New-York tribune., 1906-07-29
HIGH TIMES At SEA GIRT.
Continued from nfth page.

himself persona grata.
Hazing by the blanket and putting recruits |
under the faucet have been practised with much |
success this year. One night Surgeon James Ed
ward Blair Of the Sd Regiment, saw a group Of |
men tossing a victim in the blanket Higher
and Ligher went the helpless body, and the sur
geon remarked to himself that the game was
getting really dangerous. Just then the victim
was tossed fifteen feet in the air. fell head first,
missed the blanket and landed on his neck.
''Stop! Stopr' cried the Mortified DR.. Blair,
sprinting a hundred yards TO the scene. "This
Is murder. No man can survive''-
The victim was dummy figure. however. and
the surgeon regretted his zeal.
rookie of the I'd Regiment was initiated by
being hoisted to the top of tent at nightfall
and told to stay there the watch for a green
light a boatlOad of overcoats. He accepted
the post in good faith and stayed up several
weary hours. straining his eyes through the sea-
ward mist. 1t is said that when an officer dis
covered him and ordered him down he replied
that the regulations forbade sentry to quit his
post adding II can't hold conversation with
no one, and I got to exercise the greatest vigi-
lance at night" More severe was the experience
Of a rookie who was tied. blindfolded. dragged
through the company street and then taken be-
fore drumhead court martial.
"@The sentence of the court is that you be
hanged" said the pseudo presiding officer
With a rope around his neck the victim was
led to a table as an improvised drop. He was
pushed off despite his frightened protestations.
whired around several times. and then, develop
ing symptoms of faint, had to be revived under
the faucet The hazers became little alarmed
when he continued limp, and took him to the
regmental hospital for complete recovery.
Another recruit learned things by being in
structed to wind up the wind clock on the rife
range. He went to the armorer for the sup
posedly large key, and that person sent him to
the chief groom who thought the canteen clerk
had it. Finally somebody said the key had been
left up in the clock, and the recruit painfully
climbed above the wind indicator, whereupon
hooting mob gave him a greeting The wind
clock is merely a and large dial with
moving hands to show the force and direction of
the breeze. Marksmen use it to make allowance
for windage in aiming their pieces.
Passes are SO easy to get and the only penalty
for short French leave the loss of a days
state pay 81 30, that some of the soldiers
hard put to it to create any excitement. What's
the use of running the guard under such condi-
tiOns? Yet there few privates, like "Skid-
doc Joe" and Buzz" Laughlin who try to make
fhe'best of circumstances. The other night this
pair spent a carouseful evening at Manasquan,
and returning about a n. found an excep-
honaly vigilant and hostile sentry on the post
they expected to run. Besides. the encircIing
Iampposts gave too much light. For time
they found shelter under the Gatling guns Of
Battery B. 1t began to rain a little, and the
sentry retired TO his canvas box. This was the
opportunity of "Skiddoo" and Buzz but in
their haste they tore their best trousers on the
underworks Of the cannon They ran across the
line, gained their tents and jumped under their
blankets, while the conscientious sentry called
out the guard and woke up half the regiment
The horses hired by the state this year for
the staff and field officers and for the batteries
are said to be better than usual. The early days
Of the encampment, when the steeds were first
introduced to the sound of shot and she'll. had
lively moments for the riders The Hoboken
dealer who supplies the mounts guarantees them
battleproOf. and has them labelled exactly ac-
cording to their carrying capacity Accidents
happen. $40 pound general gets astride of a
pony meant for a lightweight and a gigantic
raWboned animal falls to the lot of petite little
major. The officers have more or less fun
swapping their mounts One recent morning.
when the band started up. an orderly's horse
began to buck, dashed up and down the COM
pany streets and, finally bolting into his stable
pitched the rider over his head into the feedbox
The ranges for target practice which are I'm
action most Of the day, are big attraction for
visitors. Here the seaward rows Of square white
targets with black bulls-eyes, ranging from
distances of 100 to 1000 yards, bob up and