henry ossian flipper-第43章

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…place　of　the　sandwiches　and　devoured　them　all。

Now　when　the　hour　of　feasting　was　come；　a　corporal　was　dispatched　for　the　dainty　dish；　when；　lo；　and　behold！　it　had　vanished。　The　plebesfor　who　else　could　thus　have　secretly　devoured　themwere　brought　to　account　and　the　guilty　ones　discovered。　They　were　severely　censured　in　that　contemptuous　manner　in　which　only　a　cadet；　an　upper　classman；　can　censure　a　plebe；　and　threatened　with　hazing　and　all　sorts　of　unpleasantness。

Next　morning　they　were　called　forth　and　marched　ingloriously　to　the　presence　of　the　commandant。　Upon　learning　the　object　of　the　visit　he　turned　to　the　chief　criminalthe　finder　of　the　sandwiches　and　asked　him；　〃Why　did　you　eat　all　the　sandwiches；　Mr。　S？〃

〃I　didn't　eat　them　all　up；　sir。　I　ate　only　fifteen；〃　was　his　ready　reply。

The　gravity　of　the　occasion；　coupled　with　the　enormity　of　the　feast；　was　too　much；　and　the　commandant　turned　away　his　head　to　conceal　the　laughter　he　could　not　withhold。　The　plebe　himself　was　rather　short　and　fleshy；　and　the　picture　of　mirth。　Indeed　to　see　him　walking　even　along　the　company　street　was　enough　to　call　forth　laughter　either　at　him　as　he　waddled　along　or　at　the　humorous　remarks　the　act　called　forth　from　onlooking　cadets。

He　was　confined　to　one　of　the　guard　tents　by　order　of　the　commandant；　and　directed　by　him　to　submit　a　written　explanation　for　eating　all　the　sandwiches　of　the　guard。　The　explanation　was　unsatisfactory；　and　the　gentleman　received　some　other　light　punishment；　the　nature　of　which　has　at　this　late　day　escaped　my　memory。

The　other　plebe；　being　only　a　particeps　criminis；　was　not　so　severely　punished。　A　reprimand；　I　think；　was　the　extent　of　his　punishment。

The　two　gentlemen　have　long　since　gone　where　the　〃woodbine　twineth〃that　is；　been　found　deficient　in　studies　and　dismissed。

There　was　a　cadet　in　the　corps　who　had　a　wonderful　propensity　for　using　the　word　〃mighty。〃

With　him　everything　was　〃mighty。〃　I　honestly　do　not　believe　I　ever　heard　him　conversing　when　he　did　not　use　〃mighty。〃

Speaking　of　me　one　day；　and　unconscious　of　my　presence；　he　said；　〃I　tell　you　he　does　'mighty'　well。〃

During　drill　at　the　siege　battery　on　the　25th　of　April；　1876；　an　accident　occurred　which　came　near　proving　fatal　to　one　of　us。　I　had　myself　just　fired　an　8…inch　howitzer；　and　gone　to　the　rear　to　observe　the　effect　of　the　other　shots。　One　piece　had　been　fired；　and　the　command　for　the　next　to　fire　had　been　given。　I　was　watching　intently　the　target　when　I　was　startled　by　the　cry　of　some　one　near　me；　〃Look　out！　look　out！〃　I　turned　my　eyes　instinctively　toward　the　piece　just　fired；　but　saw　only　smoke。　I　then　looked　up　and　saw　a　huge　black　body　of　some　kind　moving　rapidly　over　our　heads。　It　was　not　until　the　smoke　had　nearly　disappeared　that　I　knew　what　was　the　cause　of　the　disturbance。　A　number　of　cannoneers　and　our　instructor　were　vociferously　asking；　〃Anybody　hurt？　Anybody　hurt？〃　We　all　moved　up　to　the　piece；　and；　finding　no　one　was　injured；　examined　it。　The　piece；　a　41/2…inch　rifle；　mounted　on　a　siege　carriage；　had　broken　obliquely　from　the　trunnions　downward　and　to　the　rear。　The　re…enforce　thus　severed　from　the　chase　broke　into　three　parts；　the　nob　of　the　cascabel；　and　the　other　portion　split　in　the　direction　of　the　bore。　The　right　half　of　the　re…enforce；　together　with　the　nob　of　the　cascabel；　were　projected　into　the　air；　describing　a　curve　over　our　heads；　and　falling　at　about　twenty　feet　from　the　right　of　the　battery；　having　passed　over　a　horizontal　distance　of　about　sixty　or　seventy　feet。　The　left　half　was　thrown　obliquely　to　the　ground；　tearing　away　in　its　passage　the　left　cheek　of　the　carriage；　and　breaking　the　left　trunnion　plate。　A　cannoneer　was　standing　on　the　platform　of　the　next　piece　on　the　left　with　the　lanyard　in　his　hand。　His　feet　were　on　two　adjacent　deck　planks；　his　heels　being　on　line　with　the　edge　of　the　platform。　These　two　planks　were　struck　upon　their　ends；　and　moved　bodily；　with　the　cadet　upon　them；　three　or　four　inches　from　their　proper　place。　The　bolts　that　held　them　and　the　adjacent　planks　together　were　broken；　while　not　the　slightest　injury　was　done　the　cadet。

It　was　hardly　to　be　believed；　and　was　not　until　two　or　three　of　the　other　cannoneers　had　examined　him　and　found　him　really　uninjured。　It　was　simply　miraculous。　The　instructor　sent　the　cannoneers　to　the　rear；　and　fired　the　next　gun　himself。

After　securing　the　pieces　and　replacing　equipments；　we　were　permitted　to　again　examine　the　bursted　gun；　after　which　the　battery　was　dismissed。

There　had　been　some　difficulty　in　loading　the　piece；　especially　in　getting　the　projectile　home。　It　was　supposed　that　this　not　being　done　properly　caused　the　bursting。

I　was　one　summer　day　enjoying　a　walk　on　〃Flirtation。〃　I　was　alone；　and；　if　I　remember　aright；　〃on　Old　Guard　privileges。〃　　Walking　leisurely　along　I　soon　observed　in　front　of　me　a　number　of　young　ladies；　a　servant　girl；　and　several　small　children。

They　were　all　busily　occupied　in　gathering　wild　flowers；　a　kind　of　moss　and　ferns　which　grow　here　in　abundance。　I　was　first　seen　by　one　of　the　children；　a　little　girl。　She　instantly　fixed　her　eyes　upon　me；　and　began　vociferating　in　a　most　joyous　manner；　〃The　colored　cadet！　the　colored　cadet！　I'm　going　to　tell　mamma　I've　seen　the　colored　cadet。〃

The　servant　girl　endeavored　to　quiet　her；　but　she　continued　as　gayly　as　ever：

〃It's　the　colored　cadet！　I'm　going　to　tell　mamma。　I'm　going　to　tell　mamma　I've　seen　the　colored　cadet。〃

All　the　others　stopped　gathering　flowers；　and　watched　me　till　I　was　out　of　sight。

A　similar　display　of　astonishment　has　occurred　at　every　annual　examination　since　I　became　a　cadet；　and　on　these　occasions　the　ladies　more　than　anybody　else　have　been　the　ones　to　show　it。

Whenever　I　took　my　place　on　the　floor　to　receive　my　enunciation　or　to　be　questioned；　I　have　observed　whisperings；　often　audible；　and　gestures　of　surprise　among　the　lady　visitors。　I　have　frequently　heard　such　exclamations　as　this：　　〃Oh！　there's　the　colored　cadet！　there's　the　colored　cadet！〃

All　of　this　naturally　tended　to　confuse　me；　and　it　was　only　by　determined　effort　that　I　maintained　any　degree　of　coolness。　Of　course　they　did　not　intend　to　confuse　me。　Nothing　was；　I　dare　say；　further　from　their　thoughts。　But　they　were　women；　and　it　never　occurs　to　a　woman　to　think　before　she　speaks。

It　was　rather　laughable　to　hear　a　cadet；　who　was　expounding　the　theory　of　twilight；　say；　pointing　to　his　figure　on　the　blackboard：　〃If　a　spectator　should　cross　this　limit　of　the　crepuscular　zone　he　would　enter　into　final　darkness。〃

Now　〃final　darkness；〃　as　we　usually　understand　it；　refers　to　something　having　no　resemblance　whatever　to　the　characteristics　of　the　crepuscular　zone。

The　solemn　manner　in　which　he　spoke　it；　together　with　their　true　significations；　made　the　circumstance　quite　laughable。

The　most　ludicrous　case　of　hazing　I　know　of　is；　I　think；　the　following：

For　an　unusual　display　of　grossness　a　number　of　plebes　were　ordered　by　the　cadet　lieutenant　on　duty　over　them　to　report　at　his　〃house〃　at　a　specified　hour。　They　duly　reported　their　presence；　and　were　directed　to　assume　the　position　of　the　soldier；　facing　the　wall　until　released。　After　silently　watching　them　for　a　considerable　time；　the　lieutenant；　who　had　a　remarkable　penchant　for　joking；　called　two　of　them　into　the　middle　of　the　room。　He　caused　them　to　stand　dos　à　dos；　at　a　distance　of　about　one　foot　from　each　other；　and　then　bursting　into　a　laugh；　which　he　vainly　endeavored　to　suppress；　he　commanded；　〃Second；　exercise！〃

Now　to　execute　this　movement　the　hands　are　extended　vertically　over　the　head　and　the　hands　joined。　At　the　command　〃Two！〃　given　when　this　is　done；　the　arms　are　brought　briskly　forward　and　downward　until　the　hands　touch　if　possible　the　ground　or　floor。　The　plebes　having　gone　through　the　first　motion；　the　lieutenant　thus　cautioned　them：

〃When　I　say　'Two！'　I　want　to　see　you　men　come　down　with　life；　and　touch　the　floor。　Two！〃

At　the　command　they　both　quickly；　and　〃with　life〃　brought　their　bodies　forward　and　their　arms　downward；　nay；　they　but　attempted；　for　scarcely　had　they　left　the　vertical　ere　their　bodies　collided；　and　they　were　each　hurled　impetuously；　by　the　i