New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-23
Major Monsoon's Tiger Story.


other cheroot, old fellow-theyre a
Grst 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 himoelf a particularly
stiff third tumbler Of brandy and wa
ter. | say brandy and water, but the
expression is scarcely correct, for, as
iHhe told me, ever since fit of hydro
phobia at Kollywallah, up at thefoot
Of the hill country, he had acquired a
strong dislike to water, and a CRATE
ful recollection of the brandy which
had preserved his valuable life.
The Major was full habited, mid
die sized, middle aged man, with a
bruised, flattish, red face rather star
ling blue eyes, and a noisy, good hum
ored, :impudent manner that nothing
could daunt He wore a straw bat
with a blue band, an immense gilt
double eyeglass, tied with broad
'black ribbon, loose light suit Of a
pale nankeen color, very small dane
,ing shoes, and carried a large silver
mounted Penang 'lawyer." l scarce
.'y know how Ipicked up the gallant Of
'licer, but on the eighth day OF my stay in
:Ramsgate I had got SO tired of
shrinps, raAles, bathing, using a tele-
scope, and,slopping around on weedy
rocks, that had begun to look out
Tor a companion on the Esplanade
seats. But he whom looked for in
vain there met me unsought. in the
bAiiard rooms on the cliff At that
genteel establishment I found the
najor laughing, talking, telling stories,
executing unparalleled carrOms, betting
condescendingly with very juvenile
boating men, and drinking brandy
1pawnee, at some young amateur COM
tmodore'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
.-scribable men who can be seen any
day between four and dark, looking
into the cigar shops in Regent street,
5tounging about the doors of billiard
arooms in Leicester square, doing on
seats in st. James Park, or reading
the American news with severe air
in Wild's reading room; an indefinite
man of indefinite occupations. An
;.dler tired Of himself could not, how
ever, have discovered more talka-
stive, CHEEKY, rattling, 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 i'll my balcony.
1t was on the fourth evening of our
acquaintance that the major, having
ltighted his fourth cheroot and mixed,
i as have said, his third glass OF bran
j dy and water, sank down luxuriously
sin a rocking chair, tucked his legs by
"a violent exertion (for should men.
szttion that he was little lame) on a
second chair, and, with an air OF al.
smost sultanic enjoyment, commenced
The following story OF one Of his most
remarkable achievements in the hunt
ing , field:
e'I commanded detachment of my
rnative regiment, THE Fighting Hall
Hundred las we were called, from our
gbehavior in the Burmese wary at a
Hlittle village called Kollywallah, IN
ythe northeast corner of the Jabbal-
spore district OF the Bengal presidency
It was near 8 jungle full OF tigers; and
as we soon put down the paltry tax
sriots that had brought US to Kolly-
wallah, and time began to hang heavy
ON our hands, and Twentyman, the
only other officer. naturally took to
tiger hunting, which exciting amuse-
ment soon became passion with us.
In six months there was nota ryot at
Rollywallah who did not know me as
.;'the Great Shikarree,> and it was all
II could do to prevent the people from
worshplng me and my hunting ele-
plant, 'Ramchunder.'
Zone morning, when Twentyman
,was down with jungle fever, and | was
sitting by his side reading Charles
fO'Malley in the balcony of our bunga-
t.ow, which gave on the cantonment,
Il heard great noise as Of a crowd of
natives trying to force their way in
past my native servants. Poor
Twentynan, who was fretful with
want OF sleep, beginning to groan and
complain at the noise, | ran out with
nmy hi, hunting whip, and licking the
shiggers all round, asked them what
slhey meant by making such a cursed
.s,oise.
"Choop ruho ekdum' ('be silent i'm
mcdiately') shouted.
''Fhe kitmutgar, an old gray -headed
fellow who had been butler to my
father, the General came salaaming
p Ia rIx1 .1,o,, !, ay16 S0I6.