The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-29

Chronicles Of the |. S. N.
The Education of Schnz
ts3s3"
ARMIES
BY GEORGE KERR ARMIES.

coach, and was just in the act of waking
the old man up, when Schntz called out
with careless wave of his arm, That's
all right, Mr.. Field, he's one of my men,"
Immediately the resident engineer drawl-
ed out so that everyone in the smoker
could hear Yes. Mr. Field, I'm his d
fiunky That was one too many for
Mr.. Schnitz. He stammered an apology.
but everyone was laughing so he had to
leave the car in self=defense.
About week after this episode Schnitz
was assigned to one of the locating par
ties and sent out In the sticks. When he
reached that crowd of woodsmen his trials
and tribulafions began anew In the first
place he himself started TO initiate those
hardened veterans of the tall timber into
the glories of a snipe hunt Once during
his boyhood Schnitz had been left out all
night in a lonely ravine to hold the sack
while his playmates drove the snipe to
him, and he was just green enough to be-
lieve that no one except the particular
members of that same gang knew any
thing about the aforesaid fauna.
1t was at the supper table that Schnitz
suddenly stopped eating and asked his
new friends IL they had ever been snipe
hunting. The whole bunch Immediately
answered in the negative and each in
dividual assumed a most interesting atti-
tude as Sehnitz explained the mysteries
of the sport. He offered to take them
out hunting that very night and the fell
lows jumped at the chance About nine
O'Clock Schnitz was ready to proceed but
only four of the knights of the chain and
transit went with him, as the locating
engineer and his two principal assist
ants decided to remain in camp. After
walking for nearly an hour. the highly
elated hunter concluded that he had his
fellow sportsmen sufficiently we'll lost
to leave them to their fate, so he gave
them careful instructions how to hold
the sack and advised them to build fire
so the snipe could see where to go when
he drove them down from the valley.
With that. he gave them the high sign
and pilIed off up the mountain to camp
as he thought. Now the funny part was
that the whole time Schnitz thought he
was leading the other boys into the will
derness they were leading him, and they
surely got him in wild part of 1t, too
No sooner had their new instructor got
ten out of hearing than the four sack
holders scattered the fire and made a bee
line back to camp. arriving there in less
than half an hour.
1t was nearly midnight when Schnitz
returned and it would have been later
than that II he had not hired a native to
guide him back.
Late as it was the chief and the topog-
rapher were still at work on some maps
when the now famous snipe hunter show
ed up. He came into the tent. ticked
to death. and remarked that it was a
dirty shame to leave the fellows out all
night-but. best If he was going back
after them. At this. Little Ruby. the
back rodman, let out one unearthly
whoop from under the cot-and Schnitz
realized everything.
The locating party grew thoroughly
tired of the new member and after the
first two weeks lie was sent back to the
office. Even in that busy place the men
found time to play a few tricks on
Schnitz-iust to get him used to his sur
roundings They, too, however soon got
tired and he was shipped out to a lone
some masonry inspecting job where he
could not possibly be in anybody's way
Mid-winter saw the completion of the
foundation work he was sent out to
watch. and as he had conducted himself
fairly well on it, the old man concluded
to give him one more chance.
AS luck would have it, Carrie was in
need of rodman again, so Schnitz was
sent to him. Carrie did not want to take
him. but as the other partners were
full up there was nothing else to do.
The Iron Hill work had been completed
for some time and Carrie was working
on the big new terminal yards when his
old friend showed up. Introductons
were soon in order and all the new con-
struction men who were not already wise
were quietly put next
A new scheme by which sport could be
had out of the rodman was concocted.
II was agreed that the engineer in
charge of the trestle could put up the
most fun for the money. strong breeze
happened to be blowing that day-just
the kind to make man want to hug The
earth and not go climbing around any
high places. No mercy was shown
Schnitz. however. He was sent out to
the extreme end of the trestle at its
highest point, where he had to hold a
long wooden rod in a vertical position
for nearly an hour. As Schnitz climbed
out to his perilous position the other peg
stickers almost re1ented. for several times
he came within an ace of falling-but
somebody had to hold the rod. Schnitz
was not blown off, but he was pretty
badly shaken up
For the next month Carrie managed to