The “graduating ball” that year was on the night of June 14th, but as candidates were not expected to attend it, none were present. The next day the graduating class received their diplomas, discarded cadet gray, put on “Cit” clothes, said good-byes and left the Point, to return no more as cadets. We did not know much of the graduating class, but I now remember the names of more men in that class than in any other at the Academy, excepting my own. This I account for from the fact that I was then so much impressed with the importance of a graduate of West Point. In my eyes he seemed to be a greater man than the Superintendent, in fact there was no comparison. There was a change made on graduating day among the cadet officers. At the next drill Cadet H⸺d appeared with pretty gold lace chevrons on his coat. He wore them on the sleeves of his dress coat, below the elbow, and he was proud to have everybody know that he was a “Corporal” now. I promptly congratulated him, and he said, “Thank you, Mr. R⸺d,” instead of reprimanding me for speaking without having been first spoken to. In a few days more the new second class men put on “Cit” clothes, and left on furlough. It seemed strange to me that these cadets seemed just as anxious to take off the cadet gray as the candidates were to put it on. Before the departure of the graduates and furloughmen the candidates learned that there were four trunk rooms[11] in the angle of Barracks, one for the cadets of each company. They learned this by carrying trunks from there to the rooms of the graduates and furloughmen. I soon learned that I got along the easiest by saying as little as possible and doing about as I was told. The candidates who talked much or who bragged on what they knew, especially about military matters, had the hardest time. These poor fellows were called “too fresh,” or “rapid,” and, as the cadets expressed it, they had to be “taken down.” It was a common thing for old cadets to enjoy a call upon candidates after supper and on Saturday afternoons. And it was difficult at first for candidates to become acquainted with one another, as so much of their leisure (?) time was taken up answering questions, standing on chairs, tables and mantels, reading press notices about themselves, singing, and in fact doing almost everything old cadets told them to do. I have heard many cadets when they were “plebes” or “animals,” declare that they would not do so and so, but they always did as they were told, and they were quick about it, too. It is strange what control old cadets have over “plebes.” They never laid hands on candidates except when they yanked them. We soon discovered that the cadets who found especial delight in being in the society of plebes were generally “yearlings,” that is, those who had themselves been plebes only the year before. But “yearling” instructors[12] seldom deviled plebes in their own squads.