Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-09-05
A HARD MAN TO SURPRISE.

One Of His own Experiences on ship
board as Related by Himself.
a party from the village where old
Unelc Bill Williams lived camped out
a few years ago on the Hsison's bank
about a mile above West Point. Their
stay was cut short by an incident which
was not over welcome. The cadets at
the Point had been having a mortar
drill and had been firing at the target
on the face of Gro Nest, the mountain
that towers hall a mile north of the
military academy. There was a cessa-
ton Of the fusillade, and one of the
camping party was collecting firewood
in the rear Of the tents. The unexpect-
ed report of a large gun at West Point
broke the stiffness of the air. Almost
Immediately following came a whirring
sound Looking up, the camper saw a
black object coming straight at his
heard from the direction of the Point.
He didn't stop to examine into the
nature of the flying mass, but made for
the bushe. with all speed. He had not
gone fifteen feet when the missile struck
and buried itself three feet in the earth
Just beyond the spot on which he had
been standing. By great good luck he
nad cleared the tents and no one vas
injured After much labor the mystic
rious messenger was dug out of the
bank and turned out 10 be an iron
shell. weighing 176 pounds.
Fortunately it was empty. II it had
been loaded il would not, in all proba-
bility. have been carried home. as ii
was, for a souvenir Of the trip.
With singular unanimi,y, consider
ing the circumstances, the party that
night voted to return home the next
day. The reader may have some diff
Guilty in seeing what connection this
tale of the camping party has with
Uncle Bill Williams. Here il is;
The shell was taken home in one of the
boats, and was shown 10 the old man,
and its story was told him. The mar
rator Of the tale expected that it would
astonish him. but he reckoned without
his host.
"HumphT grunted Uncle Bill, that
amt much; why, Cap'n Broat an me
es had lots o. them things 60 through
our mains1 while passin the Pint. One
time we was comm down ther river on
ther slop (sloop) with a load o. wood,
an when we got down opposite ter Col
Spring the wind guv out. There was
a Sig tide runnin down. and so we
KEEP movin. The fellers on the Pint
was affirm at their targets on Their
water. Some of their shots hit pretty
clost to Their targets, an some of 'em
didn't We was lookin II EN- so hard
that we didn't see where we was goin
when all of a student somethin come
kerthrash through the mains1. an
dropped inter Their water on ther tother
side o. the slop.
"LOr. Bill what was thatf sings
out the cap'n.
Looks as though it mought be a
shell from the Pint, cap'n.' ses l. Just
then mother shot come through the sail.
"Look-a-here, Bill, yells the cap'n,
we've got ter git out O. this. OF there
won't be nothin left o us
That's so, cap'n,' ses |, but what
yer goin ter do about itr
Why, there amt narthin we kin
do, Bill, but sit an cuss.'
IAN / kin tell yer We did cuss them
West Pint ~fellers, while they sent
shells through our mainsl IN jib, an
knocked of more'n half our load O.
wood One o. the shots come within
er foot o. my head, an its wind knocked
me over fat on Their deck"
Didn't you try to get some explana-
ton from the officials at West Point,
Unclef' inquired the listener.
"Ya-as, | went to ther commandant,
but he laughed At me. faint no use
tryin to git anything out o them fell
lerS."-New York Tribune.