New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-18
UNCLE BILL" rs HARD TO BEAT.
HIS OWN EXPERIENCES TOLD DY HIMSELF.

HIS OWN EXPERIENCES TOLD by HIMSELF.
A party from the village where old "Uncle BIZ
Williams lived camped out few years ago on the
Hudson,s bank about a mile above West Point. Their
STAY was cut short by incident which was not over
welcome. The cadets ct the Point had been having
mortar drill and had been firing at the target on tho
face Of Gro Nest the mountain that towers half milo
north of the military academy. There was cessation
of the fusilade, and one of the camping party was
collecting frewood in the Of the tents. The I'M
expected report OF large gun at West Point broke the
stiffness of tile air. Almost Immediately following
came q whirring sound. Looking up, the camper sa"
a black object coming straight at his head from INC
direction OF the Point.
He didn't stop to examine into the nature OF inc
living mass but made for the bushes with all speeo'
He had not gone fifteen feet when the missile struck
and buried itself three feet in the earth ust oeyon
the spot on which he had been standing by s'ea'
GOOD luck IL had cleared the tents and no one was
injured After much labor the mysterious messenger
was dug out of the bank and turned out 10 DC all run
SHE'LL weighing 17G pounds.
Fortunately It was empty. II it had been loadeo
Il would not in all probability have been carried nome
as ii was. for souvenir OF the trip
With singular unanimity considering the crcu'h-
stances. the party that night voted TO return nome
Tho r.xt day The reader may have some difficulty
4, seeinr what connection this tale OF the camping
Marty has with "Unce Dill' Williams. Here u Is :
The shell was taken home In one OF the BOATS ana was
shown TO tho old man, and its story was toid hi'n'
Tho narrator of the tale expected that IL "ouio as
tonish him. but he reckoned without his most
"uumph!D grunted " Uncle BILL that amt much
why Cap'n Broat an me es had lots o. thcm thihg'
90 through our malnsr while passin' tho PINT. one
fme NC was comm down ther river on ther SOP
tsioonl with a load O. wood, an when we got g0Wn
oonnosite ter Cor Spring the wind guy OUT. Ihere
III n bip tide runnin' down. ana so we KEEP movln
The felcrs ON the Pint was hrin az their targets
81 thor water Some OF their shots hit pretty cIose
V to thor targets an some OF 'em didn't. we was
iotinS ot ,em SO hard that we didn't see where we
IDohe In; when MI OF a student somethn' come kerr
Was throngh the mainsl, an dropped inter Their
Il,s, on tber t0ther side o Their sOp.
wax" or, BllI what was that p sings out the cap'n
q. Looks as though IL mought be q she'll from
,bo pint cap'n ses l. Just then mother shot come
- ooh n here Bill wells the cap'n we've got ter
=. - ~ his or there won't DO nothin' left o. u.s.
s'"pThats so, cnpn,' ses l. but what yer goin ter
do about itP .,,, - ,,s Az nil hrt .,,
an GUS hin tell yer we did cuss them West Pint
.,,ons while they sent shells through our mains1 an
~ On, Knocked of more'n half our load o. wood:
~, ~ tho shots come within or foot o. my head, an
,ts wind knocked me over nat on Their deck ,
" Didn't YOU try TO get some explanation rom the
oncoI at west Point, Unclel' inquired the listener
" yo.as | went to Their commandant, but ne laughed
at me faint no use tryin' to git anythih' out o
than fellers.S