The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-03-10

rs- was charming, the baron did not ap
pear. Late it, the evening my friend left
on receiving IN, ssage from the baron
to join him Half an hour later lackey
made sign to me from the door. |
turned to him.
Il am come sir, to hand you this
key ,"
~ am to spend the night in my friends
room p
"Yes, sir, but larger room has been
prepared for you two gentlemen when
ever you are ready. Sir, | am at your
service TO show you the way to it."
II am ready now; 90 on. / will fol
low followed him as lamp in hand
he went up a long winding staircase and
along n narrow corridor until we reached
what seemed to be sort of tower.
Here in broal space, where were sew
cral doors, he stopped. 81 suppose this
part of the house is not occupied
"Oh, yes, sir, it is all occupied. Your
room is one of the best. This is it."
He opened the door of large bare
apartment. On one side near large old
fashioned bed ] saw my travelling bag.
"Your friend is here, sir, probably" and
he left me.
With the key in one hand and the
lamp in the other, advanced to the fire.
place There was no fire, but one single
candle stood on the mantle. This /
lighted, but the darkness and gloom
seemed impenetrabe "Petrovtch is
not here" thought |, as threw myself
into an immense arm chair to wait for
him. "What can delay him"
sat there until midnight Still he did
not come. Rousing myself, then, |
thought heard the rafting of a chain.
The fellow is somewhere here. Who
else could make noise?' Then dis
tinctly heard a regular breathing. "IIe
must have fallen asleep somewhere. l
will look for him" So, lamp in hand, |
proceeded to explore the room. reached
further away than had thought. +"
| heard the chain again.
What was my horrorto behold, stretched
at full length, fast asleep, beside his
open cage, a splendid tiger. The chain
attached to his collar hung loosely to
the ground he was free!
Irushed to the door, 1t was locked
on the outside! to the windows, they
were enormously high from the ground:
there was no escape for me. There was
the treachery feared. This must be the
trap of the generous, ,hospitable baron! To
call or make noise might be useless,
and would certainly arouse the animal.
| had no pistols with me. carefully
and without any noise piled the chairs
in one corner to serve as an ambush, re-
serving stout little one as a weapon of
defense Then sat down, keeping my
eyes on him. He lay cat,like. opening
occasionally his drowsy eyes, sometimes
giving his enormous head shake. BY
degrees his sleepiness seemed to pas:
away. and with a frightful yawn he
reised himself up and advanced towards
me.
He paused for a moment and. raising
his head, he snuffed the air as if suspic
ious of the presence OF an intruder
: With a growl he continued to advance
/ cautiously, as if on his guard against /:
foe whose strength he was ignorant of
A few steps discovered me to him, ant
, with growl of rage, he crouched as i
: for the fatal spring While waited il
= terror the fearful fate, which would b'
. on me in few seconds, | could not hel
5 admiring the excessive beauty of tn,
, animal, whose splendid stripes of blacl
:. on his brown orange skin and glarn!
eyeballs, as he lashed his sides with hi
e tail, made him a perfect study. Tn
l quivering movement of his body told M
/ that in a moment | would be torn 4
pieces without chance of defense o
escape. l closed my eyes for second
and as ! opened them he suacenl
raised himself and stood with his hea
turned towards the door. Was any on
d coming to save me? listened in val
G for footstep. Suddenly the soft musi
r of "A guitar broke upon the stiffness. M
G first impression was that it meant anotht
e trick of the witty baron, but to my il
a tense relief the tiger with purr of sa
V isfaction laid himself down against tn
), door in an attitude of attentive and dc
=. lighted listening Hour after hou
O passed away as the music continue
.s without moments cessation and hi
II highness the tiger remained subdued an
e quiet in his evident enjoyment of IL
sounds. This lasted until daylight, whe
7 the door was suddenly opened and
: man entered armed with a heavy whi
L. and calbine This was the tiger
,e keeper. AT sight of him it crept lazil
t. into its cage
D. The man, surprise at seeing me WI
very great. The secret of this door
ID said he, lis known tD the baron and m
% self alone.
y lost no time in escaping from II
X prison and soon reached the other pa
at of the house found Petroyitch wa
dering about in search of me. to
5 him what had happened. Il must lea
n. this house at once" said |.
"Stay to breakfast. Let the baron s
n that YOU are alive and well, shall
e, enjoy his surprise,
~ did stay to breakfast. The barol
h. yellow face turned green at the sight
i'll me. The baroness did not appe
After month | heard of the baro
'c- sudden death. / called on the bare
ak ess. She had known of the horril
design on my life. 1t was by her inl
s. ence that the servant, who had confd
I'd his suspicious to her, was induced
rst spend the night playing on the gut
ct she having known that wild animals
lily tanned with musical sounds She is n
for my wife. The tiger has been placed
az the menagerie, hope they will be
ng good TO him as he was to me, and '
nd feed him well, as escaped doing!
ful
led Why President Arthur Attends thu Shsbb
Church in Washington,