The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-11-20
back fot moment, growing in a low


although it was at hand and sharp
enough to have inflicted great injury.
With his free arm the man caught up a
billet of wood and belabored the tiger,
but the beast took firm hold lifted the
man up, and sprang for the opening.
1t was fully seven feet from the floor,
and both fell back with crash. The
tiger tried it again, but with the same
result. He then changed his hold to the
mans throat, made third spring, and
after some hard work managed to get
out with his victim, though it seemed
absolutely impossible for him to accom-
plish it.
This occurred on the night before
our arrival, and we found the window
casing covered with blood and showing
the marks of claws. Further than that,
the spoor left by the beast as it dragged
the body away was plain to befollowed,
and we ran over it about half mile to
find the spot where the victim had been
eaten. We had camped, as tod you,
in the hills about three miles from the
village. The facts ] have given were
picked up in the village by an officer
and myself, we having galloped over to
buy milk and fowls. We were more
likely to find the tigers there in the hills,
and native was despatched to inform
our party that we would, remain in the
village over night. AS the place was
surrounded by groves and bits ofjungle,
it was hard to say from which direct on
the tigers made their nightly approach.
h,a rhA
Lieutenant harrington of the Sixty
eighth native infantry, thought it best
that we should post ourselves at oppo-
site ends OF the village. There was
enough of the afternoon left in which
to erect platforms in two convenient
trees, and as the sun went down and
night fell upon us every native retired
indoors, and we began our watch. We
had been told that the man-eaters sent
out no warning of their approach by
} roaring, as is often the case, but that
they came with great stealth, and no one
was aware of their presence until too
ate to escape. '
There were a few cowardlv cur dogs
in the village, but none of these had
been molested by the tigers. One of
} them took great liking to me, and
when | mounted to the platform to be-
! gin my watch he lay down at the foot
} of the tree. | scolded at him, and flung
| three or four broken branches at his
head, but he refused to go away. 1t
was balmy evening, with plenty of
} stars but no moon. One could have
, seen man moving many rods away,
if he kept in the open, but it was very
dark under the trees, and the grass in
, the openings was two feet high. | was
: close TO the hut from which the man
: had been dragged, but had not kept my
l watch long before realized that 1t was
, a great chance if | caught the slightest
r glimpse of the expected visitors, There
l were so many dark spots below me and
= the foliage SO INSTRUCTED my vision that
S | had a good mind to descend and seek
9 for some other position. However,
/ held on, and by and by the village grew
t quiet and my vigil became lonely one
e indeed. The villagers were in q happy
. frame o. mind, believing the man-eatera
i as good as dead or driven to some other
? district, now that we had arrived,
e Some of them even neglected to drop
: the blankets hanging at their doors.
i at had come to be ten O'clock, and
G was wondering if | dared light "A che
: root, when heard the dog before me
d whine and move about. Next moment
II caught sight of two dark objects steal
o ing across the open space toward the
+ foot of my tree, and realized that the
d tigers had come. The dog ran out tC
: meet them, singular as it may appear,
Il and then occurred a familiar scene
v You have seen a mastiti stand still il
c all his dignity while puppy scamper
Is ed around him in play. Well, the
d tigers stood there stiff us two statues
d and the cur ran around in a circle anC
e tried his best to get up frolic. The.
d at first growled in a menacing way
:. but as he continued his play they grew
% better natured, and, in few minutes
7, all three were in for frolic | coulC
10 not see as distinctly as | could hay,
5, wished for, but made out the move
l. ments very well. The tiger jumped
over the dog dozen different times
Ie and on three or four occasions dropped
" their tails and ran away to let him pur
sue JHeIu DuL always COMING DdCh U
y the same place. l softly cooked m
u gun for shot, but they were so con
a SANITY on the move that l dare
G. not risk it, Our object was t
of bag one or both, instead of drvin
10 them away from the neghborhood by
&c general alarm. The play continued 10
10 quarter of an hour, and ceased the
of because a child in hut near by erie
le out in its sleep. The tigers change
IS the r demeanori in an instant, and a 10y
I'd growl warned the dog that the froli
le was at an end. He did not want it ST
Mt but scarcely had he renewed his effort
5. when one of the beasts struck bio
IN with its paw and laid him dead on tn
tn grass. Then both stood stock still
pit listening for the cry TO be repeated
ut They were side by side, broadside
he me, and not hundred feet away, bl
It's in the darkness it was chance shot
., ,,,l1oJ Tho triroror ond tho rapNrt Nys