第61章

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， àpriori， in my written explanation to the commandant. Iknew 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 class--when I was in the third class--was 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. Afriend 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 Iread 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！