"
"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 ears--the 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 "d--d nigger."
Just before, or perhaps just after breakfast, our
quarters were again inspected.
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