An Annapolis First ClassmanBeach, Edward L. (Edward Latimer)
General
An Annapolis First Classman
Beach, Edward L. (Edward Latimer)
United States Naval Academy -- Juvenile fiction
"Mr. Bligh, from the very best possible construction of your act, even
if it were agreed that your character is high, that with you a promise
intentionally broken is impossible, your conduct has shown you to be
irresponsible, a person in whom trust cannot be reposed. But from your
words I judge you regard a promise lightly--to be broken easily. Your
action was particularly bad because it might have caused other men, who
have higher regard for their word than you have, to be faithless to a
promise. But I'm going to make you one promise, and that is as long as
you are at the Naval Academy you will never play football here again.
You may leave my room, sir."
"Do you think I'm going to stand this?" cried Bligh, in passionate
tones. "Do you expect me to sit idle while you are ruining my
reputation? I'm not powerless, perhaps I know of some way I may injure
you--and some others," and Bligh's eyes glared with savage intelligence.
"I know what you're thinking of, you miserable plebe. You're thinking
you will write to both West Point and Harvard about the fake kick."
Bligh gave a violent start.
"But let me tell you," continued Stonewell, "those people would spurn a
correspondence with you. If you attempt such a thing as that I will
learn of it, and then I'll make you another promise; if you should do it
you'll be drummed out of this place to the tune of the Rogue's March.
Return to the officer-in-charge, sir, and report you have concluded your
important matter."
Bligh turned and left the room. Angry feelings dominated him. In his
statements to Stonewell he had unconsciously expressed his sentiments;
honor and truth were in fact not salient characteristics of this young
man, and when giving the signal for the Gates forward pass he had not
given much thought to the promise he and all of the team were bound by.
So he left Stonewell with a sense of injury and resentment, not of
remorse.
Stonewell and Robert lived in the corner room of the ground floor,
armory wing. Bligh roomed with Sexton in the main corridor, next door to
the room used as an office by the lieutenant-commander in charge of the
first division of midshipmen, that officer occupying the room only
during the day.
When Bligh returned he found his roommate, who had been off on some
unauthorized visiting since supper time, leaving the room again with his
arms full of clothes.
"What's up? Where are you taking those things, Sexton?" inquired Bligh.
"I have permission to change my room; I'm not going to room with you any
more."
Sexton was on the football squad, and so knew of what Bligh had done.
"So you're against me too, are you?" shouted Bligh, now beside himself
with anger; he then left the room and started down the corridor, and in
a moment saw Harry Blunt coming toward him. He did not notice that
Blunt, on seeing him, suddenly clenched his hands and seemed to breathe
hard. In fact Harry's anger was yet intensely alive, and the sight of
Bligh set his nerves on edge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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