Felt Hurt.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 87

Felt Hurt.

On one of the Volunteer ranges in the north is a well-known old Irish sergeant, who has charg«. It may be mentioned that he 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 ia called, ooeaaionally acts as marker at the targets, and his utter recklessness has become a .proverb.

He has been known to walk forth from behind the mantelet without the slightest warning and touch up a. bull's-eye which did not quite satisfy him, or to note tho exact position of a shot.

Ait all remonstrances he would sniff contemptuously. "ife be shot? Me?" ho would ask. "Why, I've bin through three w-ar-r-s, and was niver shot yet. Pah ! Fhwhat's a bit o' lead flying- through the air?" and he wouJd assume an air of disgust. It actually occurred, however, at last, and he wad shott •tihrougii the shoulder. For a moment, as frequently happens with rifle shots, sucdi is their terrible Force, he did not know !he was Struck; then when he observed the blood streaming down his sleeve he commenced to walk down the range, righ* in the line of fire. It was seen thart; something was wrong, and chey hurried to meet him. Ajs he did so he tottered and had to be carried.

"Shot!" he groaned, with a look of shame. "Shot, and >by a Saturday afternoon soldier !"