ertainly　had　little　cause　to　expect　that　I　would　add　my　signature。　Nevertheless　I　read　the　paper　over　and　signed　it　without　hesitation。　Their　anxiety　was　raised　to　the　highest　possible　pitch；　and　scarcely　had　I　left　the　room　ere　they　seized　the　paper　as　if　they　would　devour　it。　I　heard　some　one　who　came　in　as　I　went　out　ask；　〃Did　he　sign　it？〃
  Another　case　of　condescension　on　the　part　of　an　upper　classman　occurred　in　the　early　part　of　my　third　year　at　the　Academy；　and　this　time　in　the　mess　hall。　We　were　then　seated　at　the　tables　by　classes。　Each　table　had　a　commandant；　who　was　a　cadet　captain；　lieutenant　or　sergeant；　and　in　a　few　instances　a　corporal。　At　each　table　there　was　also　a　carver；　who　was　generally　a　corporal；　occasionally　a　sergeant　or　private。　The　other　seats　were　occupied　by　privates；　and　usually　in　this　order：　first…classmen　had　first　and　second　seats；　second…classmen　second　and　third　seats；　third…　classmen　third　and　fourth　seats；　and　fourth…classmen　fourth　and　fifth　seats；　which　were　at　the　foot　of　the　table。　I　had　a　first　seat；　although　a　second…classman。　For　some　reason　a　first…classman；　who　had　a　first　seat　at　another　table；　desired　to　change　seats　with　me。　He　accordingly　sent　a　cadet　for　me。　I　went　over　to　his　room。　I　agreed　to　make　the　change；　provided　he　himself　obtained　permission　of　the　proper　authorities。　It　was　distinctly　understood　that　he　was　to　take　my　seat；　a　first　seat；　and　I　was　to　take　his　seat；　also　a　first　seat。　He　obtained　permission　of　the　superintendent　of　the　mess　hall；　and　also　a　written　permit　from　the　commandant。　The　change　was　made；　but　lo　and　behold！　Instead　of　a　first　seat　I　got　a　third。　The　agreement　was　thus　violated　by　him；　my　superior　（？）；　and　I　was　dissatisfied。　The　whole　affair　was　explained　to　the　commandant；　not；　however；　by　myself；　but　by　my　consent；　the　permit　revoked；　and　I　gained　my　former　first　seat。　A　tactical　officer　asked　me；　〃Why　did　you　exchange　with　him？　Has　he　ever　done　any　thing　for　you？〃
  I　told　him　he　had　not；　and　that　I　did　it　merely　to　oblige　him。　It　was　immaterial　to　me　at　what　table　I　sat；　provided　I　had　a　seat　consistent　with　the　dignity　of　my　class。
  The　baseness　of　character　displayed　by　the　gentleman；　the　reflection　on　myself　and　class　would　have　evoked　a　complaint　from　me　had　not　a　classmate　anticipated　me　by　doing　so　himself。
  This　gentleman　（？）　was　practically　〃cut〃　by　the　whole　corps。　He　was　spoken　to；　and　that　was　about　all　that　made　his　status　in　the　corps　better　than　mine。
  Just　after　the　semiannual　examination　following　this　adventure；　another；　more　ridiculous　still；　occurred；　of　which　I　was　the　innocent　cause。　The　dismissal　of　a　number　of　deficient　plebes　and　others　made　necessary　a　rearrangement　of　seats。　The　commandant　saw　fit　to　have　it　made　according　to　class　rank。　It　changed　completely　the　former　arrangement；　and　gave　me　a　third　seat。　A　classmate；　who　was　senior　to　me；　had　the　second　seat。　He　did　not　choose　to　take　it；　and　for　two　or　more　weeks　refused　to　do　so。　I　had　the　second　seat　during　all　this　time；　while　he　was　fed　in　his　quarters　by　his　chum。　He　had　a　set　of　miniature　cooking　utensils　in　his　own　room；　and　frequently　cooked　there；　using　the　gas　as　a　source　of　heat。　These　were　at　last　〃hived；〃　and　he　was　ordered　to　〃　turn　them　in。　He　went　to　dinner　one　day　when　I　was　absent　on　guard。　At　supper　he　appeared　again。　Some　one　asked　him　how　it　was　he　was　there；　glancing　at　the　same　time　at　me。　He　laughedit　was　plainly　forced　and　replied；　〃I　forgot　to　fall　out。〃
  He　came　to　his　meals　the　next　day；　the　next；　and　every　succeeding　day　regularly。　Thus　were　his　scruples　overcome。　His　refusing　to　go　to　his　meals　because　he　had　to　sit　next　to　me　was　strongly　disapproved　by　the　corps　for　two　reasons；　viz。；　that　he　ought　to　be　man　enough　not　to　thrust　on　others　what　he　himself　disliked；　and　that　as　others　for　two　years　had　had　seats　by　me；　he　ought　not　to　complain　because　it　now　fell　to　his　lot　to　have　one　there　too。
  Just　after　my　return；　in　September；　1875；　from　a　furlough　of　two　months；　an　incident　occurred　which；　explained；　will　give　some　idea　of　the　low；　unprincipled　manner　in　which　some　of　the　cadets　have　acted　toward　me。　It　was　at　cavalry　drill。　I　was　riding　a　horse　that　was　by　no　means　a　favorite　with　us。　He　happened　to　fall　to　my　lot　that　day；　and　I　rather　liked　him。　His　greatest　faults　were　a　propensity　for　kicking　and　slight　inequality　in　the　length　of　his　legs。　We　were　marching　in　a　column　of　fours；　and　at　a　slow　walk。　I　turned　my　head　for　some　purpose；　and　almost　simultaneously　my　horse　plunged　headlong　into　the　fours　in　front　of　me。　It　was　with　difficulty　that　I　retained　my　seat。　I　supposed　that　when　I　turned　my　head　I　had　accidentally　spurred　him；　thus　causing　him　to　plunge　forward。　I　regained　my　proper　place　in　ranks。
  None　of　this　was　seen　by　the　instructor；　who　was　riding　at　the　head　of　the　column。　Shortly　after　this　I　noticed　that　those　near　me　were　laughing。　I　turned　my　head　to　observe　the　cause　and　caught　the　trooper　on　my　left　in　the　act　of　spurring　my　horse。　I　looked　at　him　long　and　fiercely；　while　he　desisted　and　hung　his　head。　Not　long　afterwards　the　same　thing　was　repeated；　and　this　time　was　seen　by　the　instructor；　who　happened　to　wheel　about　as　my　horse　rushed　forward。　He　immediately　halted　the　column；　and；　approaching；　asked　me；　〃What　is　the　matter　with　that　horse；　Mr。　F。？〃　To　which　I　replied；　〃The　trooper　on　my　left　persists　in　kicking　and　spurring　him；　so　that　I　can　do　nothing　with　him。〃
  He　then　caused　another　trooper　in　another　set　of　fours　to　change　places　with　me；　and　thereafter　all　went　well。
  Notwithstanding　the　secrecy　of　hazing；　and　the　great　care　which　those　who　practised　it　took　to　prevent　being　〃hived；〃　they　sometimes　overreached　themselves　and　were　severely　punished。　Cases　have　occurred　where　cadets　have　been　dismissed　for　hazing；　while　others　have　been　less　severely　punished。
  Sometimes；　also；　the　joke；　if　I　may　so　call　it；　has　been　turned　upon　the　perpetrators　to　their　utter　discomfort。　I　will　cite　an　instance。
  Quite　often　in　camp　two　robust　plebes　are　selected　and　ordered　to　report　at　a　specified　tent　just　after　the　battalion　returns　from　supper。　When　they　report　each　is　provided　with　a　pillow。　They　take　their　places　in　the　middle　of　the　company　street；　and　at　a　given　signal　commence　pounding　each　other。　A　crowd　assembles　from　all　parts　of　camp　to　witness　the　〃pillow　fight；〃　as　it　is　called。　Sometimes；　also；　after　fighting　awhile；　the　combatants　are　permitted　to　rest；　and　another　set　continues　the　fight。
  On　one　of　these　occasions；　after　fighting　quite　a　while；　a　pillow　bursted；　and　one　of　the　antagonists　was　literally　buried　in　feathers。　At　this　a　shout　of　laughter　arose　and　the　fun　was　complete。　But　alas　for　such　pleasures！　An　officer　in　his　tent；　disturbed　by　the　noise；　came　out　to　find　its　cause。　He　saw　it　at　a　glance；　aided　no　doubt　by　vivid　recollections　of　his　own　experience　in　his　plebe　camp。　He　called　an　orderly　and　sent　for　the　cadet　captain　of　the　company。　When　he　came　he　was　ordered　to　send　the　plebeshe　said　new　cadetsto　their　tents；　and　order　them　to　remain　there　till　permission　was　given　to　leave　them。　He　then　had　every　man；　not　a　plebe；　who　had　been　present　at　the　pillow　fight　turned　out。　When　this　was　done　he　ordered　them　to　pick　up　every　feather　within　half　an　hour；　and　the　captain　to　inspect　at　the　end　of　that　time　and　to　see　that　the　order　was　obeyed。　Thus；　therefore；　the　plebes　got　the　better　part　of　the　joke。
  It　was　rumored　in　camp　one　day　that　the　superintendent　and　commandant　were　both　absent　from　the　post；　and　that　the　senior　tactical　officer　was　therefore　acting　superintendent。　A　plebe　sentinel　on　Post　No。　1；　seeing　him　approaching　camp；　and　not　knowing　under　the　circumstances　how　to　act；　or　rather；　perhaps；　I　should　say；　not　knowing　whether　the　report　was　true　or　not；　called　a　corporal；　and　asked　if　he　should　salute　this　officer　with　〃present　arms。〃　To　this　question　that　dignitary　replied　with　righteous　horror；　〃Salute　him　with　present　arms！　No；　sir！　You　stand　at　attention；　and　when　he　gets　on　your　post　shout；　'Hosannah　to　the　supe！'　This　rather　startled　the　plebe；　who　found　himself　more　confused　than　ever。　When　it　was　about　time　for　the　sentinel　to　do　something　the　corporal　told　him　what　to　do；　and　returned　to　the　guard　tents。　The　officer　was　at　the　time　the　commanding　officer　of　the　camp。
  While　walking　down　Sixth　Avenue；　New　York；　with　a　young　lady；　on　a　beautiful　Sabbath　afternoon　in　the　summer　of　1875；　I　was　paid　a　high　compliment　by　an　old　colored　soldier。　He　had　lost　one　leg　and　had　been　otherwise　maimed　for　life　in　the　great　struggle　of　1861…65　for　the　preservation　of　the　Union。　As　soon　as　he　saw　me　approaching　he　moved　to　the　outside　of　the　pavement　and　assumed　as　well　as　possible　the　position　of　the　soldier。　When　I　was　about　six　paces　from　him　he　brought　his　crutch　to　the　position　of　〃present　arms；〃　in　a　soldierly　manner；　in　salute　to　me。　I　raised　my　cap　as　I　passed；　endeavoring　to　be　as　polite　as　possible；　both　in　return　for　his　salute　and　because　of　his　age。　He　took　the　position　of　〃carry　arms；〃　saying　as　he　did　so；　〃That's　right！　that's　right！　Makes　me　glad　to　see　it。〃
  We　passed　on；　while　he；　too；　resumed　his　course；　ejaculating　something　about