to the moment, the form of the Professor was seen to enter church, decorously approach the familiar pew, and enter with grave respect in his whole demeanor, Book in hand, he followed the words of the hymn sung by the congregation, and at the signal for prayer rose erect, his tall figure remaining as motionless as a statue until the prayer was finished. After the service he retraced his steps with decorous gravity and retired to his quarters, to return again with the same punctuality, and conduct himself with the same solemn respect, at the evening service. The hours of Sunday not spent in church were given up to religious reading, meditation, and prayer in his study or in the bosom of his family.

Thus passed, in a routine of duty, barren and dull to the beholder, but doubtless interesting to him, a period of nearly ten years. Jackson's health was still delicate, and he suffered much from weakness of eyesight; but these drawbacks did not interfere with the rigid and complete discharge of his duties. The feebleness of his sight induced him to turn his attention especially to that subject, and when the revolution commenced, he had made considerable progress in an elementary work on Optics, which he proposed to publish for the benefit of his class. His character seems to have been understood and appreciated by the best classes of the little society of Lexington, and his virtues were greatly respected. Men of grave character and experience discerned the solid merits of the man; and if they did not suspect the presence of that military genius which he afterwards exhibited on another arena, they valued him for his conscientious devotion to duty, and loved him for his simplicity and piety. One who was connected with him officially at this time, Colonel Smith, the superintendent, writes: "His great principle of government was that a general rule should not be violated for any particular good; and his animating rule of action was, that a man could always accomplish what he willed to perform." This statement may be paraphrased in the words system, regularity, justice, impartiality, and unconquerable perseverance and determination. These were valuable lessons to

teach youths. They laughed at him, but they imbibed the principles of action which he taught. They derided the rigid discipline which the young martinet enacted; denounced him for administering things" on a war footing," and no doubt honestly regarded him as a most unreasonable advocate of useless military etiquette; but they were slowly and certainly trained, like growing twigs, in the direction which the teacher wished. Jackson proceeded upon the eminently just view that the Institute was a military school, whose chief value consisted in the habits of military system and obedience which it impressed on the ductile characters of the cadets, and regarded any relaxation of the rules of the establishment as directly tending to strike at the intention of its founders and destroy its usefulness. Many anecdotes touching this point are related of him. He once continued to wear a thick woollen uniform during the sultriest days of summer, when everybody else had adopted the lightest attire possible; and when asked by one of the professors why he did so, replied that "he had seen an order prescribing the uniform which he wore, but none had been exhibited to him directing it to be changed." Another incident is equally characteristic. Colonel Smith declares that he has known him to walk to and fro, in front of the superintendent's quarters, with a heavy rain beating upon his person, "because the hour had not quite arrived when it was his duty to present his weekly reports." Such things appeared extremely absurd to the young gentlemen who had no idea of the importance of military "orders," and the implicit obedience which a good soldier considers it his duty to pay to them. But which was right-the laughing young cadet, or the grave major of artillery? Let the thousands who in the late bitter and arduous struggle have been taught by stern experience the necessity of strict compliance with all orders, to the very letter, answer the question.

As yet, however, the cadets laughed, and doubted the good sense of all this rigid discipline. They not only made fun of the grave Professor behind his back, but persecuted and "sorely tried" him, says. "An ex-Cadet," by practical jokes. One of

these was amusing, and will give the reader some idea of the youths with whom he had to deal. The battery used in drilling was managed by drag-ropes, which the junior class manned. These would play all sorts of pranks. Sometimes a lynch-pin would be secretly abstracted, and the piece or caisson would break down in the midst of the drill. A more mirth-provoking device even than this, however, was hit upon. A small bell was adroitly suspended inside of the limber-box, and the conspirators demurely took their places at the drag-ropes. The commander of the battery gave the order "Forward," and the pieces began to move. Suddenly a mysterious tinkling was heard, and the cadets, unable to withstand this tax upon their risible faculties, burst into shouts of laughter. The Professor looked astonished, halted the battery, and with great earnestness instituted an inquiry into the phenomenon. It was in vain; nothing was discovered, and the order was again given for the pieces to move forward. They moved, and the hidden bell again tinkled, amid renewed shouts of laughter. How this adventure terminated we are not informed, but there is no doubt that the trick was played and was not greatly enjoyed by Professor JackOther devices of the frolicsome cadets to annoy him seem to have affected him with a touch of humor. We have referred to the long drawling manner in which, following the fashion of West Point, he gave his commands. A favorite movement with him was to bring the battery into echelon; and whenever the command to "Form echelon" was given with its accompaniment, "Right oblique-trot-march!" the whole ground would ring with the commands, repeated by the cadet officers, in the most ridiculous drawl imaginable. One evening when this had been carried to unwonted excess, the adjutant approached Jackson and asked him how he was pleased with the drill.

son.

"Very much, sir," replied Jackson; then smiling slightly, he added, "the officers gave very fine commands this afternoon." No opportunity of having a laugh at the Professor's expense was lost sight of, and on another occasion the cadets had some grounds for their amusement. One day Jackson informed his

class that the clock in front of the Institute was not correct, and declared his intention to ascertain, by scientific means, the exact time. He accordingly marched out to the parade-ground, with the class at his heels, and proceeded, by means of his instruments, to take an observation. The result was amusing and delightful to the cadet-heart. He finished his work about halfpast twelve in the day, and to his profound astonishment discovered that it was nearly seven in the evening! The cadets set up a shout, and after looking around him with incredulous surprise for some moments, Jackson joined in the general laughter. It was soon discovered that the instruments were out of order, but the cadets did not suffer this fact to lessen their appreciation of the joke.

One of the few exhibitions of a tendency to humor which we find in Jackson's whole career occurred at this period. The reader will not be troubled with many similar incidents, and we give the anecdote here. One morning in 1858 he called up a member of the graduating class, and with profound gravity propounded the following scientific question:

"Why is it impossible to send a telegraphic despatch from Lexington to Staunton?"

The cadet reflected for some moments, and then replied that the explanation of this phenomenon doubtless lay in the fact that the amount of iron ore in the mountain drew the magnetic current from the wires.

A covert smile touched upon Jackson's features; fled away, and he said:

"No, sir; you can take your seat."

Another was called up, but he too failed to explain the mystery. A second, then a third were equally unsuccessful— Jackson listening to their theories with profound attention, but with the same sly smile which had greeted the first solution. This smile, probably, attracted the attention of the next cadet who was called, and threw a sudden light upon the subject. His countenance lit up; his lip broke into a smile in return, and he said:

"Well, Major Jackson, I reckon it must be because there is no telegraph between the two places."

"You are right, sir," replied Jackson, who had suddenly renewed his composed expression. "You can take your seat."

An outburst of laughter from the class greeted this passage of arms in which the Professor was overthrown, but the unwonted display of humor had apparently exhausted Jackson's appreciation of the quality for the time. He called the class to order, and calmly continued the subject of the recitation as if nothing had happened.

We give this incident upon good authority. It is the first and last attempt at a practical joke which we find in Jackson's life.

Another incident of his dealings with the cadets is an illustration of the quiet courage of the man, and disregard of personal consequences where duty was concerned. He had brought charges against a cadet, who was tried and dismissed from the Institute. Burning with resentment, the young man declared his intention to take Jackson's life, and arming himself took his position on the road from Lexington to the Institute, over which he knew the Professor would pass on his way to meet his class. A friend had overheard the youth express his bloody intention, and hastening to warn Jackson, met him on the road, and informed him of his danger, strongly urging him to turn back. To turn back, however, was to neglect his recitations on that day, and to hold his recitations was a part of his duty. He peremptorily refused to retrace his steps, and with the cold and stern reply, "Let the assassin murder me if he will!" continued his way. As he approached the spot indicated, he saw the young man standing and awaiting him. He turned and gazed fixedly at him with that look which had fronted, unmoved, the most terrible scenes of carnage upon many battle-fields. The youth could not sustain it; he lowered his eyes, and, turning away in silence, left the spot, while Jackson calmly pursued his way.

We have here placed upon record, with such illustrations as we could collect, the traits of character which distinguished