Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-08-01

roof of the shed. The crack in the shutter
was darkened we heard him snuflng i'm
patiently, and then the shutter shook and
trembled. Dick opened his clasp-knire,
piteously insufficient weapon against the
fearful claws THAT were then rending and
tearing at the frail boards.
"Open the trap-door," he said. "Pcr-
haps we can swing ourselves down and get
away"
undid the fastening, but Diana clung 10
her brother. The shutter held out longer
than we could have hoped, for / saw the
creature would be upon us in another mo-
ment. To our surprise he seemed sudden
ly TO pause in his attack. There was a long,
low hiss and whistle, a half-strangled roar,
heavy fall, shout, and then again the
strange sound, in which old experiences on
the plains enabled me TO recognize the whir
of the thrown lariat.
Not daring to believe that we were saved
we looked through the cracks, but the des-
perate struggle which we could hear going
on below was out of sight Through the
shouting and the half choked roar of the
tiger we could hear the ugly dog barking
and growing furously. In few minutes
he came flying into the lower room, and
unable to reach me, he yelped and danced
in frantic excitement.
He was followed by tall, fair, blue-eyed
giant of a man, who, boholdng a lady
above him, climbed up the wall more like
a cat than man, and, reaching our place
of refuge, remarked as to society in gener-
al /: "Well, 1 swamp and then, finding that
expression of feeling inadequate, "well, I
do yum y
as the creature dead p | asked.
"Well, no ma'am," said the Snowman,
for such lie was "he amt dead, but he's
safe enough. You see, he's a valuable
kind of an animal and he amt bad as IT,
gers CO." he concluded in tone of apolo-
gy.
Here poor Diana, with an hysterical burst
of tears and laughter, said that he might
not be bad as tigers went; but that, as they
stayed, she thought them highly objection
able.
"Well, 'spose he is, MISS said our
new friend; "but We never calculate to
have him lying around loose but he's a
| valuable animal, and I'm kind of fond of
the crtter, and I'd hate to kill him."
"I'm sure 1 don't want the poor thing
| killed." said Diana nervously; "but, oh,
we want to go home"
'Yes, certainly" said the big man sooh-
| ingly. 81 guess the best way to get out
| will he right down out Of the window ON to
| the roof
In a few minutes we all stood safe on the
green sward, while the ugly deg ran to and
| fro from one to tho other, and then finally
| exhausted with his exertions, lay down
and painted for breath uRiii the state of his
mind impelled him once more 50 dance and
yep.
The tiger, wound round and round with
| the tough folds Of more than one lasso, and
with his feet chained, lay helpless on the
ground. Two stout fellows, armed with
k nives and pistols, stood over him but
Dick turned away with shuddcr.
How did you find him? ?' he asked tho
Snowman.
at was all that dog" said our friend. II
declare, the way some critters act does beat
all natur'. Yon sec we lost the dog going
on moIe'n week back. One of tho men
| got mad at the dog when he was drunk,
and give him an awful whipping-Ind
expect il hurt his feelings, and he run off,
AS for the tiger he got out early this morn
ing and we didn't want 10 make none too
much fuss about il, and we just set out af-
ter him but l e>spect half the country's
out looking now. Me aud Jim and these
| two we took the lariats--I learned how to
use the thing out on the plains. 1t comes
kind of handy TO know most things gener-
ally. We'd meant to exhibit thisalternoon,
Il nd, after we'd hunted the criticr pretty
much all tie morning, we went back to the
tent over in Galoosa 10 see ii any one else
had heard of him, and we hadn't more n
got there when in bounccs this dog. He
hadn't got no name, only the ugly dog;'
and he comes up to me and begins to beg
and whine, and then he catches hold of me
and tries TO drag me along with him, and
felt sure something was to pay. So, hav-
ing the tiger on my mind, l naturally
thought of him first; and, as didn't know
where TO look for him, was just MS like to
find him by following the dog as any other
way so VIC set out, and you never saw a
crittcr so tickled rs that dog was. He led
us along through the swamp, and by-and-
by / was sure / heard the beast. So we
kind of stole march on him, and when he
| Jumped on the roof we d got quite COM
fortably close TO him and he was so busy
clawing the shutter he never suspected
nothing and l threw the lariat, and it took
him Just as slick as a whistle. I'm awful
glad of it, because I'd have hated 10 shoot
him only for acting according to his ma
ture. 'Tain't as If he was Christian, you
know" concluded the Snowman, cxcusing
his pet.
"But how could the dog know he would
find You in Galoosa ?"
"Well, critters know more things than
folks thank they do. Maybe he remem-
bered we were there last year, or likely
enough, some of the other dogs told him."
81 hope you'll let me keep him." I said,
as the ugly dog pressed close to my side.
"Oh, my, yes'mi amt that kind of a
man to take dog away from lady" said
the gallant Snowman. "I've sent off the
boys to Galoosa for the tigers cage and my
buggy, and I'll see you home. I'm awful
sorry the beast has put you and the young
lady to so much Inconvenience; but he
amt a bad fellow, now, really"
We reached home before any rumor OF
the runaway colts had come TO Maysville
but we found the village in great excite
ment about the tiger, and the captain in ra-
ther an anxious state of mind, preparing to
go out and meet us. He looked rather grim
when he heard of our adventure, and re-
ceived poor Dicks penitent confession but
had the discretion to do nothing more than
TO express the hope that II W ould "be les
son 10 him." and, indeed, think il was.