He also expressed his regret for what he
had done, and asked forgiveness. I was satisfied with
his apology, and signed it, asking that the charges be
withdrawn, which was done, of course, and Clark was
released from arrest. I will, in justice to Cadet
Clark, state that I never had any further trouble with
him, for, while he kept aloof from me, as the other
cadets did, he alway thereafter acted perfectly fair
by me whenever I had any official relations with him.
"A few days after the settlement of our dispute I found,
on my return from fencing one day, that some one had
entered my room and had thrown all my clothes and other
property around the floor, and had thrown the water out
of my water-pail upon my bed. I immediately went to the
guard-house and reported the affair to the officer of
the day, who, with the 'officer in charge,' came to my
room to see what had been done. The officer of the day
said that he had inspected my quarters soon after I went
to the Fencing Academy and found everything in order,
and that it must have been done within a half hour. The
Commandant of the Cadets made an investigation of the
matter, but could not find out what young 'gentleman'
did it, for every cadet stated that he knew nothing of
it, although the corps of cadets has the reputation of
being a truthful set of young men.
"'Upon my honor as a cadet and a gentleman,'" is a
favorite expression with the West Point cadet; but
what kind of honor is that by which a young man can
quiet his conscience while telling a base falsehood
for the purpose of shielding a fellow-student from
punishmen for a disgraceful act? They boast of the
esprit de corps existing among the cadets; but it is
merely a cloak for the purpose of covering up their
iniquities and silencing those (for there are some)
who would, if allowed to act according to the dictates
of their own consciences, be above such disgraceful
acts.
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