SHOT BY A SATURDAY AFTERNOON SOLDIER.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXII, Issue 3051, 22 November 1893, Page 4

SHOT BY A SATURDAY AFTERNOON SOLDIER.

On one of the volunteer ranges in the North i» « well4aiown Irish sergeant who went through three wars— the Crimean, the Indian Mutiny, and the Chinese— and during the whole of that time never received a single wound. Old W , as he is called, occasionally acts as marker at the targets, and hifc utter recklessness has become a proverb, lie has been known to wali^fqith from behind the mantlet without the slightest warning, and touch uj) a buH ? fi eye which did not quite satisfy him, or to note the exact position of a shot. At all remonstrances he would sniff con-, temptuously. 'Me be sliot ?' he would ask. ' Why, I've been through three war-r-rs and; was never shot yet.. Pali! phwat's & b;t of lead flying through tho air V and he would assume an air of disgust. It actual!^ occurred, however, at last, and he was shot through^ 43&; ;slioulijea:f| * moment, as frequently Happens with rifle shots, such is, their terrible, force, he did not knW he >$ruflc j jfch^4 when he observed the blood streaming down his sleeve, he commenced to walk down the grange right in the line of fire. It was seen that something was wrong, and several volunteers rushed to meet him. As they 4M so ; he tottered and had to be carried. 1 Shot,' he groaned with a look of shame ; * Shot, and by a Saturday afternoon soldier !' '