oke of them and seldom of himself. He was methodical in the
last degree, exercising just so long in the gymnasium every morning
during the barrack days and putting on the gloves for fifteen minutes
every evening with the best middleweight in the corps. There were times
in his early cadet days when he was suspected of having an ugly temper,
and perhaps with reason. Exasperated at some prank played at his expense
by a little "yearling" toward the close of his first--the
"plebe"--encampment, Loring actually kicked the offender out of his
tent. The boy was no match for the older, heavier man, but flew at him
like a wildcat then and there, and Loring suddenly found himself in a
fierce and spirited battle. The little fellow had pluck, science and
training, and Loring's eyes and nose were objects to behold in less than
a minute. For that moment, shame-stricken, he fought on the defensive,
then, stung by the taunts of the swift-gathering third classmen, he
rushed like a bull, and two heavy blows sent the yearling to grass and
that fight was ended. But challenges rained on him from "men of his size
and weight," and the very next evening he went out to Fort Clinton with
one of the champions of the upper class and in fifteen minutes was
carried away to a hospital a total wreck. It was ten days before he was
reported fit for duty. Then camp was over and barrack life begun. Not a
word would he or did he say about his severe defeat, but systematically
he went to work to master "the noble art of self-defense," and two years
from that time the corps was treated to a sensation. Loring, back from
cadet furlough, had been made first sergeant of Company "D," in which as
a private and first classman was the very cadet who had so soundly
thrashed him. Loring proved strict. Certain "first-class privates"
undertook to rebel against his authority, his former antagonist being
the ringleader. Matters came to a crisis when Loring entered the names
of three of the seniors on the delinquency book for "slow taking place
in ranks at formation for dinner." It was declared an affront. His old
antagonist demanded satisfaction in the name of the aggrieved ones, and
that fight was the talk of the corps for six months. Loring named the
old battle-ground at Fort Clinton as the place, and in ten minutes
utterly reversed the issue of his plebe effort, and the first classman
was the worst whipped victim seen in years, for he fought until fairly
knocked senseless.