henry ossian flipper-第65章

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ther　officers　looked　around　inquiringly。　Then　they　got　up　to　take　a　good　look　at；　the　first　colored　cadet。　The　colonel；　red　in　the　face；　waved　the　boy　away　with　his　hand；　and；　one　by　one；　the　officers　departed；　speechless　with　amazement。

〃In　a　few　moments　the　news　spread　through　the　Academy。　The　white　cadets　seemed　paralyzed。

〃Several　cadets　threatened　to　resign；　some　advocated　maiming　him　for　life；　and　a　Democratic　'pleb'　from　Illinois　exclaimed；　'I'd　rather　die　than　drill　with　the　black　devil。'　But　wiser　counsels　prevailed；　and　the　cadets　consented　to　tolerate　Jimmy　Smith　and　not　drown　or　kill　him　for　four　weeks；　when　it　was　thought　the　examiners　would　'bilge'　him。

〃On　the　16th　of　June；　1870；　I　saw　Jimmy　Smith　again　at　West　Point　and　wrote　out　my　experiences。　He　was　the　victim　of　great　annoyance。

〃At　these　insults　the　colored　cadet　showed　a　suppressed　emotion。　He　could　not　break　the　ranks　to　chastise　his　assaulter。　　Then　if　he　had　fought　with　every　cadet　who　called　him　a　'black…hearted　nigger；'　he　would　have　fought　with　the　whole　Academy。　　Not　the　professors；　for　they　have　been　as　truly　gentlemen　as　they　are　good　officers。　If　they　had　feelings　against　the　colored　cadet　they　suppressed　them。　I　say　now　that　the　indignities　heaped　upon　Jimmy　Smith　would　have　been　unbearable　to　any　white　boy　of　spirit。　Hundreds　of　times　a　day　he　was　publicly　called　names　so　mean　that　I　dare　not　write　them。

〃Once　I　met　Jimmy　Smith　after　drill。　He　bore　the　insulting　remarks　like　a　Christian。

〃'I　expected　it；'　he　said；　'but　it　was　not　so　at　the　Hartford　High　School。　There　I　had　the　second　honors　of　my　class。'　Then　he　showed　me　a　catalogue　of　the　Hartford　High　School；　and　there　was　the　name　of　James　W。　Smith　as　he　graduated　with　the　next　highest　honor。

〃On　that　occasion　I　asked　Jimmy　who　his　father　was。

〃'His　name　is　Israel　Smith。　He　used　to　belong　to　Sandres　Guignard；　of　Columbia。'

〃'Then　he　was　a　slave？'

〃'Yes；　but　when　Sherman's　army　freed　him　he　became　a　Union　soldier。'

〃'And　your　mother？'

〃'She　is　Catherine　Smith；　born　free。'　Here　Jimmy　showed　his　mother's　photograph。　She　looked　like　a　mulatto　woman；　with　straight　hair　and　regular　features。　She　had　a　serious；　Miss…Siddons…looking　face。

〃'How　did　you　come　to　〃the　Point？〃'　I　asked。

〃'Well；　Mr。　David　Clark；　of　Hartford；　promised　to　educate　me；　and　he　got　Congressman　Hoge　to　appoint　me。'

〃'How　came　Mr。　Clark　to　become　interested　in　you？'

〃'Well；　a　very　kind　white　ladyMiss　Loomiscame　to　Columbia　to　teach　the　freedmen。　I　went　to　school　to　her　and　studied　so　hard　and　learned　so　fast　that　she　told　Mr。　Clark　about　me。　My　father　is　able　to　support　me；　but　Mr。　Clark　is　a　great　philanthropist　and　he　has　taken　a　liking　to　me　and　he　is　going　to　stand　by　me。'

〃'What　does　Mr。　Clark　say　when　you　write　about　how　the　cadets　treat　you？'

〃The　colored　boy　handed　me　this　letter　from　his　benefactor：

〃'HARTFORD；　June　7；　1870。

〃'DEAR　JEMMY：　Yours；　1st　inst。；　is　at　hand　and　noted。　I　herewith　inclose　stamps。

〃'Let　them　call　〃nigger〃　as　much　as　they　please；　they　will　laugh　out　of　the　other　corner　of　their　mouth　before　the　term　is　over。

〃'Your　only　way　is　to　maintain　your　dignity。　Go　straight　ahead。　If　any　personal　insult　is　offered；　resist　it；　and　then　inform　me；　I　will　then　see　what　I　can　do。　But　I　think　you　need　have　no　fear　on　that　score。　Have　been　out　to　Windham　a　few　days。　All　well；　and　send　kind　regards。　Mary　sails　for　Europe　Saturday。　President　Grant　is　to　be　here　the　2d。　He　will　be　my　guest　or　Governor　Jewell's。

〃'Yours；　etc。；

〃'D。　CLARK。'

〃'So　Mr。　Clark　knows　the　President；　does　he？'

〃'Why；　yes；　he　knows　everybodyall　the　great　men。　He's　a　great　man　himself；'　and　this　poor　colored　boy　stood　up；　I　thought；　the　proudest　champion　David　Clark　ever　had。

〃'Yes；　David　Clark　is　a　good　man；'　I　mused；　as　I　saw　the　grateful　tears　standing　in　the　colored　cadet's　eyes。

〃When　I　got　back　to　the　hotel　I　heard　a　wishy…washy　girl；　who　came　up　year　after　year　with　a　party　to　flirt　with　the　cadets　say：

〃'O　dear！　it　is　hawid　to　have　this　colod　cadetperfectly　dre'fful。　I　should　die　to　see　my　George　standing　next　to　him。'

〃But　Miss　Schenck；　the　daughter　of　General　Schenck；　our　Minister　to　the　Court　of　St。　James；　told　Jimmy　Smith　that　she　hoped　he　would　graduate　at　the　head　of　his　class；　and　when　the　colored　boy　told　me　about　it　he　said：

〃'Oh；　sir；　a　splendid　lady　called　to　see　me　to…day。　I　wish　I　knew　her　name。　I　want　to　tell　David　Clark。'

〃Every　white　boy　at　West　Point　now　agreed　to　cut　the　colored　boy。　No　one　was　to　say　a　single　word　to　him；　or　even　answer　yes　or　no。　At　the　same　time　they　would　abuse　him　and　swear　at　him　in　their　own　conversation　loud　enough　for　him　to　hear。　It　is　a　lamentable　fact　that　every　white　cadet　at　the　Point　swears　and　chews　tobacco　like　the　army　in　Flanders。

〃Again　I　saw　Jimmy　Smith　on　the　9th　of　July。　The　officers　of　the　Academy　had　been　changed。　Old　General　Schriver　had　given　place　to　young　General　Upton。　The　young　general　is　a　man　of　feeling　and　a　lover　of　justice。　He　sent　for　the　colored　boy；　and　taking　his　hand　he　said：

〃'My　boy；　you　say　you　want　to　resign；　that　you　can　stand　this　persecution　no　longer。　You　must　not　do　it。　You　are　here　an　officer　of　the　army。　You　have　stood　a　severe　examination。　You　have　passed　honorably　and　you　shall　not　be　persecuted　into　resigning。　I　am　your　friend。　Come　to　me　and　you　shall　have　justice。'

〃Then　General　Upton　addressed　the　cadets　on　dress　parade。　He　told　them　personal　insults　against　their　brother　cadet；　whose　only　crime　was　color；　must　cease。

〃One　day　a　cadet　came　to　Jimmy　and　said　he　would　befriend　him　if　he　dared　to；　'but　you　know　I　would　be　ostracized　if　I　should　speak　to　you。'

〃'What　was　the　cadet's　name？'　I　asked。

〃'Oh；　I　dare　not　tell？'　replied　the　colored　boy。　'He　would　be　ruined；　too。'

〃'Did　your　father　write　to　you　when　you　thought　of　resigning？'

〃'Yes；　here　is　his　letter；'　replied　the　colored　boy：

〃'COLUMBIA；　S。C。；　July　3；　1870。

〃'My　DEAR　SON：　I　take　great　pleasure　in　answering　your　kind　letter　received　last　night。　I　pray　God　that　my　letter　may　find　you　in　a　better　state　of　consolation　than　when　you　wrote　to　me。　I　told　you　that　you　would　have　trials　and　difficulties　to　endure。　Do　not　mind　them；　for　they　will　go　like　chaff　before　the　wind；　and　your　enemies　will　soon　be　glad　to　gain　your　friendship。　They　do　the　same　to　all　newcomers　in　every　college。　You　are　elevated　to　a　high　position；　and　you　must　stand　it　like　a　man。　Do　not　let　them　run　you　away；　for　then　they　will　say；　the　〃nigger〃　won't　do。　Show　your　spunk；　and　let　them　see　that　you　will　fight。　That　is　what　you　are　sent　to　West　Point　for。　　When　they　find　you　are　determined　to　stay；　they　will　let　you　alone。　You　must　not　resign　on　any　account；　for　it　is　just　what　the　Democrats　want。　They　are　betting　largely　here　that　you　won't　get　in。　The　rebels　say　if　you　are　admitted；　they　will　devil　you　so　much　that　you　can't　stay。　Be　a　man；　don't　think　of　leaving；　and　let　me　know　all　about　your　troubles。　The　papers　say　you　have　not　been　received。　Do　write　me　positively　whether　you　are　received　or　not。

〃'Times　are　lively　here；　for　everybody　is　preparing　for　the　Fourth　of　July。　There　are　five　colored　companies　here；　all　in　uniform；　and　they　are　trying　to　see　who　shall　excel　in　drill。

〃'Stand　your　ground；　don't　resign；　and　write　me　soon。

〃'From　your　affectionate　father；

〃'ISRAEL　SMITH。'〃

〃On　the　11th　of　January　I　visited　West　Point　again。　I　found　all　the　cadets　still　against　the　colored　boy。　A　system　of　terrorism　reigned　supreme。　Every　one　who　did　not　take　sides　against　the　colored　boy　was　ostracized。

〃At　drill　one　morning　Cadet　Anderson　trod　on　the　colored　boy's　toes。　When　Smith　expostulated　Anderson　replied；　'Keep　your　toes　away。'　When　Smith　told　about　it　Anderson　got　two　other　white　cadets　to　say　he　never　said　so。　This　brought　the　colored　boy　in　a　fix。

〃Last　July　I　saw　the　colored　cadet　again。　He　was　still　ostracized。　No　cadet　ever　spoke　to　him。　He　lived　a；　hermit　life；　isolated　and　alone。

〃When　I　asked　him　how　he　got　on　with　his　studies　he　said：　'As　well　as　I　am　able；　roaming　all　alone；　with　no　one　to　help　me　and　no　one　to　clear　up　the　knotty　points。　If　there　is　an　obscure　point