Cadet Days: A Story of West Point

"Pops, there's no use talking; we've simply got to send you to the Point."
"I'm sure I wish you could, Colonel. Father's tried every way he could think of, but cadetships don't go a-begging—out here, at least. The President has only one or two 'at large' appointments this year, and there were over a thousand applications for them."
"Well, have you tried Mr. Pierce, the Congressman for this district?"