The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-07-28
Unc0vering the Tiger.


Here on the edge of this field rests a
brigade of infantry, drawn up in line of
battle facing to the northwest. Where
is the enemya The wide field is clear of
everything but fences. Away to the
left is rolling ground, covered here and
there with trees and here and there a
house or barn. Away to the right is
the same landscape. The brigade has
been detached from its division and
marched to this spot by the left flank
for what? Men ask this of themselves
as they look to the right and left Fight
i ing is going on behind them, but what
chance here for charge ana counter
charge and death and gloryP There is
one single chance. War is sometimes
a lion. roaring defiance and boldly show
ing its teeth and claws in the open field
at noon-day. Again it is tiger, hiding
IN the forest and thicket and shyly
dragging its sinewy length along dark
ravines and past dense thickets.
When the tiger skulks and hides the
hunter must beat the bush until he is
uncovered. The brigade represents the
hunter-the dark forest for half mile
in front is the lair of the tiger-the
hiding place of the poisonous serpent.
See, now! A battery opens at long
range on the tigers cover. There is no
target. Shells are sent to the right
to the left-straight at the front. They
are sent to provoke the tiger into be-
traying his exact whereabouts Boom!
boom! boom! You can trace the wicked
shrieks of each shell clear across the
field and into the woods, where scream
and shrek are suddenly merged into
an explosion which cuts off the branches
! like pipe-stems and splinters trunks
which have detied the thunder-bolts for
years.
Is the tiger there? If so he is hiding
| and biding. The shells bring wicked
| CLEAN to his eyes, and his long sharp
/ fangs are uncovered, but he is not
ready to break cover. He purrs like a
cat as he moves here and there, and
there is danger in his muttered growl
as his eyes catch glimpse OF the
| double line half mile away.
Look again! They are going to
tempt the tiger with flesh and blood.
At the word hundred men appear in
front of the lines and go skurryine
across the field with their muskets al
a trail The tiger might have had cover
from the shells, but these skirmishers
will shy him out
Hush! Every eye is upon the long,
thin line as it moves forward. Every
horse in the battery has his head toward
the lair of the tiger and his eyes upon
| the hunters. There is no movement in
the line of battle-no words of command
| from the officers.
1t is gentle descent clear to the edge
of the forest, and every man in the
| brigade can follow every step of the
skirmish line. 1t halts beside fence.
and the obstruction is leveled to the
ground as if by magic. Left oblique-
| right oblique forward! Now the line
is broken-now it is dressed-now it
halts-now it moves forward at faster
pace. There is something in the sight
of men going down to bait the tiger of
war which sends chill through the
blood of the oldest veteran.
Hist! The line is within pistol-shot
of the woods! 1t spreads to the right
and left until the hundred men cover
the same front as whole brigade, and
then the line advances. Here is bait
for the tiger. His red lips part and
show his horrible fangs, but he does not
move. His growl is low and deep, but
it does not reach the ears of the hunters.
Carefully, now! A hundred pairs of
eyes are peering into the woods-a
hundred pairs of feet are advancing
with slow step. The hidden tiger will
demand blood when he breaks cover.
Foot by foot--foot by foot-and the line
is almost absorbed in the deep shadow
which stretches along the front of the
forest like black belt-a shadow OF
death. Here on the front of the brigade
mems faces grow pale with suppressed
excitement. Not an eye leaves the sit
uation for an instant The neigh of
horse would give four thousand men
sudden start
Now the skirmish line fades into the
shadow-now it is lost in the woods |
See! bark! first a sheet of flame, then
a crash of musketry, and the brigade
line of battle is suddenly broken as men
realize that the tiger of war has made
its spring.
Crash! crash! crash! Sheets of dark
red flame jump over that dark shadow
in thousand places, and the gaunt til
ger rents quivering flesh with his claws,
and drinks rich blood with a horrible |
gurgle in his throat. Forward the bri
gade-back the skirmish line. The |
tiger has been uncovered-now to sIay
him. On, on-back, back, until the
grand line of battle meets and absorbs |
what the tiger spared in his spring
until it sweeps over the torn fragments |
of the tigers feast-until it looks into
the glaring eyes of the enraged beast |
and grapples with him in struggle |
which covers acres of ground with the |
horrible debris of bloody war.-Detroit
Free Press.
"A SAVAGE Mexican faonard will sroa