Constable (kun′-sta-ble), an officer of the peace. Nõ-ta-ble, wonderful. Ca-reer′, a course. In′-flu-ence, power not seen.
Do you remember— The name of Thomas’s father? The place of his birth? His early loss of father and mother? His life at Uncle Cummins’s? The story told of him when constable? The wish of his heart in the midst of his wild, rough life?
CHAPTER II.
A Cadet.
In 1842, the place of a cadet in the great academy at West Point became vacant. In that school or academy the young men of the United States are trained to become soldiers. Thomas at once sought and secured the place, and very soon set out on horseback to Clarksburg, where he would take the coach going to Washington.
He was clad in home-spun clothes, and his whole wardrobe was packed in a pair of saddle-bags.
When he reached Clarksburg, he found that the coach had passed by; but he rode on until he overtook it and then went on to Washington city.
He was kindly met by his friend Mr. Hays, member of Congress from his district, who took him at once to the Secretary of War. The latter was so pleased with his manly bearing and direct speech that he ordered his warrant to be made out at once.
Mr. Hays wished him to stay in Washington for a few days in order to see the sights of the city, but he was content to climb to the top of the dome of the Capitol, from which he could view the whole scene at once. He was then ready to go on to West Point for examination. His great trouble now was the thought that he might not know enough to stand that examination.
Mr. Hays wrote to his friends at the academy and asked them to be easy in examining the mountain boy, who wished so much to be a soldier; and it is said that they asked him no very hard questions.