The pupils of this school, with their jaunty white plumes, add much to the liveliness of certain quarters of Paris on Sundays and fête-days. Permission for these outings is greatly appreciated, and, it seems, is by no means easy to obtain. Many formalities have to be complied with before _Cyrard_,--as these gay young men call themselves,--in his neat uniform, can set out for the conquest of Paris. From time to time,--but not too frequently,--the _Poireau_, the general commanding, put in a good humor by some event which has flattered his professional pride in the school, grants a general permission to all the pupils for an outing, a _sortie galette_, without any regard for _moyennes_ and punishments. This qualification of _galette_ derives its name from the fact that this general permission specially affects the pupils _fins_ or _fines galette_, whose ranking in their classes does not always attain the desired altitude. The _galettes_, as happens in other educational institutions, frequently make the best officers. One day, a good while ago, it is related, an unfortunate _melon_, wandering about in the great space of the cour Wagram of the school buildings, found himself in the midst of a group of the elder pupils. "Monsieur," said a corporal to him, haughtily, "what are you doing here? you have the appearance of a toad in a basket of strawberries!" The humble _saumâtre_ thought it better to reserve his reply to this mortifying comparison for a later date. A respectable number of years afterward, the President of the République, reviewing the garrison of Orléans, reined up his horse before an old colonel with a white beard, and said to him point-blank: "Well, colonel, have I still the appearance of a toad in a basket of strawberries!" The humble _saumâtre_ was now the Maréchal de Mac-Mahon. Sometimes the President of the République, or the Minister of War, on the occasion of some solemnity, requests the _Poireau_ to grant a _sortie galette_. Sometimes a personage _croco_--that is to say, distinguished foreigner--visits the school; then the cry is: "_Calot, les hommes! calot! sortie galette!_"