me　glad　to　see　it。〃
  We　passed　on；　while　he；　too；　resumed　his　course；　ejaculating　something　about　〃good…breeding；〃　etc。；　all　of　which　we　did　not　hear。
  Upon　inquiry　I　learned；　as　stated；　that　he　had　served　in　the　Federal　army。　He　had　given　his　time　and　energy；　even　at　the　risk　of　his　life；　to　his　country。　He　had　lost　one　limb；　and　been　maimed　otherwise　for　life。　I　considered　the　salute　for　that　reason　a　greater　honor。
  During　the　summer　of　1873　a　number　of　cadets；　who　were　on　furlough；　visited　Mammoth　Cave。　While　there　they　noticed　on　the　wall；　written　in　pencil；　the　name　of　an　officer　who　was　an　instructor　in　Spanish　at　West　Point。　One　of　them　took　occasion　to　add　to　the　inscription　the　following　bit　of　information：
  〃Known　at　the　U。　S。　Military　Academy　as　the　'Spanish　Inquisition。'〃
  A　number　of　cadets　accosted　a　plebe；　who　had　just　reported　in　May；　1874；　and　the　following　conversation　ensued：
  〃Well；　mister；　what's　your　name？〃
  〃John　Walden。〃
  〃Sir！〃　yelled　rather　than　spoken。
  〃John　Walden。〃
  〃Well；　sir；　I　want　to　see　you　put　a　'sir'　on　it；〃　with　another　yell。
  〃Sir　John　Walden；〃　was　the　unconcerned　rejoinder。
  Now　it　was　not　expected　that　the　〃sir〃　would　be　put　before　the　name　after　the　manner　of　a　title；　but　this　impenetrable　plebe　put　it　there；　and　in　so　solemn　and　〃don't…care〃　a　manner　that　the　cadets　turned　away　in　a　roar　of　laughter。
  Ever　afterward　he　was　known　in　the　corps　as　〃Sir　John。〃
  Another　incident；　even　more　laughable　perhaps　than　the　preceding；　occurred　between　a　cadet　and　plebe；　which　doubtless　saved　the　plebe　from　further　hazing。　Approaching　him　with　a　look　of　utter　contempt　on　his　face；　the　cadet　asked　him：
  〃Well；　thing；　what's　your　name？〃
  〃Wilreni；　sir；〃　meekly　responded　he。
  〃Wilreni；　sir！〃　repeated　the　cadet　slowly；　and　bowing　his　head　he　seemed　for　a　moment　buried　in　profoundest　thought。　　Suddenly　brightening　up；　he　rejoined　in　the　most　unconcerned　manner　possible：　〃Oh！　yes；　yes；　I　remember　now。　You　are　Will　Reni；　the　son　of　old　man　Bill　Reni；〃　put　particular　stress　on　〃Will〃　and　〃Bill。〃
  I　think；　though；　the　most　laughable　incident　that　has　come　under　my　notice　was　that　of　a　certain　plebe　who　made　himself　famous　for　gourmandizing。
  Each　night　throughout　the　summer　encampment；　the　guard　is　supplied　from　the　mess　hall　with　an　abundance　of　sandwiches。　　The　old　cadets　rarely　eat　them；　but　to　the　plebes；　as　yet　unaccustomed　to　guard　duty；　they　are　quite　a　treat。
  On　one　occasion　when　the　sandwiches　were　unusually　well　prepared；　and　therefore　unusually　inviting；　it　was　desirable　to　preserve　them　till　late　in　the　night；　till　after　the　guard　had　been　turned　out　and　inspected　by　the　officer　of　the　day。　They　were　accordinglyto　conceal　them　from　the　plebestransferred；　with　the　vessel　containing　them；　to　one　of　the　chests　of　a　caisson　of　the　light　battery；　just　in　front　of　camp　in　park。　Here　they　were　supposed　to　be　safe。　But　alas　for　such　safety！　At　an　hour　not　far　advanced　into　the　night；　two　plebes；　led　by　an　unerring　instinctiveness；　discovered　the　hiding…place　of　the　sandwiches　and　devoured　them　all。
  Now　when　the　hour　of　feasting　was　come；　a　corporal　was　dispatched　for　the　dainty　dish；　when；　lo；　and　behold！　it　had　vanished。　The　plebesfor　who　else　could　thus　have　secretly　devoured　themwere　brought　to　account　and　the　guilty　ones　discovered。　They　were　severely　censured　in　that　contemptuous　manner　in　which　only　a　cadet；　an　upper　classman；　can　censure　a　plebe；　and　threatened　with　hazing　and　all　sorts　of　unpleasantness。
  Next　morning　they　were　called　forth　and　marched　ingloriously　to　the　presence　of　the　commandant。　Upon　learning　the　object　of　the　visit　he　turned　to　the　chief　criminalthe　finder　of　the　sandwiches　and　asked　him；　〃Why　did　you　eat　all　the　sandwiches；　Mr。　S？〃
  〃I　didn't　eat　them　all　up；　sir。　I　ate　only　fifteen；〃　was　his　ready　reply。
  The　gravity　of　the　occasion；　coupled　with　the　enormity　of　the　feast；　was　too　much；　and　the　commandant　turned　away　his　head　to　conceal　the　laughter　he　could　not　withhold。　The　plebe　himself　was　rather　short　and　fleshy；　and　the　picture　of　mirth。　Indeed　to　see　him　walking　even　along　the　company　street　was　enough　to　call　forth　laughter　either　at　him　as　he　waddled　along　or　at　the　humorous　remarks　the　act　called　forth　from　onlooking　cadets。
  He　was　confined　to　one　of　the　guard　tents　by　order　of　the　commandant；　and　directed　by　him　to　submit　a　written　explanation　for　eating　all　the　sandwiches　of　the　guard。　The　explanation　was　unsatisfactory；　and　the　gentleman　received　some　other　light　punishment；　the　nature　of　which　has　at　this　late　day　escaped　my　memory。
  The　other　plebe；　being　only　a　particeps　criminis；　was　not　so　severely　punished。　A　reprimand；　I　think；　was　the　extent　of　his　punishment。
  The　two　gentlemen　have　long　since　gone　where　the　〃woodbine　twineth〃that　is；　been　found　deficient　in　studies　and　dismissed。
  There　was　a　cadet　in　the　corps　who　had　a　wonderful　propensity　for　using　the　word　〃mighty。〃
  With　him　everything　was　〃mighty。〃　I　honestly　do　not　believe　I　ever　heard　him　conversing　when　he　did　not　use　〃mighty。〃
  Speaking　of　me　one　day；　and　unconscious　of　my　presence；　he　said；　〃I　tell　you　he　does　'mighty'　well。〃
  During　drill　at　the　siege　battery　on　the　25th　of　April；　1876；　an　accident　occurred　which　came　near　proving　fatal　to　one　of　us。　I　had　myself　just　fired　an　8…inch　howitzer；　and　gone　to　the　rear　to　observe　the　effect　of　the　other　shots。　One　piece　had　been　fired；　and　the　command　for　the　next　to　fire　had　been　given。　I　was　watching　intently　the　target　when　I　was　startled　by　the　cry　of　some　one　near　me；　〃Look　out！　look　out！〃　I　turned　my　eyes　instinctively　toward　the　piece　just　fired；　but　saw　only　smoke。　I　then　looked　up　and　saw　a　huge　black　body　of　some　kind　moving　rapidly　over　our　heads。　It　was　not　until　the　smoke　had　nearly　disappeared　that　I　knew　what　was　the　cause　of　the　disturbance。　A　number　of　cannoneers　and　our　instructor　were　vociferously　asking；　〃Anybody　hurt？　Anybody　hurt？〃　We　all　moved　up　to　the　piece；　and；　finding　no　one　was　injured；　examined　it。　The　piece；　a　41/2…inch　rifle；　mounted　on　a　siege　carriage；　had　broken　obliquely　from　the　trunnions　downward　and　to　the　rear。　The　re…enforce　thus　severed　from　the　chase　broke　into　three　parts；　the　nob　of　the　cascabel；　and　the　other　portion　split　in　the　direction　of　the　bore。　The　right　half　of　the　re…enforce；　together　with　the　nob　of　the　cascabel；　were　projected　into　the　air；　describing　a　curve　over　our　heads；　and　falling　at　about　twenty　feet　from　the　right　of　the　battery；　having　passed　over　a　horizontal　distance　of　about　sixty　or　seventy　feet。　The　left　half　was　thrown　obliquely　to　the　ground；　tearing　away　in　its　passage　the　left　cheek　of　the　carriage；　and　breaking　the　left　trunnion　plate。　A　cannoneer　was　standing　on　the　platform　of　the　next　piece　on　the　left　with　the　lanyard　in　his　hand。　His　feet　were　on　two　adjacent　deck　planks；　his　heels　being　on　line　with　the　edge　of　the　platform。　These　two　planks　were　struck　upon　their　ends；　and　moved　bodily；　with　the　cadet　upon　them；　three　or　four　inches　from　their　proper　place。　The　bolts　that　held　them　and　the　adjacent　planks　together　were　broken；　while　not　the　slightest　injury　was　done　the　cadet。
  It　was　hardly　to　be　believed；　and　was　not　until　two　or　three　of　the　other　cannoneers　had　examined　him　and　found　him　really　uninjured。　It　was　simply　miraculous。　The　instructor　sent　the　cannoneers　to　the　rear；　and　fired　the　next　gun　himself。
  After　securing　the　pieces　and　replacing　equipments；　we　were　permitted　to　again　examine　the　bursted　gun；　after　which　the　battery　was　dismissed。
  There　had　been　some　difficulty　in　loading　the　piece；　especially　in　getting　the　projectile　home。　It　was　supposed　that　this　not　being　done　properly　caused　the　bursting。
  I　was　one　summer　day　enjoying　a　walk　on　〃Flirtation。〃　I　was　alone；　and；　if　I　remember　aright；　〃on　Old　Guard　privileges。〃　　Walking　leisurely　along　I　soon　observed　in　front　of　me　a　number　of　young　ladies；　a　servant　girl；　and　several　small　children。
  They　were　all　busily　occupied　in　gathering　wild　flowers；　a　kind　of　moss　and　ferns　which　grow　here　in　abundance。　I　was　first　seen　by　one　of　the　children；　a　little　girl。　She　instantly　fixed　her　eyes　upon　me；　and　began　vociferating　in　a　most　joyous　manner；　〃The　colored　cadet！　the　colored　cadet！　I'm　going　to　tell　mamma　I've　seen　the　colored　cadet。〃
  The　servant　girl　endeavored　to　quiet　her；　but　she　continued　as　gayly　as　ever：
  〃It's　the　colored　cadet！　I'm　going　to　tell　mamma。　I'm　going　to　tell　mamma　I've　seen　the　colored　cadet。〃
  All　the　others　stopped　gathering　flowers；　and　watched　me　till　I　was　out　of　sight。
  A　similar　display　of　astonishment　has　occurred　at　every　annual　examination　since　I　became　a　cadet；　and　on　these　occasions　the　ladies　more　than　anybody　else　have　been　the　ones　to　show　it。
  Whenever　I　took　my　place　on　the　floor　to　receive　my　enunciation　or　to　be　questioned；　I　have　observed　whisperings；　often　audible；　and　gestures　of　surprise　among　the　lady　visitors。　I　have　frequently　heard　such　exclamations　as　this：　　〃Oh！　there's　the　colored　cadet！　there's　the　colored　cadet！〃
  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　inten