My son is now going through a very rigorous four years' course at the Military Academy.

It is a course that is superior, in most respects to a college training, but that it is devoted to turning out commissioned officers for the Army.
When Richard graduates, in two years more, he will be commissioned by the President as a second lieutenant in the Army." "Oh, I understood you to say that you were training to become a soldier, Mr.Prescott," cried Mrs.Davidson in some confusion.
"I did not understand that you would become an officer." "An officer who is not also a good soldier is a most unfortunate and useless fellow under the colors," laughed Dick lightly.
"But it is so much more honorable to be an officer than to be a mere soldier!" cried the pastor's wife.
"We do not think so in the army, Mrs.Davidson," Dick answered more responsibility, to be sure, but we feel that the honor falls alike on men of all grades of position who are privileged to wear their country's uniform." "But don't the officers look down on the common soldiers ?" asked Mrs.Davidson curiously.
"If an officer does, then surely he has chosen the wrong career in life, madam," the cadet replied seriously.

"We are not taught at West Point that an officer should 'look down' upon an enlisted man.

There is a gulf of discipline, but none of manhood, between the enlisted man and his officer.

And it frequently happens that the officer who is a graduate from West Point is called upon to welcome, as a brother officer, a man who has just been promoted from the ranks." Mrs.Davidson looked puzzled, as, indeed, she was.