The woods are drear,
The breeze that erst so merrily did play,
Naught giveth save a melancholy lay;
Yet life's great lessons do not fail
E'en in November's gale.

DECEMBER

List! list! the sleigh bells peal across the snow;
The frost's sharp arrows touch the earth and lo!
How diamond-bright the stars do scintillate
When Night hath lit her lamps to Heaven's gate.
To the dim forest's cloistered arches go,
And seek the holly and the mistletoe;
For soon the bells of Christmas-tide will ring
To hail the Heavenly King!

THE COLORED CADET AT WEST POINT

LIEUT. HENRY OSSIAN FLIPPER, U. S. A.

May 20th, 1873! Auspicious day! From the deck of the little ferry-boat
that steamed its way across from Garrison's on that eventful afternoon I
viewed the hills about West Point, her stone structures perched thereon,
thus rising still higher, as if providing access to the very pinnacle of
fame, and shuddered. With my mind full of the horrors of the treatment
of all former cadets of color, and the dread of inevitable ostracism, I
approached tremblingly yet confidently.

The little vessel having been moored, I stepped ashore and inquired of a
soldier there where candidates should report. He very kindly gave me all
information, wished me much success, for which I thanked him, and set
out for the designated place. I soon reached it, and walked directly
into the adjutant's office. He received me kindly, asked for my
certificate of appointment, and receiving that--or assurance that I had
it--I do not remember which--directed me to write in a book there for
the purpose the name and occupation of my father, the State,
Congressional district, county and city of his residence, my own full
name, age, State, county, and place of my birth, and my occupation when
at home. This done I was sent in charge of an orderly to cadet
barracks, where my "plebe quarters" were assigned me.

The impression made upon me by what I saw while going from the
adjutant's office to barracks was certainly not very encouraging. The
rear windows were crowded with cadets watching my unpretending passage
of the area of barracks with apparently as much astonishment and
interest as they would, perhaps, have watched Hannibal crossing the
Alps. Their words and jeers were most insulting.

Having reached another office, I was shown in by the orderly. I walked
in, hat in hand--nay, rather started in--when thr