me　especially。　The　vicinity　of　that　flank　of　the　battalion　in　which　I　was；　was　where　they　〃most　did　congregate。〃　It　was　always　amusing；　though　most　embarrassing；　to　see　them　pointing　me　out　to　each　other；　and　to　hear　their　verbal　accompaniments；　〃There　he　is；　the　first〃or　such　〃man　from　the　right〃〃or　left。〃　〃Who？〃　〃The　colored　cadet。〃　〃Haven't　you　seen　him？　Here；　I'll　show　him　to　you；〃　and　so　on　ad　libitum。
  All　through　this　encampment　being　〃young；　a　novice　in　the　trade；〃　I　seldom　took　advantage　of　Old　Guard　privileges；　or　any　other；　for　the　reason　that　I　was　not　accustomed　to　such　barbarous　rudeness；　and　did　not　care　to　be　the　object　of　it。
  It　has　always　been　a　wonder　to　me　why　people　visiting　at　West　Point　should　gaze　at　me　so　persistently　for　no　other　reason　than　curiosity。　What　there　was　curious　or　uncommon　about　me　I　never　knew。　I　was　not　better　formed；　nor　more　military　in　my　bearing　than　all　the　other　cadets。　My　uniform　did　not　fit　better；　was　not　of　better　material；　nor　did　it　cost　more　than　that　of　the　others。　Yet　for　four　years；　by　each　and　every　visitor　at　West　Point　who　saw　me；　it　was　done。　I　know　not　why；　unless　it　was　because　I　was　in　it。
  There　is　an　old　man　at　Highland　Falls；　N。　Y。；　who　is　permitted　to　peddle　newspapers　at　West　Point。　He　comes　up　every　Sabbath；　and　all　are　made　aware　of　his　presence　by　his　familiar　cry；　〃Sunday　news！　Sunday　news！〃　Indeed；　he　is　generally　known　and　called　by　the　soubriquet；　〃Sunday　News。〃
  He　was　approaching　my　tent　one　Sunday　afternoon　but　was　stopped　by　a　cadet　who　called　out　to　him　from　across　the　company　street；　〃Don't　sell　your　papers　to　them　niggers！〃　This　kind　advice　was　not　heeded。
  This　and　subsequent　acts　of　a　totally　different　character　lead　me　to　believe　that　there　is　not　so　much　prejudice　in　the　corps　as　is　at　first　apparent。　A　general　dislike　for　the　negro　had　doubtless　grown　up　in　this　cadet's　mind　from　causes　which　are　known　to　everybody　at　all　acquainted　with　affairs　at　West　Point　about　that　time；　summer　of　1873。　On　several　occasions　during　my　second　and　third　years　I　was　the　grateful　recipient　of　several　kindnesses　at　the　hands　of　this　same　cadet；　thus　proving　most　conclusively　that　it　was　rather　a　cringing　disposition；　a　dread　of　what　others　might　say；　or　this　dislike　of　the　negro　which　I　have　mentioned；　that　caused　him　to　utter　those　words；　and　not　a　prejudiced　dislike　of　〃them　niggers；〃　for　verily　I　had　won　his　esteem。
  Just　after　returning　from　this　encampment　to　our　winter　quarters；　I　had　another　adventure　with　Smith；　my　chum；　and　Williams；　which　cost　me　dearly。
  It　was　just　after　〃evening　call　to　quarters。〃　I　knew　Smith　and　Williams　were　in　our　room。　I　had　been　out　for　some　purpose；　and　was　returning　when　it　occurred　to　me　to　have　some　fun　at　their　expense。　I　accordingly　walked　up　to　the　doorour　〃house〃　was　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　and　on　the　third　floorand　knocked；　endeavoring　to　imitate　as　much　as　possible　an　officer　inspecting。　They　sprang　to　their　feet　instantly；　assumed　the　position　of　the　soldier；　and　quietly　awaited　my　entrance。　I　entered　laughing。　They　resumed　their　seats　with　a　promise　to　repay　me；　and　they　did；　for　alas！　I　was　〃hived。〃　Some　cadet　reported　me　for　〃imitating　a　tactical　officer　inspecting。〃　For　this　I　was　required　to　walk　three　tours　of　extra　guard　duty　on　three　consecutive　Saturdays；　and　to　serve；　besides；　a　week's　confinement　in　my　quarters。　The　〃laugh〃　was　thus；　of　course；　turned　on　me。
  During　the　summer　of　'74；　in　my　〃yearling　camp；〃　I　made　another　effort　at　amusement；　which　was　as　complete　a　failure　as　the　attempt　with　Smith　and　Williams。　I　had　been　reported　by　an　officer　for　some　trifling　offence。　It　was　most　unexpected　to　me；　and　least　of　all　from　this　particular　officer。　I　considered　the　report　altogether　uncalled　for；　but　was　careful　to　say　nothing　to　that　effect。　I　received　for　the　offence　one　or　two　demerits。　A　short　while　afterwards；　being　on　guard；　I　happened　to　be　posted　near　his　tent。　Determined　on　a　bit　of　revenge；　and　fun　too；　at　half…past　eleven　o'clock　at　night　I　placed　myself　near　his　tent；　and　called　off　in　the　loudest　tone　I　could　command；　〃No。half…past　eleven　o'clock；　and　all…l…l…l's　well…l…l！〃　It　woke　him。　He　arose；　came　to　the　front　of　his　tent；　and　called　me　back　to　him。　I　went；　and　he　ordered　me　to　call　the　corporal。　I　did　so。　When　the　corporal　came　he　told　him　to　〃report　the　sentinel　on　No。for　calling　off　improperly。〃　If　I　mistake　not；　I　was　also　reported　for　not　calling　off　at　12　P。M。　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　the　next　sentinel。　Thus　my　bit　of　revenge　recoiled　twofold　upon　myself；　and　I　soon　discovered　that　I　had　been　paying　too　dear　for　my　whistle。
  On　another　occasion　during　the　same　camp　I　heard　a　cadet　say　he　would　submit　to　no　order　or　command　of；　nor　permit　himself　to　be　marched　anywhere　by　〃the　nigger；〃　meaning　myself。　We　were　in　the　same　company；　and　it　so　happened　at　one　time　that　we　were　on　guard　the　same　day；　and　that　I　was　the　senior　member　of　our　company　detail。　When　we　marched　off　the　next　day　the　officer　of　the　guard　formed　the　company　details　to　the　front；　and　directed　the　senior　member　of　each　fifteen　to　march　it　to　its　company　street　and　dismiss　it。　I　instantly　stepped　to　front　and　assumed　command。　I　marched　it　as　far　as　the　color　line　at　〃support　arms；〃　brought　them　to　a　〃carry〃　there　and　saluted　the　colors。　When　we　were　in　the　company　street；　I　commanded　in　loud　and　distinct　tone；　〃Trail　arms！　Break　ranks！　March！〃　A　cadet　in　a　tent　near　by　recognized　my　voice；　and　hurried　out　into　the　company　street。　Meeting　the　cadet　first　mentioned　above；　he　thus　asked　of　him：
  〃Did　that　nigger　march　you　in？〃
  〃Yes…es；　the　nigger　marched　us　in；〃　speaking　slowly　and　drawling　it　out　as　if　he　had　quite　lost　the　power　of　speech。
  At　the　following　semi…annual　examination　（January；　'75）；　the　gentleman　was　put　on　the　〃retired　list；〃　or　rather　on　the　list　of　〃blasted　hopes。〃　I　took　occasion　to　record　the　event　in　the　following　manner；　changing　of　course　the　names：
  FAILED。
  SCENE。Hall　of　Cadet　Barracks　at　West　Point。　Characters：　RANSOM　and　MARS；　both　Cadets。　RANSOM；　who　has　been　〃found〃　at　recent　semiannual　examination；　meets　his　more　successful　chum；　MARS；　on　the　stoop。　After　a　moment's　conversation；　they　enter　the　hall。
  MARS　（as　they　enter）。　　　　　　　Ah！　how！　what　say？　Found！　Art　going　away？　　　　　　　Unfortunate　rather！　'm　sorry！　but　stay！　　　　　　　Who　hadst　thou？　How　didst　thou？　Badly；　I'm　sure。　　　　　　　Hadst　done　well　they　had　not　treated　thee　so。
  RANSOM　（sadly）。　　　　　　　Thou　sayest　aright。　I　did　do　my　best；　　　　　　　Which　was　but　poorly　I　can　but　confess。　　　　　　　The　subject　was　hard。　I　could　no　better　　　　　　　Unless　I'd　memorized　to　the　letter。
  MARS。　　　　　　　Art　unfortunate！　but　tho'　'twere　amiss　　　　　　　Me　half　thinks　e'en　that　were　better　than　this。　　　　　　　Thou　couldst　have　stood　the　trial；　if　no　more　　　　　　　Than　to　come　out　low。　That　were　better；　'm　sure。
  RANSOM。　　　　　　　But　'tis　too　late。　'Twas　but　an　afterthought；　　　　　　　Which　now　methinks　at　most　is　worth　me　naught；　　　　　　　Le　sort　en　est　jetté；　they　say；　you　know；　　　　　　　'Twere　idle　to　dream　and　still　think　of　woe。
  MARS。　　　　　　　Thou　sayest　well！　Yield　not　to　one　rebuff。　　　　　　　Thou'rt　a　man；　show　thyself　of　manly　stuff。　　　　　　　The　bugle　calls！　I　must　away！　Adieu！　　　　　　　May　Fortune　grant；　comrade；　good　luck　to　you！
  They　shake　hands；　MARS　hurries　out　to　answer　the　bugle　call。　RANSOM　prepares　for　immediate　departure　for　home。）
  〃O　dear！　it　is　hawid　to　have　this　cullud　cadet　perfectly　dre'fful。　I　should　die　to　see　my　Geawge　standing　next　to　him。〃　Thus　did　one　of　your　models　of　womankind；　one　of　the　negro's　superiors；　who　annually　visit　West　Point　to　flirt；　give　vent　to　her　opinion　of　the　〃cullud　cadet；〃　an　opinion　thought　out　doubtless　with　her　eyes；　and　for　which　she　could　assign　no　reason　other　than　that　some　of　her　acquaintances；　manifestly　cadets；　concurred　in　it；　having　perhaps　so　stated　to　her。　And　the　cadets；　with　their　accustomed　gallantry；　have　ever　striven　to　evade　〃standing　next　to　him。〃　No　little　amusement　for　such　it　was　to　mehas　been　afforded　me　by　the　many　ruses　they　have　adopted　to　prevent　it。　Some　of　them　have　been　extremely　ridiculous；　and　in　many　cases　highly　unbecoming　a　cadet　and　a　gentleman。
  While　I　was　a　plebe；　I　invariably　fell　in　in　the　rear　rank　along　with　the　other　plebes。　This　is　a　necessary　and　established　custom。　As　soon　as　I　became　a　third…classman；　and　had　a　right　to　fall　in　in　the　front　rank　whenever　necessary　or　convenient；　they　became　uneasy；　and　began　their　plans　for　keeping　me　from　that　rank。　The　first　sergeant　of　my　company　did　me　the　honor　of　visiting　me　at　my　quarters　and　politely　requested　menot　order　me；　for　he　had　no　possible　authority　for　such　an　actto　fall　in　invariably　on　the　right　of　the　rear　rank。　To　keep　down　trouble　and　to　avoid　any　show　of　presumption　or　forwardness　on　my　part；　as　I　had　been　advised　by　an　officer；　I　did　as　he　requested；　taking　my　place　on　the　right　of　the　rear　rank　at　every　formation　of　the　company　for　another　whole　year。　But　with　all　this　condescension　on　my　part　I　was　still　the　object　of　solicitous　care。　My　falling　in　there　did　not　preclude　the　p