A Miraculous Escape

While storming the first line of forts at Port Arthur a soldier belonging to the Twenty-fourth Regiment raised his rifle to fire at an unusually conspicuous Chinaman, says the Japan Mail. Just as he was about to fire, a bullet from the enemy's side came wizzing on, and, marvelous to relate, entered the barrel of his own gun as smoothly and aeatly as if the muzzles had been placed mouth to mouth. Of course there was an explosión, and the soldier's piece was shattered to the stook, but without his receiving any injuries whatever. A fractional variation to the right or left would have caused the hostile bullet to enter his head or face, so that his escape was nothing short of miraculous. He preserved the stock of the now useless weapon, and afterward exhibited it to his colonel, who permitted him to keep it as a memento of his narrow escape. #