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GOLDEN HOURS
COMBINATICN PENCIL, PENHOLDER
AND COMPASS,
‘Coupon No. 2
Ten of these coupons cut from GOLDEN
Hoces Nos. 804 to 813 inclusive and 5 cts.
for wrapping, mailing, ete.
you to one of these novelties.
description see page 7. No coupons re-
ceived before August 29th nor after Sep-
tember 12th next, Address
GOLDEN HOURS, .
Covuron DEPT.,
24 and 26 Vandewater Street, Hew York.
“That’s not fair, dad. Brass buttons
wor "t mare ame blind, nor forgetful.”
on’t, Ben,” cried his older
brothas, Harold, heartily. “TI gamble
a good deal that, you’re not the kind to
forget your own.”
he whole Burgess family stood upon
the platform of the Hette Tural station
of Pattison
They were waiting for the train which
was to bear Ben Burgess away from
them.
There is no doubt that, at this moment,
Ben Burgess was the happiest boy in
Massachusetts,
For he had received, from Congressman
Baine, of the Fourteenth Massachusetts
District, the cadet appointment to the
United States Military Academy.
Does the healthy American boy live
has not, many times and oft, longed
for a cadetship at famous West Point?
Every American boy is a patriot; more-
over, every American boy is a soldier,
born and bred.
And West Point is the place where
budding patriots and soldiers are fostered
and developed.
To be an army officer, to wear. Uncl>
Sam’s uniform, to drill and train recruits,
to bring a company or a regiment
high state of military skill, to lead Suis
men into battle, if necessary—these are
fundamental ambitions in every boy.
Vacancies at West Point are eagerly
watched for, and when one occurs, the
congressman from whose district the new
candidate is to go is pestered to the point
ot desperation by scores—ay, hundreds—
oys who are ready to throw all else
aside to take up the sword, and learn to‘
wield it in Columbia’s defen
Such an opportunity had come to the
boys living in the Fourteenth Congres-
sional District of Massachusetts.
Rich men’s sons, poor men’s sons—the
sons of all manner of men and women—
had entered the race for the appoint-
There had been a prolonged struggle,
and Congressman Baine had become well-
nigh distracted in deciding between the
claims advanced by each competitor for
the coveted distinction.
ngressman Baine was a native and a
product of the Fourteenth.
He had risen from a farmer’s son to a
wealthy and successful manufacturer,
Late in life, the distinction of being
chosen to represent the Old Bay | State in
Coneress had come to him,
be Honorable Mr. Baine had still a
warts spot left in his heart for poor boys
struggling for a place on the top of the
commercial and social heap.
he had picked out Ben Burgess as
the most likely boy in the Fourteenth.
‘his, as you may imagine, was highly
satisfactory to Ben; but the decision was
heart-breaker to several hundred other
boys, each of whom had fondly belleved
that his own chances were the bes'
Mr. Burgess, who was a cane, and \ Parsons was the son of wealthy parents ~
a poorly paid one at that, was as de-
ighted as his son,
As for Harold, he was not the least bit
jealous of his younger brother’s success,
“I'm glad there’s one ducky fellow in
the family,” he explaine
“Only three minutes coer Harold re-
marked, taking out a large, silver watch
and looking at it.
“Hullo, Harvey!” cried Ben, “I might
ag well say good-bye.- I didn’t see you
yesterday when I hunted up the other
fellows.”
so addressed was a foppish-
looking young fellow who had come down
the road, and was crossing the track.
He was Harvey Halsey, son of the
richest man in the Fourteenth, and he
had devoted his best energies to secur-
ing the appointment.
His defeat made him positively hate
Ben satan
“Shut u ou young upstart,” was all
the rerly Re vouchsafed to Ben's friendly
greeting,
To Be Attached to All Exchange Notices,
If you are a regular subscriber you
need not send any coupon ‘with your SS
notice,
ences ae:
34:
iisitaraviaitataartanaitatine
“He's badly cut up,” remarked Harold.
“He wanted the appointment so badly
that they say he hasn’t spoken a civil
word to any. one since you got it away
from
* “Well, Tm sorry, for him,” said Ben.
“Tr know now erry I should have felt
if J hadn’t
Y, here’ s Mr, Baine coming,” cried
Mrs. Burgess.
A speedy span. of horses, drawing. a
light buggy, approached.
As it reached the depot it drew up,
and Mr. Balne handed the reins to the
man with
have ci come down to see you off,”
eried Mr. Baine,.as be approached our
, and held out his hand in that
friendly way which made him such a fa-
,vorite in the district. “Everything all
appropriate, I see,” he went on, merrily.
“Boy happy, father proud, and mother
Joosing showery. Well, well, Mrs. Bur-
I know you feel badly now, at the
thought of one of your young chicks go-
ing away from you. But when you see,
four years from now, the finished product
that West Point turns out, you'll be on
of the proudest women that the country.
contains.”
Then Mr. Baine laid his hand upon our
hero’s shoulder and added, gravel,
Ben, you are going into a life that is
wholly new to you. You have a chance
before you to make a great success, or
you have a chance to make a colossal
failure. West Point is no place for a
boy who isn’t determined to study night
and day. And’ you will have to obey a
eat many orders that will be distaste-
‘ful to you, As you know, there have been
hundreds of boys after this chance, Per-
haps I have made a good many enemies
by giving it to a boy who had neither
money nor influence behind him. I want
you always to remember that you not
only must do everything to sustain your
own credit, but rcine also, for I shall be
peld strictly response for ine kind ofa
y that I send to Wes!
“ shall try neyer to disgrace "you, sir,”
Ben’ answered earnestly.
“I am sure
member, that, in advancing your own
credit as a model cadet, you are also
showing the wisdom of my choice,”
The whistle of a locomotive sounded
a mile o:
“Well,” the congressman went on
riskly, “here comes your train. The last
b
minute or two belongs to your folks. So,
good-bye and God speed ou, my boy—
and now I’m o Madam "te jis. Bur-
gess—“your very obedient
Before any of them realized et the “train
was in at the depot,
“All aboard!” sung out the conductor.
A hurried kiss from mother and sister,
both hands grasped at once by father and
brother, and then Ben found himself
upon the Platform of the car,
A cry of “God bless you, my son,” came
in two Sotees familiar to him since his
yery earliest recollections, and the train
began to move out, and our hero was
borne swiftly away from dear ones into
the new and strange life to come,
Tears stood in Ben’s eyes at first, but
he brushed them resolutely away.
Fifteen minutes later the train stopped
at Hollywood, in the adjoining county,
Here Philip Parsons came aboard,
e, too, was bound for West Point, as
the candidate from the Thirteenth Con-
essional District.
and the boon companion of Harvey Hal-
ey.
. Philip had hoped that Harvey would
secure the honor which Ben had carried
off, and his disgust at the outcome was
unbounded.
“How do you do?” said Ben politely,
as Pent: passed him, .“So we are to
torted Parsons rote, “but you may be
sure that we shan’t. be comrades. I
never associate aah my infer!
hen I am your interior?” “jemanded
Ben, his face flushing.
“Of course you are,” came the taunting
eply. “Who are you, anyway?
of a-carpenter. Your father is a nobody.
You are a nice fellow to assoclate with
gentlemen!”
Ben’s first impulse, upon hearing hfs
father referred to as a nobody, was to
spring upon Parsons and knock him
I won't do it,” he reflected. “Ele
isn't t North so much attention from me,
\my ‘fauli
of that, my boy; and re- .
The son°
At West Point I will endeavor to show
him who is really the superior.
While Parsons muttered to himself:
“I think I can whisper something
around at West Point that will make this
fellow feel anxious to leave. It won’t be
it if Harvey Halsey doesn’t get
another chance at the vacancy.
either have to leave, or be sent home in
disgrace, *
/ It so happened that both boys took the
same route through to West Point, But,
though they traveled together, they did
not exchange words again, after that
first greeting.
As the West Shore train drew near the
Point, Ben Burgess’ heart beat almost
to suffocation. e was entering upon
the threshold of his chosen career. Be-
fore him lay fame or failur
’ Then, as the train drew to a stop, the
brakeman thrust his head in at the Thoor,
and called:
“West Point!”
\
CHAPTER II.
platform of the car, bag in hand,
en the train stopped.
B® BURGESS was already upon the
first figures he caught sight
of were those of half a dozen cadets, in.
gray jackets and white trousers, who had
come to meet expected Visitors,
As our hero gazed upon these cadets, a
feeling almost of awe came over him,
Could he—he, the plain, awkward coun-
try boy, ever become like one of these? ©
For these West Point military students
were the nattiest and the finest-looking
young men he had ever seen.
They stood at ease, and yet stood erect,
Their hands certainly did not seem to be
in their way. These cadets appeared
incapable of awkward movement or of
awkward gesture. The “position of a
soldier,” as taught in the tactics, was
theirs; and their-grace movement
came from incessant practice in “setting-
up drills.
But, to our hero, these matters were
more than mysterious. He had never
even heard o em.
cadets, found their friends, and
started off up the long winding road
which leads to the hotel—the plain and
the small city of oes. which consti-
tute the Military Academ:
This aweke Ben from t the spell.
He started after th
As he passed the rear of the station,
he. saw Philip Parsons talking to the
driver of the coach.
“Is there any cab service here?” de-
manded Parsons,
“Oh, yes,” the driver Tppitea.
will thank you to address me more re-
spectfully, I am a cadet—do you under-
tand?”
0 beg you pardon, general,” re-
turned the driver with a mock humility,
which brought aulet smiles to the faces of
several by-stan.
“How long will te take to get a cab?”
Parsons contin’
ree tatters. of an hour, maybe,
You see, I’ve got to take all my passen-
gers around before I can go ordering
3. .
Parsons hesitated; he didn’t want to
wait so long at the depot, and yet he
hardly liked to enter_the coach, which
already contained five or six people.
They might be very common people, for
all Re knew.
of the passengers, a young man in’
civilian dress, eyed Parsons with a curi-
ous sm le.
© driver, as if he felt that he was
wasting his time, mounted his seat and
shouted:
“All aboard!”
‘here was no help for it, so Parsons
stepped hastily inside.
The coach started before he had seated
himself, and the jolt threw him into the
lap of the young man above mentioned,
eg pardon, I’m sure,” said Parsons
y.
“Oh, not at all,” retorted the young
man, with another quiet smile, “I beg
your pardon for being in the way.
At this the other passengers made well-
bred efforts to conceal their amusement,
Parsons was unmindful of all this, and
glared at Ben Burgess in the most super-
cilious way as the coach passed our hero,
toiling on his way up the hot, dusty road,
Ben found it pecessary to halt three or
four times on the way up.
At last, however, “he stood at the top
of the hill, and an inspiring panorama
was spread before his eyes.
A large, level, green plain lay before
him. Near him was the hotel. Beyond,
on the plain, were the tents of the sum-
mer encampment of the corps of cadets,
I'll make,
things so hot for Ben Burgess that he’ll-
* ther
\
Beyond, to the south, were the bulla
ings belonging to the Academ:
the western border were the dwell-
ings of the superintendent and the pro-
fessors.
The scene was an animated one.
Cadets abounded everywhere.
Officers, civilians and soldiers of the
Regular Army were sprinkled here and,
on “the hotel veranda overlooking the
plain, sat a group of officers and ladies.
ie cadets, too, were busy in enter-
fainine “the fair sex. -
Many of the boys walked about with
their mothers and sisters—or other fel-
lows’ sisters.
Other cadets could be seen at the doors
of their tents, polishing arms or cleaning,
accoutrements.
Ben Burgess kept on until he reached a
spot near the encampment, ere he put
down his bag, and stood gazing about him
with admiring ey
No one paid any “attention to him.
Why should they concern themselves
with this green, awkward- -looking coun-
try boy?”
‘And so our hero stood there for at ,
Jeast half an hour before he plucked up
the courage to approach a cadet standing
near by. ‘
“re you please,” he said, “1s should like .
to ask for a little informatio:
“Go ahead, youngster,
“I have come here as a candidate for a
eadetship. I suppose I must report to
the Superintendent.”
would recommend you to,”
came, with a quiet smile, from the cadet,
“Will you please tell me how I am to
80, Bpout
rl take "you down to the superinten-
dent’s office myself,” was the unexpected
reply. “My name is Blount, youngster—_
Harry M, Blount, from Wisconsin, second
class.
“And my name is Ben Burges
The two boys were walking side by side
during this interchange of confidence,
They crossed the parade ground, and fol- ,
Jowed a street which ran between’ the
Chapel and the Academie Building. They
came te a stop before an imposing stone
buildin,
This’ ‘is headquarters, youngster,” ex-
plained Blount. “You go inside and ask |
the orderly where the colonel’s office is.
You'll find it all right. If you need any
more information come to me in camp,*
ang] I'll do all I can for you.
‘ou bave been very good to me,” said
Ben, gratefully.
Well, never mind that. youngster. If
a_fourth-classman, I
was a plebe myself once, and I know
that many a me ,# helping hand made
the way smoo
Saying which, “Blount turned upon his
heel, and marched squarely off,
Ben entered the building, and had no
difficulty in finding the superintendent’s
As he went in, our hero met Philip
Parsons coming out. That young Gentle-
man looked straight over his hea
Ben Burgess soon found himeelt’ ‘in the
presence of the superintendent of the
wet Point Military Academy—Colonel
Wh
To. him our hero introduced himself,
and also handed that thorough military
gentleman his conditional appointment,
am glad to meet you, Mr. Burgess,”
said Colonel Wheaton, in-a brisk, busi-
ness-like way. nother candidate from
your State was just in here—Mr. Parsons.
I will assign you two to the same room
in cadet barracks, for the present.
morrow morning you will be examined,
along with the other candidate
“It’s a very hard examination, I‘hear,
-
ma,
te
sir,” Ben ventured.
Well, that depends,” returned the
colonel, uu were always. attentive ~~ “
and industrious at school, I do not be~
lieve you will have any trouble.
other hand, if you have slighted your
studies at school, you will find it impos-
sible to pass our exgmination, Good-
morning, Mr, Burges:
Ben bowed respectfully and withdrew.
He went to cadet barracks. Here tho
officer in charge ordered a sergeant to
show our hero to his room.
Ben entered the room. Pa:
and beheld iim Tsons turned
re you going to haye
toned demanded Parsons. this room,
Upon receiving this assuran.
i oe aristocracy turned up h his nose no
2) a seemed Soudte
ever get It down again. oh the would
t the same time. he strode from the
ney with | an assumption of great dig-
“I seem to be distasteful to hi
im,”
thought Ben. “Why, I wonder? Because
my father works for his living?”
It was a happy day for our enero,