太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > henry ossian flipper >

第7节

henry ossian flipper-第7节

小说: henry ossian flipper 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



 to and on side of Wash…stand; opposite door。 Baskets; Pictures; Clocks; Statues; Trunks; and large Boxes will NOT be allowed in quarters。

CurtainsWINDOW…CURTAINSOnly uniform allowed; and to be kept drawn back during the day。  ALCOVE CURTAINSOnly uniform allowed; and to be kept drawn; except between 〃Tattoo〃 and 〃Reveille〃 and when dressing。 CURTAINS OF CLOTHES…PRESSTo be kept drawn; except when policing room。

                       FLOOR。

To be kept clean; and free from grease…spots and stains。

                 WALLS AND WOOD…WORK。

To be kept free from cobwebs; and not to be injured by nails or otherwise。

           HEATING APPARATUS; SCREEN AND TOP。

To be kept clean; and not to be scratched or defaced。

These Regulations will be strictly obeyed and enforced。

By order of LIEUT。…COLONEL UPTON; GEORGE L。 TURNER; Cadet Lieut。 and Adjutant。

HEADQUARTERS; CORPS OF CADETS; West Point; N。 Y。; Sept。 4; 1873。

        At the end of the time specified every article was arranged and the cadet corporal returned to inspect。 He walked deliberately to the clothes…press; and; informing me that every thing was arranged wrong; threw every article upon the floor; repeated his order; and withdrew。 And thus three times in less than two hours did I arrange and he disarrange my effects。 I was not troubled again by him till after supper; when he inspected again; merely opening the door; however; and looking in。 He told me I could not go to sleep till 〃tattoo。〃 Now tattoo; as he evidently used it; referred in some manner to time; and with such reference I had not the remotest idea of what it meant。 I had no knowledge whatever of military terms or customs。 However; as I was also told that I could do any thingwriting; etc。I might wish to do; I found sufficient to keep me awake until he again returned and told me it was then tattoo; that I could retire then or at any time within half an hour; and that at the end of that time the light must be extinguished and I must be in bed。 I instantly extinguished it and retired。

Thus passed my first half day at West Point; and thus began the military career of the fifth colored cadet。 The other four were Smith of South Carolina; Napier of Tennessee; Howard of Mississippi; and Gibbs of Florida。

What I had seen and experienced during the few hours from my arrival till tattoo filled me with fear and apprehension。 I expected every moment to be insulted or struck; and was not long in persuading myself that the various reports which I had heard concerning Smith were trueI had not seen him yet; or; if I had; had not recognized himand that my life there was to be all torture and anguish。 I was uneasy and miserable; ever thinking of the regulations; verbal or written; which had been given me。  How they haunted me! I kept repeating them over and over; fearful lest I might forget and violate them; and be dismissed。 If I wanted any thing or wished to go anywhere; I must get permission of the cadet officers on duty over us。 To get such permission I must enter their office cleanly and neatly dressed; and; taking my place in the centre of the room; must salute; report my entrance; make known my wants; salute again; and report my departure。* At the instant I heard the sound of a drum I must turn out at a run and take my place in the ranks。

*Somewhat after this fashion: 〃Candidate F; United States Military Academy; reports his entrance into this office; sir。〃 〃Well; sir; what do you want in this office?〃 〃I desire permission; sir; to walk on public lands till retreat。〃 〃No; sir; you can't walk on public lands till retreat。  Get out of my sight。〃 〃Candidate F; United States Military Academy; reports his departure from this office; sir。〃

At five o'clock the next morning two unusual sounds greeted my earsthe reveille; and a voice in the hall below calling out in a loud martial tone:

〃Candidates; turn out promptly!〃 In an astonishingly short time I had dressed; 〃turned out;〃 and was in ranks。 We stood there as motionless as statues till the fifers and drummers had marched up to barracks; the rolls of the companies had been called; and they themselves dismissed。 We were then dismissed; our roll having been also called。 We withdrew at a run to our quarters and got them ready for inspection; which; we were informed; would take place at the expiration of half an hour。 At the end of this time our quarters were inspected by a corporal。 In my own room he upset my bedding; kicked my shoes into the middle of the room; and ordered me to arrange them again and in better order。 This order was obeyed immediately。 And this upsetting was done in every room; as I learned afterward from the occupants; who; strange to say; manifested no prejudice then。 'Twas not long ere they learned that they were prejudiced; and that they abhorred even the sight of a 〃dd nigger。〃

Just before; or perhaps just after breakfast; our quarters were again inspected。 This time I was somewhat surprised to hear the corporal say; 〃Very well; Mr。 Flipper; very well; sir。〃

And this with other things shows there was a friendly feeling toward me from the first。 After having thus expressed himself; he directed me to print my name on each of four pieces of paper; and to tack them up in certain places in the room; which he indicated to me。 I did this several times before I could please him; but at last succeeded。 Another corporal visited me during the day and declared everything out of order; although I had not touched a single thing after once satisfying the first corporal。 Of course I had to rearrange them to suit him; in which I also finally succeeded。

At eleven o'clock the mail came。 I received a letter; and to my astonishment its postmark was 〃West Point; N。 Y。; May 21st。〃 Of course I was at a loss to know who the writer was。 I turned it over and over; looked at it; studied the postmark; finally opened it and read it。*

*This letter by some means has been misplaced; and all efforts to find it; or to discover what its exact contents were; have failed。 However; it was from James Webster Smith; the first and then only cadet of color at West Point。 It reassured me very much; telling me not to fear either blows or insults; and advising me to avoid any forward conduct if I wished also to avoid certain consequences; 〃which;〃 said the writer; 〃I have learned from sad experience;〃 would be otherwise inevitable。 It was a sad letter。 I don't think any thing has so affected me or so influenced my conduct at West Point as its melancholy tone。 That 〃sad experience〃 gave me a world of warning。 I looked upon it as implying the confession of some great error made by him at some previous time; and of its sadder consequences。

This was another surprisea welcome surprise; however。 I read it over several times。 It showed me plainly that Smith had not been dismissed; as had been reported to me at home。 I at once formed a better opinion of West Point than I before had; and from that day my fears gradually wore away。

The candidates now reported rapidly; and we; who had reported the day previous; were comparatively undisturbed。 At four o'clock I visited Smith at his quarters by permission。 My visit was necessarily a short one; as he was then preparing for drill。 It sufficed; however; for us to become acquainted; and for me to receive some valuable advice。 An hour and place were designated for us to meet next day; and I took my leave of him。 The 〃plebes〃 turned out en masse; walked around the grounds and witnessed the drilling of the battalion。 We enjoyed it immensely。 They were that day skirmishing and using blank cartridges。 We thought the drill superb。 I was asked by a fellow…〃plebe;〃 〃Think you'll like that?〃

〃Oh yes;〃 said I; 〃when I can do it as easily as they do。〃

We had quite a lengthy conversation about the fine appearance of the cadets; their forms; so straight and manly; evoking our greatest admiration。 This; alas! was our only conversation on any subject。 The gentleman discovered ere long that he too was prejudiced; and thus one by one they 〃cut〃 me; whether for prudential reasons or not I can not presume to say。

I went into the office one day; and standing uncovered at about the middle of the room; in the position of the soldier; saluted and thus addressed a cadet officer present:

〃Candidate Flipper; United States Military Academy; reports his entrance into this office; sir。〃

〃Well; what do you want?〃 was the rather gruff reply。

〃I desire permission to visit Smith; sir;〃 answered I; thoughtlessly saying 〃Smith;〃 instead of 〃Mr〃 or 〃Cadet Smith。〃

He instantly sprang from his seat into rather close proximity to my person and angrily yelled:

〃Well; sir; I want to hear you say 'Mr。 Smith。' I want you to understand; sir; he is a cadet and you're a 'plebe;' and I don't want to see such familiarity on your part again; sir;〃 putting particular emphasis on 〃Mr。〃

Having thus delivered himself he resumed his seat; leaving me; I imagine; more scared than otherwise。

〃What do you want?〃 asked he again; after a pause of a moment or so。

〃Permission to visit Mr。 Smith。〃

Without condescending to notice for the time my request he gave the interview a rather ludicrous turn; I thought; by questioning me somewhat after this manner

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 2

你可能喜欢的