Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1894 — A MISFIT CANNON. [ARTICLE]

A MISFIT CANNON.

Sad Dilemma or Pyrenees Mountaineers!"’* 1 The little republic of Andorra, up n the fastnesses of tbe Pyranees, is in a peck of trouble. A short time igo its council decided that their republic needed a heavy cannon as a means of defense. Consequently they bargained with Herr Krupp for » gun that would throw a ball 18 kilometers. The great death-dealer irrived at its destination recently ind was placed on the highest point in the republic, where it could command the valleys and hills in every lireotion. The people were greatly pleased and it was decided to celebrate the arrival of the gun by firing it. Then day was appointed, the populace turned out in force and the gunners were ready to pull the string and let her go. Then, and just then, some thinker got in his work. He suggested that, inasmuch as the gun would throw a ball 18 kilometers and the republic only extended six kilometers in any direction, the missile would alight in Spain or France, and thus cause a war. This would never do in the wide, wide world. The gunuers laid down the string and seemed puzzled. After some deliberation it was suggested that the gun might be fired into the air. Then the thinker again got in his fatal work. He said if the ball went up in the air it would come down and knock a large, irregular hole 'in the real estate of the republic and might also*endanger human life. This was a clincher. The shot was removed from the gun and the populace dispersed. Now it is probable that a large, healthy gun will be offered for sale at reasonable figures.