Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-12-19
STALLION AND TIGER.
A Fierce Combat to Decide the
Fate of Young Beauty.

"Djeridgowlla will kill the stallion at the
first spring." said the Rajah in his lazy, ar
rogant and heartless way. 'There is no
tiger of hill or jungle that can compare with
my Djeridgowka 0huLder spear) for size,
strength and ferocity. The white steed,
were he twenty-fold the equine hero YOU
claim for him, sahib Colonel, would not
evade his doom He .will go down like a
shot and you viii no longer dispute my
guardianship over Mahala- the demure little
Nautch girl under your wing there"
"But, your Excellency," said the officer
addressed, ''lf the stallion should win the
girl will go to Bombay with me, according
to your august promisef'
The dusky potentate waved his arm,
whose jewel-stiffened sleeSye fairly blazed
with the movement.
"You have my word. sahib,' was his su-
percilius reply. ''The word of Djampudra
Hassan, RaJah of Nagpoor is his bond.n
Certainly" called out Major Poindexter,
another red coated officer of the group 'sBut
if you are so sure of your tiger winning
Excellency, l will lay you an additional
thousand of rupees on Nadgka, the mount
ain stallion"
The Rajah inclined his head in assent,
and the wager was duly registered by an
obsequious white-robed secretary at his
elbow.
The arena was a deep-walled circular pit,
about one hundred feet In diameter, and
around this the tier of seats, with capacity
of five thousand spectators, rose so steeply
as to give every one. even the humblest,
a complete view of the interior, and yet
grant immunity from the fercest wild
beasts spring.
In NJ II nj fO n Of no a1 OF
tendants surrounding the Rajah in the gor-
geously-tapestricd state compartment sa-
cred To his accommodation there was a
group of English officers, resplendent in
their scarlet Uniforms.
The first one OF these to whom the Rajah
had addressed himself was Colonel Mohun,
and AT his side was a sngularly beautiful
young Eindoo girl, the Mdhala referred to.
Every thing was ut stake with the poor
child IN the unique combat that was about to
cusue. MOhuu had found her with a band
Of Chant dancing women or HIndoo gyp-
sss of the Deccan, and secretly verified a
rumor that she was the last surviving child
of Muley Hassan, half brother of the pres
ent Raiah OF Nagpoor, who had, after
usurping the throne, foully murdered all
the other rightful heirs, many of whom he
had thrown as prey TO his favorite tigers.
The Rajah had only been prevented from
wrestling Mahala from her self-constituted
protector through wholesome fear of the
British conquerers, but had at last exerted
his mallgn and still powerful insistence to
such an extent that the present contest had
been agreed on as test of the glrl's guar
dianship.
The Rajah agreed to pit his champion
hghtng-tiger, Djeridgowlza against white
stallion likewise noted for his combative
disposition, that Colonel Mohun had OBJ
tanned from the foothills of the western
Chants, justly celebrated for their fine
cavalry stock, much of which Is blooded,
with a pure Arabian ancestry.
Should the stallion win, Mahala would be
| transferred to the protection of powerful
| friends in Bombay, with fair prospect OF
| one day recovering at least portion of heI
I inheritance. Should the tiger come off the
victor, she was to be surrendered uncondi
tionally TO her cruel and rapacious kinsman
whose appalling character was a sufficient
guarantee Of the terrible fate in that event
awaiting her.
There was sea-like murmur of anticipa
ton, and all eyes were riveted on one or two
strong iron gratings that were side by side
in the wall of the pit. on a level with its
sandy floor.
|
was an involuntary burst of applause as th,
noble horse bounded into view.
" Bring forth the horsel The horse wal
brought
In truth he was a noble steed,
Tartar OF the Ukraine breed,
Who looked as though the speed OF thought
Were in his limbs. But he was wildr'
He was not large, but perfectly proper
| toned, with a ghstening coat as of snow,
satin, mane and tail that were of ligh
golden tinge, furnishing a contrast a
unique as it was harmonious and beautiful
Fire was in his eye, the rhythm of spec
and activity in his fine limbs, and as b
curveted snorting around the arena it wa
noticed that his smail hoOfs were shod wit
new and sharp steel shoes, that fairl
flashed like running riyulet in the sur
shine, with the graceful and airy move
ments that scarcely seemed to touch tn
earth and yet were suggestive of a tierc
wariness and expectancy.
The Raiah strolzed his beard once NOR
and slniled a2aia,
at was not mentioned ia the compas
that Nadgka should be shod," said h'
"Still, waive the point; can we'll affor
to-"
Then he Strengthened himself with crl
ely gloating and exultant look, and ther
was a fresh burst of many-throated a.
plause, not unmixed with terror, as II
other grating shot back with a clang, an
the vaunted monarch of the jungle, afts
springing into the arena with snarlin
sort Of roar, began circllng around an
around il IN ominous silence, with his eyt
fastened on every movement Of the stallion
who ooolly kept revolving in the center,
on pivot, head down and heels invariab
TO the foe.
"Djeridgowka's way-Djerid gowka's p
trIokI'' chuckled the Rajah, rubbing b
ieweled hands together. ''Sahib Colone
IN two minutes Nadgka's satin skin will
/ in T--dl ribbons"
The tiger was, for very truth, prodi
for even those DAYS when larger and fierc
specimens were made prisoners than no
He was four feet tail at the shoulder, pr
cisely eight feet in length from tip to q
correspondingly proPortioned, with
rocity that was at that time proTerbi
throughout India.
Round and round prowied the monst
with no more sound than would have be.
produced by the footballs OF kitten.
3 Suddenly there was an exultant roar, &
: large striped bulk seemed to-fly up INTO Z
air as though hurried by springs, and he "
seen TO launch out toward the white sta
ion as II projected out OF cannon's moui
But lightning-lil1e as was the attack,
was c0unteFed hE movement - elect,