ion　on　my　part　I　was　still　the　object　of　solicitous　care。　My　falling　in　there　did　not　preclude　the　possibility　of　my　own　classmates；　now　also　risen　to　the　dignity　of　third…classmen；　falling　in　next　to　me。　To　perfect　his　plan；　then；　the　first　sergeant　had　the　senior　plebe　in　the　company　call　at　his　〃house；〃　and　take　from　the　roster　an　alphabetical　list　of　all　the　plebes　in　the　company。　With　this　he　（the　senior　plebe）　was　to　keep　a　special　roster；　detailing　one　of　his　own　classmates　to　fall　in　next　to　me。　Each　one　detailed　for　such　duty　was　to　serve　one　weekfrom　Sunday　morning　breakfast　to　Sunday　morning　breakfast。　The　keeper　of　the　roster　was　not　of　course　to　be　detailed。
  It　is　astonishing　how　little　care　was　taken　to　conceal　this　fact　from　me。　The　plan；　etc。；　was　formed　in　my　hearing；　and　there　seems　to　have　been　no　effort　or　even　desire　to　hide　it　from　me。　Returning　from　supper　one　evening；　I　distinctly　heard　this　plebe　tell　the　sergeant　that　〃Mr。　refused　to　serve。〃　〃You　tell　him；〃　said　the　sergeant；　〃I　want　to　see　him　at　my　'house'　after　supper。　If　he　doesn't　serve　I'll　make　it　so　hot　for　him　he'll　wish　he'd　never　heard　of　West　Point。〃
  Is　it　not　strange　how　these　models　of　mankind；　these　our　superiors；　strive　to　thrust　upon　each　other　what　they　do　not　want　themselves？　It　is　a　meanness；　a　baseness；　an　unworthiness　from　which　I　should　shrink。　It　would　be　equally　astonishing　that　men　ever　submit　to　it；　were　it　not　that　they　are　plebes；　and　therefore　thus　easily　imposed　upon。　The　plebe　in　this　case　at　length　submitted。
  When　I　became　a　second…classman；　no　difference　was　made　by　the　cadets　in　their　manner　of　falling　in；　whether　because　their　scruples　were　overcome　or　because　no　fitting　means　presented　themselves　for　avoiding　it；　I　know　not。　If　they　happened　to　be　near　me　when　it　was　time　to　fall　in；　they　fell　in　next　to　me。
  In　the　spring　of　'76；　our　then　first　sergeant　ordered　us　to　fall　in　at　all　formations　as　nearly　according　to　size　as　possible。　As　soon　as　this　order　was　given；　for　some　unknown　reason；　the　old　régime　was　readopted。　If　I　happened　to　fall　in　next　to　a　first…classman；　and　he　discovered　it；　or　if　a　first…classman　fell　in　next　to　me；　and　afterward　found　it　out；　he　would　fall　out　and　go　to　the　rear。　The　second　and　third…classmen；　for　no　other　reason　than　that　first…classmen　did　it；　〃got　upon　their　dignity；　and　refused　to　stand　next　to　me。　We　see　here　a　good　illustration　of　that　cringing；　〃bone…　popularity〃　spirit　which　I　have　mentioned　elsewhere。
  The　means　of　prevention　adopted　now　were　somewhat　different　from　those　of　a　year　before。　A　file…closer　would　watch　and　follow　me　closely；　and　when　I　fell　in　would　put　a　plebe　on　each　side　of　me。　It　was　really　amusing　sometimes　to　see　his　eagerness；　and　quite　as　amusing；　I　may　add；　to　see　his　dismay　when　I　would　deliberately　leave　the　place　thus　hemmed　in　by　plebes　and　fall　in　elsewhere。
  We　see　here　again　that　cringing　disposition　to　which　I　believe　the　whole　of　the　ill…treatment　of　colored　cadets　has　been　due。　　The　file…closers　are　usually　second…class　sergeants　and　third…class　corporals。　By　way　of　〃boning　popularity〃　with　the　upper　classmen；　they　stoop　to　almost　any　thing。　In　this　case　they　hedged　me　in　between　the　two　plebes　to　prevent　upper　classmen　from　falling　in　next　to　me。
  But　it　may　be　asked　why　I　objected　to　having　plebes　next　to　me。　I　would　answer；　for　several　reasons。　Under　existing　circumstances　of　prejudice；　it　was　of　the　utmost　importance　to　me　to　keep　them　away　from　me。　Firstand　by　no　means　the　least　important　reasonto　put　them　in　the　front　rank　was　violating　a　necessary　and　established　custom。　The　plebes　are　put　in　the　rear　rank　because　of　their　inexperience　and　general　ignorance　of　the　principles　of　marching；　dressing；　etc。　If　they　are　in　the　front　rank；　it　would　simply　be　absurd　to　expect　good　marching　of　them。　A　second　reason；　and　by　far　the　most　important；　results　directly　from　this　one。　Being　between　two　plebes；　who　would　not；　could　not　keep　dressed；　it　would　be　impossible　for　me　to　do　so。　The　general　alignment　of　the　company　would　be　destroyed。　There　would　be　crowding　and　opening　out　of　the　ranks；　and　it　would　all　originate　in　my　immediate　vicinity。　The　file…closers；　never　over…scrupulous　when　I　was　concerned；　and　especially　when　they　could　forward　their　own　〃popularity…boning〃　interests；　would　report　me　for　these　disorders　in　the　company。　I　would　get　demerits　and　punishment　for　what　the　plebes　next　to　me　were　really　responsible　for。　The　plebes　would　not　be　reported；　because　if　they　were　their　inexperience　would　plead　strongly　in　their　favor；　and　any　reasonable　explanation　of　an　offence　would　suffice　to　insure　its　removal。　I　was　never　overfond　of　demerits　or　punishments；　and　therefore　strenuously　opposed　any　thing　that　might　give　me　either；　for　instance；　having　plebes　put　next　to　me　in　ranks。
  Toward　the　end　of　the　year　the　plebes；　having　learned　more　about　me　and　the　way　the　corps　looked　upon　me；　became　as　eager　to　avoid　me　as　the　others。　Not；　however；　all　the　plebes；　for　there　were　some　who；　when　they　saw　others　trying　to　avoid　falling　in　next　to　me；　would　deliberately　come　and　take　their　places　there。　These　plebes；　or　rather　yearlings　now；　were　better　disciplined；　and；　of　course；　my　own　scruples　vanished。
  During　the　last　few　months　of　the　year　no　distinction　was　made；　save　by　one　or　two　high…toned　ones。
  When　the　next　class　of　plebes　were　put　in　the　battalion；　the　old　cadets　began　to　thrust　them　into　the　front　rank　next　to　me。　At　first　I　was　indignant；　but　upon　second　thought　I　determined　to　tolerate　it　until　I　should　be　reported　for　some　offence　which　was　really　an　offence　of　the　plebes。　I　intended　to　then　explain　the　case；　à　priori；　in　my　written　explanation　to　the　commandant。　I　knew　such　a　course　would　cause　a　discontinuance　of　the　practice；　which　was　plainly　malicious　and　contrary　to　regulations。　Fortunately；　however；　for　all　concerned；　the　affair　was　noticed　by　an　officer；　and　by　him　summarily　discontinued。　I　was　glad　of　this；　for　the　other　course　would　have　made　the　cadets　more　unfriendly；　and　would　have　made　my　condition　even　worse　than　it　was。　Thereafter　I　had　no　further　trouble　with　the　plebes。
  One　day；　during　my　yearling　camp；　when　I　happened　to　be　on　guard；　a　photographer；　wishing　a　view　of　the　guard；　obtained　permission　to　make　the　necessary　negative。　As　the　officer　of　the　day　desired　to　be　〃took〃　with　the　guard；　he　came　down　to　the　guard　tents；　and　the　guard　was　〃turned　out〃　for　him　by　the　sentinel。　He　did　not　wish　it　then；　and　accordingly　so　indicated　by　saluting。　I　was　sitting　on　a　camp…stool　in　the　shade　reading。　A　few　minutes　after　the　officer　of　the　day　came。　I　heard　the　corporal　call　out；　〃Fall　in　the　guard。〃　I　hurried　for　my　gun；　and　passing　near　and　behind　the　officer　of　the　day；　I　heard　him　say　to　the　corporal：
  〃Say；　can't　you　get　rid　of　that　nigger？　We　don't　want　him　in　the　picture。〃
  The　corporal　immediately　ordered　me　to　fetch　a　pail　of　water。　As　he　had　a　perfect　right　to　thus　order　me；　being　for　the　time　my　senior　officer；　I　proceeded　to　obey。　While　taking　the　pail　the　officer　of　the　day　approached　me　and　most　politely　asked：　〃Going　for　water；　Mr。　Flipper？〃
  I　told　him　I　was。
  〃That's　right；〃　continued　he；　〃do　hurry。　I'm　nearly　dead　of　thirst。〃
  It　is　simply　astonishing　to　see　how　these　young　men　can　stoop　when　they　want　any　thing。　A　cadet　of　the　second　classwhen　I　was　in　the　third　classwas　once　arrested　for　a　certain　offence；　and；　from　the　nature　of　the　charge；　was　likely　to　be　court…martialed。　His　friends　made　preparation　for　his　defence。　As　I　was　not　ten　feet　from　him　at　the　time　specified　in　the　charge；　　my　evidence　would　be　required　in　the　event　of　a　trial。　I　was　therefore　visited　by　one　of　his　friends。　He　brought　paper　and　pencil　and　made　a　memorandum　of　what　I　had　to　say。　The　cadet　himself　had　the　limits　of　his　arrest　extended　and　then　visited　me　in　person。　We　conversed　quite　a　while　on　the　subject；　and；　as　my　evidence　would　be　in　his　favor；　I　promised　to　give　it　in　case　he　was　tried。　He　thanked　me　very　cordially；　asked　how　I　was　getting　along　in　my　studies；　expressed　much　regret　at　my　being　ostracized；　wished　me　all　sorts　of　success；　and　again　thanking　me　took　his　leave。
  There　is　an　article　in　the　academic　regulations　which　provides　or　declares　that　no　citizen　who　has　been　a　cadet　at　the　Military　Academy　can　receive　a　commission　in　the　regular　army　before　the　class　of　which　he　was　a　member　graduates；　unless　he　can　get　the　written　consent　of　his　former　classmates。
  A　classmate　of　mine　resigned　in　the　summer　of　'75；　and　about　a　year　after　endeavored　to　get　a　commission。　A　friend　and　former　classmate　drew　up　the　approval；　and　invited　the　class　to　his　〃house〃　to　sign　it。　When　half　a　dozen　or　more　had　signed　it；　it　was　sent　to　the　guard…　house；　and　the　corporal　of　the　guard　came　and　notified　me　it　was　there　for　my　consideration。　I　went　to　the　guard…　house　at　once。　A　number　of　cadets　were　sitting　or　standing　around　in　the　room。　As　soon　as　I　entered　they　became　silent　and　remained　so；　expecting；　no　doubt；　I'd　refuse　to　sign　it；　because　of　the　treatment　I　had　received　at　their　hands。　They　certainly　had　little　cause　to　expect　that　I　would　add　my　signature。　Nevertheless　I　read　the　paper　ove