　in　the　mess　hall。　We　were　then　seated　at　the　tables　by　classes。　Each　table　had　a　commandant；　who　was　a　cadet　captain；　lieutenant　or　sergeant；　and　in　a　few　instances　a　corporal。　At　each　table　there　was　also　a　carver；　who　was　generally　a　corporal；　occasionally　a　sergeant　or　private。　The　other　seats　were　occupied　by　privates；　and　usually　in　this　order：　first…classmen　had　first　and　second　seats；　second…classmen　second　and　third　seats；　third…　classmen　third　and　fourth　seats；　and　fourth…classmen　fourth　and　fifth　seats；　which　were　at　the　foot　of　the　table。　I　had　a　first　seat；　although　a　second…classman。　For　some　reason　a　first…classman；　who　had　a　first　seat　at　another　table；　desired　to　change　seats　with　me。　He　accordingly　sent　a　cadet　for　me。　I　went　over　to　his　room。　I　agreed　to　make　the　change；　provided　he　himself　obtained　permission　of　the　proper　authorities。　It　was　distinctly　understood　that　he　was　to　take　my　seat；　a　first　seat；　and　I　was　to　take　his　seat；　also　a　first　seat。　He　obtained　permission　of　the　superintendent　of　the　mess　hall；　and　also　a　written　permit　from　the　commandant。　The　change　was　made；　but　lo　and　behold！　Instead　of　a　first　seat　I　got　a　third。　The　agreement　was　thus　violated　by　him；　my　superior　（？）；　and　I　was　dissatisfied。　The　whole　affair　was　explained　to　the　commandant；　not；　however；　by　myself；　but　by　my　consent；　the　permit　revoked；　and　I　gained　my　former　first　seat。　A　tactical　officer　asked　me；　〃Why　did　you　exchange　with　him？　Has　he　ever　done　any　thing　for　you？〃

I　told　him　he　had　not；　and　that　I　did　it　merely　to　oblige　him。　It　was　immaterial　to　me　at　what　table　I　sat；　provided　I　had　a　seat　consistent　with　the　dignity　of　my　class。

The　baseness　of　character　displayed　by　the　gentleman；　the　reflection　on　myself　and　class　would　have　evoked　a　complaint　from　me　had　not　a　classmate　anticipated　me　by　doing　so　himself。

This　gentleman　（？）　was　practically　〃cut〃　by　the　whole　corps。　He　was　spoken　to；　and　that　was　about　all　that　made　his　status　in　the　corps　better　than　mine。

Just　after　the　semiannual　examination　following　this　adventure；　another；　more　ridiculous　still；　occurred；　of　which　I　was　the　innocent　cause。　The　dismissal　of　a　number　of　deficient　plebes　and　others　made　necessary　a　rearrangement　of　seats。　The　commandant　saw　fit　to　have　it　made　according　to　class　rank。　It　changed　completely　the　former　arrangement；　and　gave　me　a　third　seat。　A　classmate；　who　was　senior　to　me；　had　the　second　seat。　He　did　not　choose　to　take　it；　and　for　two　or　more　weeks　refused　to　do　so。　I　had　the　second　seat　during　all　this　time；　while　he　was　fed　in　his　quarters　by　his　chum。　He　had　a　set　of　miniature　cooking　utensils　in　his　own　room；　and　frequently　cooked　there；　using　the　gas　as　a　source　of　heat。　These　were　at　last　〃hived；〃　and　he　was　ordered　to　〃　turn　them　in。　He　went　to　dinner　one　day　when　I　was　absent　on　guard。　At　supper　he　appeared　again。　Some　one　asked　him　how　it　was　he　was　there；　glancing　at　the　same　time　at　me。　He　laughedit　was　plainly　forced　and　replied；　〃I　forgot　to　fall　out。〃

He　came　to　his　meals　the　next　day；　the　next；　and　every　succeeding　day　regularly。　Thus　were　his　scruples　overcome。　His　refusing　to　go　to　his　meals　because　he　had　to　sit　next　to　me　was　strongly　disapproved　by　the　corps　for　two　reasons；　viz。；　that　he　ought　to　be　man　enough　not　to　thrust　on　others　what　he　himself　disliked；　and　that　as　others　for　two　years　had　had　seats　by　me；　he　ought　not　to　complain　because　it　now　fell　to　his　lot　to　have　one　there　too。

Just　after　my　return；　in　September；　1875；　from　a　furlough　of　two　months；　an　incident　occurred　which；　explained；　will　give　some　idea　of　the　low；　unprincipled　manner　in　which　some　of　the　cadets　have　acted　toward　me。