Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/446

Rh institutions and making preparations for my journey. I am accompanied and assisted in all this by the eldest son of the family, an amiable youth of nineteen, beautiful in body and soul, one of those who make one think of the new human being of whom the song of Vala speaks, “fed with morning dew.”

During my rambles hither and thither in New York, I have often met with large parties of military, and yesterday a large body of cavalry passed along the streets, both horses and men having a very martial and magnificent appearance. I have never seen in any of the capitals of Europe so much military movement as in New York. But the soldiers here are voluntary troops and exercise themselves in military manœuvres for their own pleasure. Many times during the day, gay military music may be heard on Broadway, and small detachments are seen marching along in splendid uniforms, and with a fine military bearing, frequently with flowers stuck in their gun-barrels. These volunteer-corps of young citizens have been exercising themselves beyond the city in firing and military exercises, and are now returning thence with bands of music, which are always good, and which play lively marches or “quick steps.” This peace-promulgating people is warlike by nature, and its spirit of conquest is double-faced like the god Janus.

I have heard the military academy at West Point—the only establishment of this kind in the United States—praised by Europeans who are authority on such subjects, as being very excellent, and that the officers who have been brought up there are as remarkable for their knowledge as for their bravery. During the Mexican war the number of killed and wounded of the officers greatly exceeded, in proportion, that of the common soldiers, and proved the courage with which they had led on their troops.

I have to day engaged a cabin on board the large