Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03

stop watch from his pocket and his field glasses from
their case Also he produces pair of what look like
tiny anchors made of amber ceuold with perforated
hollow globes about the size of large peas, where the
stock and ring ought to be- One of these globes he
inserts into the ori6ce of each and the rounded
side of the ukes resting against convolutlon OF the
outer ear holds them in place Then his preparations
complete and he takes his station between the two
guns, equidistant from them.
An order to load is given, and from the magazine
shell truck rushes. This truck IS cradle running on
four wheels and raised legs that the lower edge OF
the shell that rests upon it is little higher than the
lower side of the bore into which it is to as the
crouches with open breech block ready to receive it.
Behind the truck which pushed along as fast as the
men who have it in charge other men, bear
ing the thiryoot rammer the head OF which IS held
against the base of the she'll The truck arrives, col
lding with the guns breech almost hard enough, 1t
would seem, to wreck manof-war.
At this point the truck naturally enough, comes to
sudden stop; but started by its own momentum, and
aided by the hammer, which pushes it from behind TIE
shell goes into the guns interior until reaches its
proper seat where the compression stops it.
Then the rammer is snatched forth The truck is
whrled away order to make for the cartridges,
two of them, each borne the shoulders of two
it. Both are rammed home Most likely, even though
there be standing orders that this shall not be done
until later, the primer has already been seated in the
vent and locked there The of the two guns
working jealous and will take chances of being caught
disobeying orders in order to gain little time
The vent by the way is what commonly used to be
from the top of the gun downward to its BORE it
extends from the of the breech block forward The
breech block plug that closes the after end of the
gum where the cascabe-that is the knob-used to be.
AS soon the cartridges in place the breech
block is closed and locked, the CONFERENCE.-The
tripped, and with slow dignity the great guns rise.
Notwithstanding the fact that his already contain
the patent deadeners, young Smith, being sensible
youth, claps his hands them, though those
hands still hold glasses and watch.
The guns rise almost together but not qute,-one
pokes it's slim, malignant snout the parapet half
second than the other As it reaches its APP
pointed place each instantly blazes forth fame and
smoke and sound that one might readily imagine as
coming from hell itself Young Smith stands well back
of the muzzles and perhaps fifty feet from each gum
yet the heat of the flashes falls scorchingly each
tanned cheek. The blasts push sharply at his
shoulders that they half him he stands, first
way and then the other. Protected though his
may be- the rendng crash of these reports strikes them
with actual deafening blows The guns retire slowly
and with dignity, as they rose.
MYTH these bursts of Titanic noise there is mingled
W another sound; that, under ordinary cir
cumstances would make start, and then find