The Wooden Guns

by Ambrose Bierce

　　AN Artillery Regiment of a State Militia applied to the Governor for wooden guns to practise with."Those," they explained, "will be cheaper than real ones.""It shall not be said that I sacrificed efficiency to economy," said the Governor. "You shall have real guns.""Thank you, thank you," cried the warriors, effusively. "We will take good care of them, and in the event of war return them to the arsenal."