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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FURLOUGH。

OF　all　privileges　or　sources　of　pleasure　which　tend　to　remove　the　monotony　of　military　life；　there　are　none　to　which　the　stripling　soldier　looks　forward　with　more　delight　than　furlough。　Indeed　it　is　hard　to　say　which　is　the　stronger　emotion　that　we　experience　when　we　first　receive　information　of　our　appointment　to　a　cadetship；　or　that　which　comes　upon　us　when　we　are　apprised　that　a　furlough　has　been　granted　us。　Possibly　the　latter　is　the　stronger　feeling。　It　is　so　with　some；　with　those；　at　least；　who　received　the　former　announcement　with　indifference；　as　many　do；　accepting　it　solely　to　please　a　mother；　or　father；　or　other　friend　or　relative。　With　whatever　feeling；　or　for　whatever　reason　the　appointment　may　have　been　accepted；　it　is　certain　that　all　are　equally　anxious　to　take　advantage　of　their　furlough　when　the　time　comes。　This　is　made　evident　in　a　multitude　of　ways。

A　furlough　is　granted　to　those　only　who　have　been　present　at　two　annual　examinations　at　least；　and　by　and　with　the　consent　of　a　parent　or　guardian　if　a　minor。

Immediately　after　January　next　preceding　their　second　annual　examination；　the　furloughmen；　as　they　are　called；　have　class　meetings；　or　rather　furlough　meetings；　to　celebrate　the　〃good　time　coming。〃　　They　hold　them　almost　weekly；　and　they　are　devoted　to　music；　jesting；　story…telling；　and　to　general　jollification。　It　can　be　well　imagined　with　what　joy　a　cadet　looks　forward　to　his　furlough。　It　is　the　only　interruption　in　the　monotony　of　his　Academy　life；　and　it　is　to　him　for　that　very　reason　extremely　important。　During　all　this　time；　and　even　long　before　January；　the　furloughmen　are　accustomed　to　record　the　state　of　affairs　respecting　their　furlough　by　covering　every　available　substance　that　will　bear　a　pencil　or　chalk　mark　with　numerous　inscriptions；　giving　the　observer　some　such　information　as　this：　〃100　days　to　furlough；〃　〃75　days　to　furlough；〃　〃only　two　months　before　furlough；〃　and　thus　even　to　the　day　before　they　actually　leave。

The　crowning　moment　of　all　is　the　moment　when　the　order　granting　furloughs　is　published。

I　am　sure　my　happiest　moment　at　West　Point；　save　when　I　grasped　my　〃sheepskin〃　for　the　first　time；　was　when　I　heard　my　name　read　in　the　list。　It　was　a　most　joyous　announcement。　To　get　away　from　West　Point；　to　get　out　among　friends　who　were　not　ashamed　nor　afraid　to　be　friends；　could　not　be　other　than　gratifying。　It　was　almost　like　beginning　a　new　life；　a　new　career；　and　as　I　looked　back　from　the　deck　of　the　little　ferryboat　my　feelings　were　far　different　from　what　they　were　two　years　before。

My　furlough　was　something　more　than　an　interruption　of　my　ordinary　mode　of　life　for　the　two　years　previous。　It　was　a　complete　change　from　a　life　of　isolation　to　one　precisely　opposite。　And　of　course　I　enjoyed　it　the　more　on　that　account。

The　granting　of　furloughs　is　entirely　discretionary　with　the　Superintendent。　It　may　be　denied　altogether；　but　usually　is　not；　except　as　punishment　for　some　grave　offence。

It　is　customary　to　detain　for　one；　two；　three；　or　even　more　days　those　who　have　demerits　exceeding　a　given　number　for　a　given　time。　The　length　of　their　leave　is　therefore　shortened　by　just　so　many　days。

There　are　a　number　of　customs　observed　by　the　cadets　which　I　shall　describe　here。

To　disregard　these　customs　is　to　showat　least　it　is　so　construeda　want　of　pride。　To　say　that　this　or　that　〃is　customary；〃　is　quite　sufficient　to　warrant　its　conception　and　execution。　Among　these　customs　the　following　may　be　mentioned：

To　begin　with　the　fourth　class。　Immediately　after　their　first　semi…annual　examination　the　class　adopts　a　class　crest　or　motto；　which　appears　on　all　their　stationery；　and　often　on　many　other　things。　To　have　class　stationary　is　a　custom　that　is　never　overlooked。　Each　class　chooses　its　own　design；　which　usually　bears　the　year　in　which　the　class　will　graduate。

Class　stationary　is　used　throughout　the　period　of　one's　cadetship。

In　the　early　spring；　the　first；　second；　and　third　classes　elect　hop　managers；　each　class　choosing　a　given　number。　This　is　preparatory　to　the　hop　given　by　the　second　to　the　graduating　class　as　a　farewell　token。　This　custom　is　rigorously　kept　up。

Next　to　these　are　customs　peculiar　to　the　first　class。　They　are　never　infringed　upon　by　other　classes；　nor　disregarded　even　by　the　first　class。

First；　prior　to　graduation　it　is　an　invariable　custom　of　the　graduating　class　to　adopt　and　procure；　each　of　them；　a　class　ring。　This　usually　bears　the　year　of　graduation；　the　letters　U。　S。　M。　A。；　or　some　other　military　character。

This　ring　is　the　signet　that　binds　the　class　to　their　Alma　Mater；　and　to　each　other。　It　is　to　be　in　after　years　the　souvenir　that　is　to　recall　one's　cadet　life；　and　indeed　every　thing　connected　with　a　happy　and　yet　dreary　part　of　one's　career。

The　class　album　also　is　intended　for　the　same　purpose。　　It　contains　the　〃smiling　shadows〃　of　classmates；　comrades；　and　scenes　perhaps　never　more　to　be　visited　or　seen　after　parting　at　graduation。　Oh！　what　a　feeling　of　sadness；　of　weariness　of　life　even；　must　come　upon　him　who　in　after　years　opens　his　album　upon　those　handsome　young　faces；　and　there　silently　compares　their　then　lives　with　what　succeeding　years　have　revealed！　Who　does　not；　would　not　grieve　to　recall　the　sad　tidings　that　have　come　anon　and　filled　one's　heart　and　being　with　portentous　gloom？　This；　perhaps　a　chum；　an　especial　favorite；　or　at　any　rate　a　classmate；　has　fallen　under　a　rude　savage　warfare　while　battling　for　humanity；　without　the　advantages　or　the　glory　of　civilized　war；　but　simply　with　the　consciousness　of　duty　properly　done。　That　one；　perchance；　has　fallen　bravely；　dutifully；　without　a　murmur　of　regret；　and　this　one；　alas！　where　is　he？　Has　he；　too；　perished；　or　does　he　yet　remember　our　gladsome　frolics　at　our　beloved　Alma　Mater。　My　mind　shudders；　shrinks　from　the　sweet　and　yet　sad　anticipations　of　the　years　I　have　not　seen　and　may　perhaps　never　see。　But　there　is　a　sweetness；　a　fondness　that　makes　me　linger　longingly　upon　the　thought　of　those　unborn　days。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIV。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　INCIDENT；　HUMOR；　ETC。

IT　may　not　be　inappropriate　to　give　in　this　place　a　fewas　many　as　I　can　recallof　the　incidents；　more　or　less　humorous；　in　which　I　myself　have　taken　part　or　have　noticed　at　the　various　times　of　their　occurrence。　First；　then；　an　adventure　on　〃Flirtation。〃

During　the　encampment　of　1873I　think　it　was　in　July　Smith　and　myself　had　thefor　usrare　enjoyment　of　a　visit　made　us　by　some　friends。　We　had　taken　them　around　the　place　and　shown　and　explained　to　them　every　thing　of　interest。　We　at　length　took　seats　on　〃Flirtation；〃　and　gave　ourselves　up　to　pure　enjoyment　such　as　is　found　in　woman's　presence　only。　The　day　was　exceedingly　beautiful；　all　nature　seemed　loveliest　just　at　that　time；　and　our　lone；　peculiar　life；　with　all　its　trials　and　cares；　was　quite　forgotten。　We　chatted　merrily；　and　as　ever　in　such　company　were　really　happy。　It　was　so　seldom　we　had　visitorsand　even　then　they　were　mostly　malesthat　we　were　delighted　to　have　some　one　with　whom　we　could　converse　on　other　topics　than　official　ones　and　studies。　While　we　sat　there　not　a　few　strangers；　visitors　also；　passed　us；　and　almost　invariably　manifested　surprise　at　seeing　us。

I　do　think　uncultivated　white　people　are　unapproachable　in　downright　rudeness；　and　yet；　alas！　they　are　our　superiors。　Will　prejudice　ever　be　obliterated　from　the　minds　of　the　people？　Will　man　ever　cease　to　prejudge　his　fellow…being　for　color's　sake　alone？　Grant；　O　merciful　God；　that　he　may！

But　au　fait！　Anon　a　cadet；　whose　perfectly　fitting　uniform　of　matchless　gray　and　immaculate　white　revealed　the　symmetry　of　his　form　in　all　its　manly　beauty；　saunters　leisurely　by；　his　head　erect；　shoulders　back；　step　quick　and　elastic；　and　those　glorious　buttons　glittering　at　their　brilliant　points　like　so　many　orbs　of　a　distant　stellar　world。　Next　a　plebe　strolls　wearily　along；　his　drooping　shoulders；　hanging　head；　and　careless　gait　bespeaking　the　need　of　more　squad　drill。　Then　a　dozen　or　more　〃picnicers；〃　all　females；　laden　with　baskets；　boxes；　and　other　et　ceteras；　laughing　and　playing；　unconscious　of　our　proximity；　draw　near。　The　younger　ones　tripping　playfully　in　front　catch　sight　of　us。　Instantly　they　are　hushed；　and　with　hands　over　their　mouths　retrace　their　steps　to　disclose　to　those　in　rear　their　astounding　discovery。　In　a　few　moments　all　appear；　and　silently　and　slowly　pass　by；　eyeing　us　as　if　we　were　the　greatest　natural　wonder　in　existence。　They　pass　on　till　out　of　sight；　face　about　and　〃continue　the　motion；〃　passing　back　and　forth　as　many　as　five　times。　Wearied　at　length　of　this　performance；　Smith　rose　and　said；　〃Come；　let's　end　this　farce；〃　or　something　to　that　effect。　We　arose；　left　the　place；　and　were　surprised　to　find　a　moment　after　that　they　were　actually　following　us。

The　〃Picnicers；〃　as　they　are　called　in　the　corps；　begin　their　excursions　early　in　May；　and　continue　them　till　near　the　end　of　September。　They　manage　to　arrive　at　West　Point　at　all　possible　hours　of　the　day；　and　stay　as　late　as　they　conveniently　can。　In　May　and　September；　when　we　have　battalion　drills；　they　are　a　great　nuisance；　a　great　annoyance　to　me