henry ossian flipper-第39节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　inevitable　reaction　in　opposite　directions；　over　a　distance　of　several　feet。

Their　bodies　being　in　an　inclined　position　when　struck；　and　the　blow　being　of　great　force；　they　were　necessarily　forced　still　further　from　the　erect　attitude；　and　were　with　much　difficulty　able　to　keep　themselves　from　falling　outright　on　the　floor。　Of　course　all　present；　save　those　concerned；　enjoyed　it　immensely。　Indeed　it　was　enjoyable。　Even　the　plebes　themselves　had　a　hearty　laugh　over　it　when　they　were　dismissed。

Again　a　cadet　lieutenant；　who　was　on　duty　at　the　time　over　the　〃Seps；〃　ordered　a　number　of　them　to　report　at　his　〃house〃　at　a　given　hour。　They　had　been　unusually　gross；　and　he　intended　to　punish　them　by　keeping　them　standing　in　his　quarters。　They　reported；　and　were　put　in　position　to　serve　their　punishment。　For　some　reason　the　lieutenant　left　the　room；　when　one　of　the　〃Seps〃　faced　to　the　others　and　thus　spoke　to　them：

〃Say；　boys；　let's　kick　up　the　devil。　Phas　gone　out。〃

Now　it　so　happened　that　P's　chum　was　present；　but　in　his　alcove；　and　this　was　not　known　to　the　Seps。　When　the　Sep　had　finished　speaking；　this　chum　came　forth　and　〃went　for〃　him。　He　made　the　Sep　assume　the　soldier's　position；　and　then　commanded；　〃Second；　exercise！〃　which　command　the　Sep　proceeded　to　obey。

Another　cadet　coming　in　found　him　vigorously　at　it；　and　queried；　〃Well；　mister；　what's　all　that　for？〃

〃Eccentricity　of　Mr。　M；　sir；〃　he　promptly　replied。

The　word　eccentricity　was　not　interpreted　by　the　cadet；　of　course；　as　the　Sep　meant　it　should　be；　but　in　the　sense　we　use　it　when　we　speak　of　the　eccentricity　of　an　orbit　for　instance。

Hence　it　was　that　Mr。　Masked；　〃Well；　sir；　what's　the　expression　for　my　eccentricity？〃

There　is　another　incident　remotely　connected　with　my　first　tour　of　guard　duty　which　may　be　mentioned　here。

At　about　eleven　o'clock　A。M。；　in　obedience　to　a　then　recent　order；　my　junior　reported　at　the　observatory　to　make　the　necessary　observations　for　finding　the　error　of　the　Tower　clock。　After　an　elaborate　explanation　by　an　officer　then　present　upon　the　graduation　of　the　vernier　and　the　manner　of　reading　it；　the　cadet　set　the　finders　so　as　to　read　the　north　polar　distance　of　the　sun　for　that　day　at　West　Point　apparent　noon。　When　it　was　about　time　for　the　sun's　limb　to　begin　its　transit　of　the　wires；　the　cadet　took　position　to　observe　it。　The　instructor　was　standing　ready　to　record　the　times　of　transit　over　each　wire。　Time　was　rapidly　passing；　and　not　yet　had　the　cadet　called　out　〃Ready。〃　The　anxious　instructor　cautiously　queried：

〃Do　you　see　any　light；　Mr。　P？；〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃Can　you　see　the　wires？〃

〃No；　sir；　not　yet。〃

〃Any　light　yet；　Mr。　P？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　it　is　getting　brighter。〃

〃Can　you　see　the　wires　at　all？〃

〃No；　Sir；　it　keeps　getting　brighter；　but　I　can't　see　the　wires　yet。〃

Fearing　he　might　be　unable　to　make　his　observations　that　day　unless　the　difficulty　was　speedily　removed；　the　instructor　himself　took　position　at　the　transit；　and　made　the　ridiculous　discovery　that　the　cap　had　not　been　removed　from　the　farther　end　of　the　telescope；　and　yet　it　kept　getting　brighter。

One　day　in　the　early　summer　of　1875；　a　cadet　was　showing　a　young　lady　the　various　sights　and　wonders　at　West　Point；　when　they　came　across　an　old　French　cannon　bearing　this　inscription；　viz。；　〃Charles　de　Bourbon；　Compte　d'Eu；　ultima　ratio　regum。〃

She　was　the　first　to　notice　it；　and　astonished　the　cadet　with　the　following　rendition　of　it：

〃I　suppose　that　means　Charles　Bourbon　made　the　gun；　and　the　Spanish　（？）　that　the　artilleryman　must　have　his　rations。〃

What　innocence！　Or　shall　I　say；　what　ignorance？

〃The　authorities　of　West　Point　have　entered　an　interdict　against　the　cadets　loaning　their　sashes　and　other　military　adornments　to　young　ladies；　and　great　is　the　force　of　feminine　indignation。〃　Summer　of　1873。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　COME　KISS　ME；　LOVE。

A　young　lieutenant　at　the　Academy　and　his　fiancée　were　seen　by　an　old　maid　at　the　hotel　to　kiss　each　other。　At　the　first　opportunity　she　reproved　the　fair　damsel　for；　to　her；　such　unmaidenly　conduct。　With　righteous　indignation　she　repelled　the　reproof　as　follows：

〃Not　let　Skiss　me！　Why；　I　should　die！〃　Then　lovingly；

　　　〃Come　kiss　me；　love；　list　not　what　they　say；　　　　　Their　passions　are　cold；　wasted　away。　　　　　They　know　not　how　two　hearts　like　ours　are　　　　　Long　to　mingle　i'　the　sweetness　o'　the　kiss；　　　　　That　like　the　soft　light　of　a　heavenly　star；　　　　　As　it　wanders　from　its　world　to　this；　　　　　Diffuses　itself　through　ev'ry　vein　　　　　And　meets　on　the　lips　to　melt　again。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XV。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GRADUATIONIN　THE　ARMY。

　　　　〃Patience　is　bitter；　but　its　fruit　is　sweet。〃

MY　four　years　were　drawing　to　a　close。　They　had　been　years　of　patient　endurance　and　hard　and　persistent　work；　interspersed　with　bright　oases　of　happiness　and　gladness　and　joy；　as　well　as　weary　barren　wastes　of　loneliness；　isolation；　unhappiness；　and　melancholy。　I　believe　I　have　dischargedI　know　I　have　tried　to　do　soevery　duty　faithfully　and　conscientiously。　It　had　been　a　sort　of　bittersweet　experience；　this　experimental　life　of　mine　at　West　Point。　It　was　almost　over；　and　whatever　of　pure　sweetness；　whatever　of　happiness；　or　whatever　reward　fortune　had　in　store　for　me；　was　soon　to　become　known。

〃Speaking　of　the　Military　Academy；　we　understand　that　the　only　colored　cadet　now　at　West　Point　will　not　only　graduate　at　the　coming　June　commencement；　but　that　his　character；　acquirements；　and　standing　on　the　merit　roll　are　such　as　will　insure　his　graduation　among　the　highest　of　his　class。〃Harper's　Weekly；　April　28th；　1877。

All　recitations　of　the　graduating　class　were　discontinued　on　the　last　scholar　day　of　May。　On　June　1st　examination　began。　The　class　was　first　examined　in　mineralogy　and　geology。　In　this　particular　subject　I　〃maxed　it；〃　made　a　thorough　recitation。　I　was　required　to　discuss　the　subject　of　〃Mesozoic　Time。〃　After　I　had　been　examined　in　this　subject　Bishop　Quintard；　of　Tennessee；　a　member　of　the　Board　of　Visitors；　sent　for　me；　and　personally　congratulated　me　on　my　recitation　of　that　day；　as　well　as　for　my　conduct　during　the　whole　four　years。　My　hopes　never　were　higher；　I　knew　I　would　graduate。　I　felt　it；　and　I　made　one　last　effort　for　rank。　I　wanted　to　graduate　as　high　up　as　possible。　I　was　not　without　success；　as　will　subsequently　appear。　The　New　York　Herald　was　pleased　to　speak　as　follows　of　my　recitation　in　mineralogy　and　geology：

〃To…day　the　examination　of　the　first　class　in　mineralogy　and　geology　was　completed；　and　the　first　section　was　partially　examined　in　engineering。　In　the　former　studies　the　class　acquitted　themselves　in　a　highly　creditable　manner；　and　several　members　have　shown　themselves　possessed　of　abilities　far　above　the　average。　The　class　has　in　its　ranks　a　son　of　General　B。　F。　Butler；　Hon。　John　Bigelow's　son；　and　sons　of　two　ex…Confederate　officers。　Flipper；　the　colored　cadet；　was　examined　to…day；　and　produced　a　highly　favorable　impression　upon　the　board　not　less　by　his　ready　and　intelligent　recitati