The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1865-02-04

the placid but deceitful Jaws . the
bunchy sinuosity Of the extended legs /:
and the vonomous vigor lurking in that
vast pair ofvclvet paws, were objects of
a most Objectionable criticism on my
part.
Having fingered in my recumbcnt
position for, as l should Judge, about
three hours, fatigued and lame with nv
unchanged attitude, and nearly exhausted
with momentary apprehensiCns Of some
sudden change in the tiger's-for he
seemed only waiting for lac to stir TO
spring upon mel now became imbucd
with a fresh fear to disconcert me. If
Ramsay should come, what would be the
immediate consequences
trembled for the result when la
should be heard at the front. door, putt.
ing in his key, opening, and perhaps
drunk and staggering. should not dare
to shout, to tell him who and where I
was, and that the tiger was at liberty
and if Ramsay should be the worse for
liquor, he might not understand nv
exclamation, be himself helpless and in
any event might make so much noise as
to startle the tiger at once into active
operations, which might end only withs
the immolation of both ofus. Then, too
the sanguinary monster might escape
into the street, and, pursuing his work
of slaughter- But my reflections
were not carried far in that direction.
| confess that my principal fear was
about mysolf-and the tiger.
There is no accounting for the irrer.
ularity of ones train of thought and
mixed emotions when his mind is greatly
excited. Appalled, as 1 was, there was
Jet room enough in my soul for anger;
and l was angry. My anger was not
with the tiger for being loose, but with
Bill Ramsay for allowing him to get so;
for how, except through the reprehensi-
bic remissnoss of Ramsay, could the tiger
nave thus released himself from confne-
ment within his bars and acquired free
range ofthe premises =? Had the keeper
left his door unlocked? Could the
tiger have burst the door himself and
afterward torn the front bars out for
there were none to this cage Or, might
it be that this was not the tigers cage,
but one into which, leaving bis own, he
had escaped ?
This last conjecture I though mus.
be the true one. This cage mnst be an
anfnishsd one; and tho tiger, liking a
change of quarters, had thus manifested
his approval, both of the change and
the range afforded. This made me ex-
with Bill Ramsey and the
possibility that he might be the first and
only victim did not much grieve me
though l had previously some respect
for him, as he had always treated me
we'll when l visited the city.
1t was at this stage Of my thoughts
when the long anticipated time os the
crisis arrived:
l heard the voice of Bill Ramsay.
outside, in the street He was singing
a song. Ifnot drunk, he was partly SO.
l heard his key in the door; and.
tremblingly alive to the occasion, d.
vided my attention threw my eyes on
the tiger and my ears toward Bill Ram
say, determined to remain motionless.
and let him, as he approached, take the
first spring
1 heard the door shut and locked.
The tiger remained quiet. heard
Ramsay walking up to me. Still the
tiger did not stir.
"Craft," thought I. "Or, is the tt
ger deaf, or asleep with his eyes open ?"
"Hullo, here !" now cried Ramsay.
standing over me in astonishment, aud
touching me with his foot. "What are
you doing here, Raymond ?"
| looked up and told him to hush,
mark that tiger, and open that cage for
US both to get into as soon as posi-
BILE.
"What are you afraid of stuffed
Tiger I" shouted he, laughing so heartily
that l heard lion growl at him, some
monkeys chattering, and my pet goat
begin to baa.
"Stuffed !" said and I got up at
once and found it SO /: for, as Ramsay
explained, this Royal Bengal Tiger had
been dead three months; but, having
been SO large and beautiful, my uncle
lad had him stuffed by Frenchman,
Ind sent home on the preceding even.
ng.
This, then, accounted for my Iniracu.
Gus escape, and no thanks to the tiger
Tor my prudence in keeping quiet so
Oug.
have only to adj that 1 got my
,oat and went home with him in the
arly morning stage. But, speaking of
intense fright turning the hair gray il
hort space of time: | looked in the
lass, and, to my surprised found one
erceptible change about it, it seemed
lift curled more tightly than before.
Sut this attributed to the new hair
il l was using.
LIFT Me HIGHER.-A little girl, thir.
cen years ola, was dying. Lifting her
yes toward the ceiling, she said softly