Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-02-12

l AbNitf VS. WY fettrf N'tf - 49,
knew the animal vel enough; bal,
ks~ ditfsren, he booked from the lean,
halfs,arvsd little beAs, had seen At
home Tie had jus, come into the open
space from dense jungle-break. and sat
there. washing his face aud Paring ia a
eontsnted sort Of way, like huge cat.
was frightened No, an atom ! had
my bicycle Aad star, of forty yards, 80
II I could no, beat him !, ~As a pity.
lie had no, secn me yet. and | stood
Coz another minute admiring the hand.
some creature and then quietly moan,sd
the tiger was directly on my rsh, While
the rad stretched s,rAish, away in froni
Of me. The noise made reused him
he loohed up. and then. after deliberately
stretching himself. came leAPing With
long. graceful boaad. over the rank grass
and rocks which separated him from the
rosd. lie did not seem bi, angry. but
evidently wished 10 ge, a nearer view Of
such an Extraordinary object.
Forty yards. however. though, ""
quite near enough Coz safety The tiger
WAS in the roAA behind me nov; 80 !
pallod nyssh together and began TO quick
en- my pace
Would he stop. disgas,ed. after the
sn, hundred yards. and give up the
chase. o. would he stick % IL ! quite
hoped be ~0aI follo~ me. and already
pictured in ny mind the grsPhie dsserP-
ton I would write home Of my race with
he tiger
Little dil think VIA, terrible race
1, wss going 70 BE- ] looked behind me.
BY Jovs be Was sticking TO IT," I
could NJ, Judge the distance, ba, a, any
rate | was no farther from him ,haa
when Ne started. Nov for sPari |
role the neat half mile a. hard A. I couh.
BAT on looking roand found | bad not
gaiusd ward.
The tiger wAs on my ,rask. moving
With a loag. swinging trO,. and going
quite a. quickly a. vas.
For the frsi time | began 10 fell anH.
ioa,. Aai though, uneAsily of the lons
ten mile, which separated me from safe.
Iv
However !, wAs no good thinking.
nov; Il ~a. my muscle and iron 'ieed
agains, the brute. eoald only DO my
bss, and trust IN Provilence.
Nov. there vas no douet AbOa, the
tigers intention his blood was up. and
on be came. ooeAsiOnAlly giving vent TO
roar which made the groa nd ,remble.
Another mile bad been ,rAvefsed, and
the tiger was slowly bat surely closing
up.
dashed my pouch to the ground.
hoping Il would stop him Co. few sec
oa'l, bat he ksp, steadily on. Aai tsl,
Il wAs then grim earnest.
I calculated ne must Be Abou, seven
miles from camp nov. and before ] could
ride another four my Pars1er, ! knsw,
mus, reach me. Oh. the agony Of those
minutes. which seemed TO me like long
kous
Aho,hsF mile passed. thea another.
eoald hear him behind me now-PAd,
pad. pad. quicker and quicker. louder
and louder. I turned IA my saddle for
moment. and .Aw tia, there we're no, 20
yard, separating us How enormous the
brute looked. and how terrible Ills huge
tongue hung cut. and the only sound be
made was continual hOArse grO~l Of rage.
while bis eyes seemed to literally fash
fire.
II was like some awful nightmare, and
with shudder ! bent down over the
handles and few on.
A, | nov III quietly in my chair wit.
ing ind il hard TO Analyzs the crowd
Of memories ,hA, wen, crushing through
my brain daring ihA, fearful ride. saw
ioag-fOrsO,ien events in which had TAX
en par, rise up distinctly before me ; and
while every muscle vas raeked with my
terrible eHsrtion. my mind Was clear and
my life seemed to pass before me like one
long PaponmA.
On. on. on the .ligh,es, slip. knew.
would be fatal sudden jolt, a screw
giving. and should be hurled to instant
death
Human strength would no, stand much
more the prolonged strain had told upon
me, and I fel, ,hA, !, would soon be all
over Ny breath came ia thick sobs.
mis-, gathered before my eyes-I was
stopping my legs refused to move, and
. thousand fends seemed 10 be fitting
sboa, me. holding NE back, back A
weight like lead Was on my chest | was
ehoaking. was dying. Then few mo-
men,s. which seemed lifetime. and thea
-crAsh-with roar like thunder the
tiger was on me. and vas crushed to
the ground.
Then heard shots fired. a Babel Of
meas voices, and al WAS blank.
Afler many days Of Inconsistencies
and raging fever, reason gradually re-
turned and learned the particulars Of
my dsliveranee.
A party Of officers bad started with
shikaree Or native hunter to = trap