The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-03

's..s.................... ..................."... of the caldron, wreathing with pain and moaning. At their heads they had tiny red hot feelers like little files Just as l reached for them they sprang into the poison and disappeared. There never has been case of the iron worm since "In my connection with the artillery l have had some other experiences with cannon that are at least entertaining if rot so remarkable as this. On 4th of June I once found myself inzWapping, in England, when I felt so far overcome i by the heat that decided to lie down for a while in a cool plaee. The only refuge l could see was the muzzle of one of the | huge cannon that are planted there. I | cravled in and soon was in a sound ! sleep. Unfortunately I did not know that ! it was the Kings birthday and that all 1 the guns had been loaded to fire salute ! Presently the troops arrived, the artil- i lerymen took their stations and off went all the cannon. Your humble servant, the Baron von Munchhausen was shot clear across the Thames and flew head llrSt into a mighty nayrlck.
 We Munchhausens always have been unusually sound sleepers, and I did not awake, but slumbered peacefully. Per- haps I might be asleep to this day if tie owner of the rick had not sold the hay three months afterward. When the men took it down, of course they awakened me. This narrative has been doubted at 4s 4l,.a nished by a pear tree that stands there to this day. As you know, pear trees blossom in June. When I awake the tree was full of the finest fully ripened fruit, and very welcome it was to me after my long sleep.
 By the way while I was in London I saw the royal coachman do a rather amusing thing. Whenever he snapped his whip he did it in such a way that the lash formed a perfect monogram G. R. (Georgius Rex in the air It was rath- er' skillful.
 However, I was going to mention an- other little episode connected with the artillery. When I was in the Prussan army, we besieged a little fort, the name of which I have forgotten. The com mander was anxious to get information as to the affairs in the beleagued garri- son. but the enemy guarded all the ap- breaches so well that it was impossible to send in a spy.
 An idea struck me. I placed myself alongside of the muzzle of our largest cannon. and as 1t was fired I sprang on the ball. The moment I was on the way began to consider; and I saw many dif- ficulties. It was true that I was certain to enter the fort. But how could I get out again? They might hang me as a spy. That would never do
 Just then a cannon ball came from the fort With quick decision I leaped from my own to that of the enemy and re- turned to my men with whole skin, though had failed in my mission. I con- sider myself rather fortunate. The can non balls were extremely smooth, and it was somewhat difficult to maintain a seat on them. However, all's well that ends we'll
 During this campaign we fought con stantly until my right arm become so &C., oestomed to smiting with the sword that for eight days after the final battle it continued the motion involuntarily. I had to tie it down to my side and leave :t that way for the habit to wear off.
 Habit is a queer matter, anyway. For instance, gentlemen, we are all in the habit of seeing the moon wane monthly and finally disappear, and then we think that the so-ealled new moon is arriving. Well, l can tell you differently At least once the entire world was misled by it's habit of thinking that way.
 'I was on a visit to the Shah of Per sia, and one evening he entertained me with his very fine Reclamation of Persian moonlight poetry, when he groaned sud- denly and said: Alas. there are spots on the moon again. That is rust from the dampness of the season. Of course, I smiled within myself at the Shah's ig- the moon, so to do him a favor l decided on feat that I do not hesitate to char acterize as immensely difficult
 "Not to annoy you with dull details succeeded in devising a-maehine which enabled us to lower the moon to the earth When the Shah saw 1t coming he
  ordered all his soldiers to fetch sand; and while the civilized world with you gentlemen among It. was not at all sur prized at the temporary absence of the moon. your friend, who is talking to you now, was experimenting the polishing of it; for when the moon came down we found that there really were great russ spots on 1t. Before we raised it again, however. it was as bright as it ever was.
 "I do not often tell of this experiment. for the average mni1 cannot grasp the simple truth, while 1t snaps greedily at the silly and disgraceful lies told by travellers and others who have no sense of either honor or modesty, For this reason I hesitate to tell many of my most interesting experiences. unless I am