inconvenience, and even suffering, on account of his
destitute situation. If admitted, the money brought
by him to meet such a contingency can be deposited
with the Treasurer on account of his equipment as a
cadet, or returned to his friends.

After I had secured the appointment the editor of
one of our local papers, which was at the time
publishing-- weekly, I think--brief biographies of
some of the leading men of the city, together with
cuts of the persons themselves, desired to thus
bring me into notoriety. I was duly consulted, and,
objecting, the publication did not occur. My chief
reason for objecting was merely this: I feared some
evil might befall me while passing through Georgia
en route for West Point, if too great a knowledge
of me should precede me, such, for instance, as a
publication of that kind would give.

At this interview several other persons--white, of
course--were present, and one of them--after
relating the trials of Cadet Smith and the
circumstances of his dismissal, which, apropos,
had not yet occurred, as he would have me believe--
advised me to abandon altogether the idea of going
to West Point, for, said he, "Them northern boys
wont treat you right." I have a due proportion of
stubbornness in me, I believe, as all of the negro
race are said to have, and my Southern friend might
as well have advised an angel to rebel as to have