The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-06-24

-Somervile Journal.
Major MOnSOOn's Tiger Story.
''Thank you, l think ! will take an
other cheroot, old fellow-they're a
first rate brand, but not quite the
sort keep for my own smoking-and
pass the brandy; thank you; your
brandy's good brandy, my dear boy,
but not very good brands. One can't
expect it at the seaside"
The Major took another cheroot
from the frail but odorous dark cedar
box, bound with red; he also condo
scendingly filled himself a particularly
stiff third tumbler OF brandy and wa
ter. say brandy and water, but the
expression is scarcely correct, for, as
he told me, ever since a fit of hydro
phobia at Kollywallah, up at thefoot
of the hill country, he had acquired a
strong dislike to water, and a CRATE
full recollection OF the brandy which
had preserved his valuable life.
The Major was a full habited, mid
die sized, middle aged man, with a
bruised, flattish, red face, rather star
ing blue eyes, and noisy, good hum
ored, impudent manner that nothing
could daunt. He wore a straw hat
with blue band, an immense gilt
double eyeglass, tied with q broad
black ribbon, a loose light suit OF a
pale nankeen color, very small dane
ing shoes, and carried large silver
mounted Penang '1awyer." l scarce
ly know how Ipicked up the gallant Of
ficer, but on the eighth day ofmy stay in
Ramsgate l had got SO tired of
shrimps, raffles, bathing, using tele-
scope, and stopping around on weedy
rocks, that had begun to look out
for o companion on the Esplanade
seats. But he whom looked for in
vain there met me unsought. in the
billiard rooms on the cliff. At that
genteel establishment l found the
major laughing, talking, telling stories,
executing unparalleled carroms, betting
condescendingly with very juvenile
boating men, and drinking brandy
pawnee, at some young amateur COM
modore's expense, with a manner as
totally free from pride as it was radi-
ent with the urbanity Of the officer and
the traveller.
The major was one of those indie
scribabIe men who can be seen any
dav between four and dark, looking
into the cigar shops in Regent street,
lounging about the doors of billiard
rooms in Leicester square, doing on
seats in ST. James Park, or reading
the American news with a severe air
in Wilds reading room; an indefinite
man of indefinite occupations. An
ldler tired of himself could not, how
ever, have discovered more talka-
tive, CHEEKY, rafting, good-natured
companion than the major. He had,
like myself, apparently found Rams
gate dull, for he lost no opportunity
in cultivating my acquaintance, and,
as he lodged only three doors from me
in Seaside Terrace, there was seld ON
an evening when the major did not
drop in to take his coffee and smoke
his cigar in my balcony.
1t was on the fourth evening of our
acquaintance that the major, having
lighted his fourth cheroot and mixed,
as have said, his third glass of bran
DIV and water, sank down luxuriously
ia rocking chair, tucked his legs by
q violent exertion for should men,
ton that he was q little lame) on g
second chair, and, with an air OF al.
most sultanic enjoyment, commenced
the following story of one Of his most
remarkable achievements in the hunt
ing field:
ssTwenty years ago" said the major,
II commanded detachment OF my
native regiment, THE Fighting Half
Hundred las we were called, from our
behavior in the Burmese wary at a
little village called Koliywallah, in
the northeast corner of the Jabbai-
pore district of the Bengal presidency.
It was near jungle full of tigers; and
as we soon put down the paltry tax
riots that had brought us to Kolly-
wallah, and time began to hang heavy
on our hands, ] and Twentymap, the
only other officer, naturally took to
tiger hunting, which exciting amuse-
ment soon became passion with us,
In six months there was not a ryot at
Kollywailah who did not know me as
ssthe Great Shikarree," and it was all
could do to prevent the people from
worshiping me and my hunting ele:
plant, 'Ramchunder.'
zone morning, when TwentymaH
was down with jungle fever, and I was
sitting by his side reading Charles
O'Malley' in the balcony of our bunga-
low, which gave on the cantonment
| / heard a great noise as of a crowd Of
natives trying to force their way in
past my nativs servants. Poor
Twentyman, who was fretinl with
want of sleep, beginning to groan and
complain at the noise, l ran out with
nv big hunting whip, and licking the
niggers all round, asked them what
they meant by making such a cursed
noise.
"Cboop ruho ekdum' l'be silent i'm
| medtateiy't ! shouted.
1--WE kitmutgar, an old gray-headed
fellow who n. = been butler TO m.
father, the General, CAIN "'s'. =.
forward when he saw me, and salu:
"'Sahib, sahib. the country people
from Moonje have come to ask sahib
to come and shoot q white tiger-a
maneater-which has already killed
an old woman, six children and ten
bullocks.'
"Out went, just as was, in my
slippers, and sure enough at the gate
Of the compound, if you'll believe me-
there were about 100 natives, salaam.
ing, Conforming, and playing the
Mahadeo to soften the sahib's neart
and induce him to listen to them and
come and kill the white tiger. l prom
Used to do what / could, if they would
supply heaters, and would be ready
at the jungle next day with their usu
al heathenish and unsportsmanlike
paraphernalia of native drums, bells
horns and metal pans with stones in
them. OF they went. throwing som
erssults and shouting like children