Arizona weekly citizen., 1888-02-11
A BENGAL INCIDENT.

room: tEis must be borne in mind. The
 house itself was old fashioned, largo and
 many gabled one, standing quite alone and
 solitary in a spacious garden; all the win
 dows had been closed and the jalousies shut
 and secured from the outside; the iatty grass
 blinds on the piazza had been rolled up and
 put away till another blazing morning called
 for their refreshing shade. The night was
 perfectly fine, but moonless; there was a
 heavy dew rapidly falling like misty rain,
 which in hot countries is a perfectly natural
 occurrence.
 \ few miles away was that part of the
 delta called the Sundsrbunds, through which
 the Ganges expands its branches as it ap-
 brooches the sea-a labyrinth of creeks and
 rivers, of jungle and stagnant water.
 I went into the drawing room by what
 may be called the back door, as it led intI
 the back drawing room and smaller one of
 the two; the other, far larger apartment,
 communicated with this one by great folding
 doors of gold and white. The back drawing
 room was very full of furniture, rather in-
 conveniently SO.
 As l was carrying an armful of books and
 in my disengaged hand lamp. by throwing
 the rays in front of me proceeded with tOl-
 erahle security, though slowly, but then of
 course knew the room and could have gone
 to my destination in the dark. What struck
 me Rs both curious and initiative was the
 fancy that the room seemed more impeded
 than ever with the furniture, dark old fash
 toned rosewood furniture that had been made
 to match the grand piano. The various arti-
 cles looked as if they had been dragged about
 the room. Possibly the darkness above and
 around me helpoi the illusion, anyway they
 had the appearance Of having been gradually
 spreading toward the center of the room
 round heavy and solid table. IL was
 this table thnt I wished to go to.
 walked very slowly, partly because I did not wish to spill the books that l had spent the last hour in collecting and partly because of an unaccountably horrible feeling that had come over me. This part of the house was quite silent, indeed it was often so of an evening, and then it was very late. My brother had passed me on his way up- stairs, having been all day at Msdrepore, and no doubt being tired had gone to bed There were very few stairs at all, and the house was practically a one storied one, rambling and full of angles, having been built and added to at various times; here and there little stair eases streamei out leading tO long passages and unexpected closets; the back drawing room door itself opened from side flight of five stairs.
 As had encountered two small chairs and an overturned music stand, stood still for a second, looking for 6 clear passage, and thereby holding the lamp high and well in front of me. As I paused, amid the com plete silence that reigned, an immense tiger slowly crossed the path of light, turning on me two yellow burning eyes, gleaming like vivid t0pazes-I stood there in stiffened terror and heard my heart beat-its mouth was loosely parted and running with saliva, % wide was it hanging open al the corners that the serrated edges of the lower lips were plainly visible. It gazed with a steadfast look Of such grinning cruelty, such conscious mali-- nity, that it petrifiei my blood and turned my rigid limbs to stone. This description of sight and feeling was of course the lmprs- don of one vivid conception cOndenSed by a minutes agony. The tiger crossed the India l mating of the room with a noiseleSs swing Ing gait, as 1t appeared to have come from the obscurity near the piano, 50 1t vanished | into the ObScurity beyond, that ia, outside | the pathway of the lantern light 1 stood | perfectly immovable, still clutching the | books with my left arm, still holding the | lamp before me, still gazing at the place it | ,rOssed, and apparently forever seeing that | awful look upon the tigers broad face. IL | 'eemed as fl my eyes saw the face. though my | mind had rapidly suggested the <-ightfu | that the tiger was behind me. At Il he same time by some dual mental process it was holding out hope that the anipral had | lassed through the great folding dOors into Il be dark room beyOnl
 l have no remembrance at all of my mind iictating the next action pursued: it seemed lust an instinct induised in by the body upon ts own account and for its own immediate reservation. ~It is obviously the mind that wills so say the scientists. Much confusion | Ias arisen by the misuse of tbe term twill Il 'Ower." The will, instead of being, as de- .ned by Professor Edwards, that bv which | be mind chooses anything Is the minds aculty or power of making effort, and that. s regards choice, we make effort to ascertain which Of two or more things Is preferable.
 laid the books very carefully down with. ut making the slightest unnecessary noise or isturbing the hand that held the lamp. and hen raising with slow effort one of the heavy | tile chairs that had blocked my passage. I .lently swung it on tO my shoulders and held 90 that 1t covercd my head, then turned owly sidewise, with my mind impressed nth the necessity of keeping the lamp as far s possible behind. This struck me at the me as clever and of unquestionable import nee in saving my life. l managed to walk ently out of the room. l suppose I had cen m the room ten minutes, but it seemed ke a weary hour. As closed the door and 'cked it my brother came down the passage nd passed on the flight of stairs. He was lther in q hurry. Ezra I called out to i'm, do you mind fastening the front door ! the large drawing room as you go byF' I ould think of nothing else to say, and I said
 slowly and quite naturally. He aSsented nd passed on, and l, without noticing 1t at le time, took up the chair again, and with | ly lamp ascended the short flight of stairs nd proceeded along tho passage to my own )om, walking slowly and guardedly. The lind had evidently been so shocked tha, 1t | ld not recovered its dominant sway over the oiy. IL is not always the mind that wills: gre was the body taking care of itself, while | ie minds faculty of making effort was held abeyance. Upon reaching my own room I uut ths lair carefully down and sat upon it. The mp had placed on the table at the same me. sat there fully five minutes, feebIv ondering which room the tiger was in. Then got up with a sudden alacrity, took from y case large revolver and turned into the iSSase. In a few minutes I was in Ezrais 'om; he was half undreSsed. What's the matter7 be demanded. with ( aTtled eyes. When had told him be took y hand and wrung it You may thank od that you arc alive. old fellow;B then be c 'cssed hurriCdly, took q heavy rife from Iok and filled his pocket with cartridges !. ,ome along-stay, let me go first-your /. 'rves are a bit shaken yet We crspt out and awakened the @sirrinr- . Iperintendent or butler. an old and faith J HindOo whom my brother bnd once ;, Irsed through long sickness-a brave. re- :, Ibie and trustworthy man, who womb hsys d down bis life for Ezra. 1t ts the man eaterl- said the Hindoo. !. ter my recital You will come with usi' asked my brother. ], ie old man looked as if the question was z perfiuous Will the sahib let his servant ndvise bir,g7 = Yes Rance. tell me your planT- As the Hindoo rapidly unfolded it my other smiled dubiouSly and shool, his head the length of time it would involve. D. Cunning may bo met with cunninr.H said J Hindoo I TsH Al. Al \