The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1868-06-25
THE BLACK TIGER,
BY L. N. cuEsrER.

y
told me Of The adventures Of Walker and
/ bis fillibuIlsrs; but the most exciting ol
all stories was one told me by MannelS, a
psou, as We stopped to res! 10 an old hui
which he had formerly lived in, bat dc.
serted years ago.
There was . cOmrOds oI mine, vugu.
ero, on SOpatsro.' the peOn began, some
four or Eve years ago. His companion
was taken i'll with with calsptura Of q
very bad type, and was obliged to leave
the island. Joachim, knowing was 90
omerepec, sent for mo to take the sick
mans Ploco for while; and | finding
the pay very good, and the work such
as liked, got into the canoe and skim
med across. Six months I lived on The
island, and | tell you. seporoS, no man
can say he knoWs what loneliness is
who has not tried cattle breeding in an
uninhaOitsd land. l have sat ID the
doorway Of that hut when Joachn was
away for days at time; ] have cat aud
looked over the meadow, which is al
ways gray aud never green; have dO2od
With open eyes until my ears grew full
Of phantom voices. and strange. uncer-
tain shapes began to move about the
pi0tn.
'JOochin's odd ways made me laugh
when l frat came TO the place. but bo
said 10 me. Wait till you have been
here month. you viii be strange rs L.
And be was right. Before my time was
up. | began TO talk out loud to myself.
whether alone or not. like Joachim. l
talked 10 things, and to the cattle, but
said scarcely word TO nay old friend, /,
even when we we're together. And some.
how toward the last, began 10 like the
eternal silsncs and the gray mOaosOng
Of a lie which iobkilFcolor lfvm tho
EssI77vlz lao
ri dl olteS .look 6aok
d sg hss. hermit time IL Is
saPalsrc But my story docs not adj
sstce. - s.
~"One night, after l had been six
months on The island, l was seated by
tie Ere, tslkiOg cou6deutiaAy to the
pluntaint that were boiling in a pots
Joachin was not in the hut, and / was
expecting him bone u huppet, Sud.
denly | heard his shout outside, and the
nett Instant he dashed 10, banged the
door TO and threw the heavy bar across
it. Just as. he fixed it, aud painting,
leaned his shoulder against the stout
wood as an additional support, shock
80 heavy that the whole hut quivered,
made the door bend. Another followed
then all was still. I had sprung up at
fr,t sight Oftoacbin, but the scene pass.
cd go quickly that no word had been
spoken as yet. But when after the sec.
Ond blow on the door, the attempt seem.
cd 10 bs ab,ndon on that side, l took
my comrOde BY the shoulder aud shook
him, for he seemed wild with fesr.--
Gran Dios, man! l said: what Is
this? Tl5aY
His appearance was CHASTITY. The old
Guatemala jacket he wore. his leather
btsecheS. even hi. boots OF alligator hide,
we're ripped and cut wifi the thOrnS Of
the acSciaa. His livid face Strsaued
with black blood from many deep scratch
es, and Precipitation drenOhed bis long,
ragged hair, "A black tigerIbo wbi'P'
cred 1t has chased me across the saVsn'
nah, for'my horse was tired out, 1t il
af.srnei Oh listeul' Then, in thc
deRhlysilsncS, While We held our breath
and JOschin strained my hand, back
ward and forward. l heard the hard Snor'
ing ofa Tiger just outside The door, Nc
doub. Off! The 6saSt had singled JOa
chin out, end let thD horse 60 free
While wS listened, The direction Of tb'
sound moved about, now up and nov
down accompanied by gentle pats upot
the door, aS irIhO animal was resting biz
velvet paw against Il 0s he reared him
self on hiO hind legs. AT length VI
heard lbe sound Of scratching, and
drew my mSOhetO, 1nA few seconds,
black paw, armed with terrible, croOket