Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-04-29

what was doing on the line. Icontin-
ued to lie, looking dreamily out of
the window, the jalousie of which To
Tum had thrown back. 1t was not
much OF a view consisting only of q
corner of the compound wall and the
Jungle beyond; but soft, pinky haze
beautified everything; and famed by
most delicious cool breeze, closed my
eyes again and dozed Tor few min
utes, utterly and blissfully ignorant
that sudden death had Just cleared
that compound vail, and was making
stealthiiy and warily, straight for my
open window. | heard-in dream as
it were, so did not heed-a curious
scratching noise, followed by soft,
limpine footsteps across the veranda;
then heavy breathing, almost gasping,
which seemed so unpleasantly near,
that / opened my sleepy, dreamy eyes
just in time to see his most Serene
Highness the Bengal tiger throw him.
self in an utterly done-for condition
by the side of my bedl
Here was a situation My very
marrow seemed to freeze in by bones,
and every hair on my head was alive
with electrified fright. / lay as still
as corpse, and in my heart thanked
a considerate Providence which had
made the beast turn its back to me,
instead OF its villainous face. | was
too paralyzed to think OF what Icould
do to get out of the room, which per-
haps, was fortunate. The animal had
evidently run far and fast, asi its pant-
ing sides and foam-faked Jaws plainly
showed; so there was just a feeble
chance of its going to sleep,
and then would be the time
to cautiously escape. It's great muir
derous-looklng paws were stained with
blood; and, though ! could see that
one of them was wounded, the idea
would take possession ofmy weak and
agitated mind, that it was the blood
OF one of my companions, and not the
tiger own. Suddenly, to my horror,
the brute lifted its head from it's paws,
pricked up its ears. and listened in
tently. | also listened as well as
could; but every nerve was throbbing,
and the sound in both ears was as the
surglng OF stormy waves on a pebbly
beach. ], too, however, caught dis
tant ''click, very faint and indistinct,
and | could not make out what it was.
The tiger again composed itself to sleep
or watch; it was impossible to see if
its eyes were open or shut. After a
lifetime of miserable sensations, |
guessed, by the even rise and fall Gifts
sides, that it must be having what
might not be more than the pro-
verbal forty winks; so now was
my time, or never. Not
once taking my eyes off the object of
my terror, / slipped out of the bed,
which gave gentle creak, that, to my
death knell. He did not move.
wished | had more on, felt so de-
fenseless. crept slowly to the door,
not taking one loot of the ground till
| had carefully steadied myself on
both. | reached the only thing that
divided me from comparative safety,
softly turned the handle. The door
was locked! For one second / had
taken my steady gaze from the Sleep
ing brute; when l looked again, what
a change! Head thrown back, ears
fiat, eyes glaring savagely, and TANKS
trembling and quivering with the
stealthy movement of an animal
about to spring. But not at me. l
followed the tigers glance, and caught
the glimpse of barrel of rifle, Just
one second-then fash--a roar-a
struggle-and / fell senseless on the
floor.
When came to myself / was lying
wrapped in my dressing gown on a So
ia in the sitting.room. K. S. p. was
kneeling beside me with a bottle OF
something in his hand, and III. +. was
standing at my feet with an expression
of the greatest solicitude.
"Don't talk Just yet old fellow, +"
said he; wait till your stronger, and
we'll tell you all about it. By Jovel
you had narrow escape"
After few minutes quiet, my curl
osity awoke in full force. "Tell me, :"
said |, did you kill him straight Off"
"Oh, yes" answered L. S. p. Hes
as dead as mutton. But we had no
idea that you were there. To Tum
told us that you had gone to the line
ages ago; and we tracked the brute
through your open window, where he
had taken refuge. III. wounded him
in the off hind leg, when we got our
first sight of him injungle; and instead
of coming ut us he bolted. and led us
precious dance. To Tum bolted
your door on the outside, thinking it
would stand charge better in case
the tiger made one; but he thought
that you were safe off the premises. !"
swell" said ], shuddering at tho
recollection, 81 really don't think /
am more cowardly than most people,
but may | never spend another such
manvais quart 'heure. "-Chambers's
Journpl