The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-22
A BENGAL INCIDENT.
By CHARLES LILLE.
[san Francisco Chronicle. !


house itself was old fashioned, large and
many gabled one, standing quite alone and
solitary In spacious garden; all the win
dows had been closed and the jalousies shut
and secured from outside; the fatty 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.
A few miles away was that part of the
Delta called the Sunderbunds, through which
the Gauges expands its branches as it ap-
proaches the sea-a labyrinth of creeks and
rivers, or jungle and stagnant water.
went into the drawing room by what
may be called the back door. as 1t led into the
back drawing room and smaller one of the
swo: the other, a far larger apartment COM
municated 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 was carrying an armful of books and
In my disengaged hand lamp, by throwing
the rays in front of me proceeded with toll
cradle security, though slowly, but then of
course knew the room and could have gone
TO NY destination in the dark. What struck
me as 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 gland piano. The various arti-
Giles looked as IL they had been dragged about
the room. Possibly the darkness above and
around me helped the Illusion, anyway they
had the appearance of having been gradually
spreading toward the centre of the room
round heavy and solid table. 1t was this
table that wished to go to. / walked very
slowly, partly because did not wish to
spill the books that had spent the last hour
In collecting and partly because of an unac-
countaoiy horrible feeling that had come
ever me.
This part of the house was quite silent.
indeed 1t was often so of an evening and
then 1t was very late. Ny brother had
passed me on his way upstairs, having been
all day at Madrepore, and no doubt being
tired had gone to bed. There were very few
stairs at all, and the house was practically a
enc storied one, rambling and full of angles.
having been built and added to at various
times; here and there little stair-cases
streamed 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 clear passage. and
thereby holding the lamp high and well in
front of me. As paused, amid the complete
silence that reigned, an immense tiger slowly
crossed the path of light, turning on me two
yellow burning eyes, cleaning like vivid
topazes-I stood there in stiffena5 terror and
heard my heart beat-its moI... was loosely
parted and running with saliva; so wide
was 1t hanging open at the corners that the
serrated edges Of the lower lips were plainly
visible. 1t gazed with steadfast look Of
such grinning cruelty, such conscious malig-
nifty, that 1t petrified my blood and turned
my rigid limbs to stone. This description of
sights feeling was of course the impression
OF one vivid conception condensed by min
ute's agony.
The tiger crossed the India mating of the
room with noiseless swinging gait; as IL
appeared to have come from the obscurity
near the piano, so it vanished into the OBJ
security beyond, that Is, outside the pathway
of the lantern light.
l stood perfectly immovable, still clutcbipg
the books with my left arm, still holding the
lamp before me, still gazing at the place it
crossed, and apparently forever seeing thai
awful look upon the iger's broad face. II
seemed as If my eyes saw the face. though
my mind had rapidly suggested the frightful
probability that the tiger was behind me, At
the same time by some dual mental process
1t was holding out hope that the animal had
passed through the great folding doors into
the dark room beyond.
have no remembrance at all of my mind
debating the next action / pursued; it
seemed just an instinct INDUCED in By the
body upon its own account and for its own
Immediate preservation. tits obviously the
mind that Wills" so say the scientists. Much
confusion has arisen by the misuse of the
term will power" The will, instead of
being. as defined by Professor Edwards,
that by which the mind chooses anything
Is tho minds faculty or power OF making
snort, and that, as regards choice, we make
effort to ascertain which of two or more
things is preferable.
laid the books very carefully down with
out making the slightest unnecessary noise
or disturbing the hand that held the lamp.
and then raising with slow effort one of the
heavy little chairs that had blocked my pas
sage, | silently swung it ON to my shoulders
and held 1t so that 1t covered my head, then
turned slowly sidewise, with my mind i'm
pressed with the necessity OF keeping the
lamp as far as possible behind. This struck
me at the time as clever and of unauestion-
able Importance in saving my life. | man
aged to walk gently out of the .oom sup
pose had been in the room ten minutes, but
Il seemed like weary hour.
As 1 closed the door and locked it my
brother came down the passage and passed
on to the flight of stairs. He was rather in
hurry.
Ezra" called out to him, do you mind
fastening the front door in the large drawing
room as you go by?" | could think of
nothing else to say, and said it slowly and
quite naturally.
lie assented and passed On, and /, without
noticing 1t at the time, took up the char
again, and with my lamp assembled the short
hight OF stairs and proceeded along the pas
sage to my own room, walking slowly and
guardedly
The mind had evidently been so shocked
that 1t had not recovered its dominant sway
over the body. 1t is not always the mind
shat Wills; here was the body taking care of
itself, while the minds faculty of making
effort was held In allegiance
Upon reaching my own room put the
chair carefully down and sat upon it. The
lamp had placed on the table at the same
time. sat there fully five minutes. feebly
wondering which room the tiger was In.
Then got up with sudden alacrity. took
from my case a large re solyer and turned
Into the passage. In a few minutes was in
Ezra's room; he was half undressed.
What's the matter?" he demanded. with
startled eyes.
When had told him he took my hand and |
wrung 1t. saying: you may thank God
that you are alive, old fellow" then he |
dressed hurriediy, took heavy rifle from |
rack and filled his pocket with cartridges
Come along-stay, let me go irst-your
nerves are bit shaken yet"
We crept out and awakened the "sirdar"
or butler), an old and faith /
fui Hindoo whom my brother had once /
nursed through long Sickness bravo RIO