Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1888-11-10

peated what the Captain had said.
Instantly the soldiers face flushed up,
and his small, deep-set eyes glowed
like live Goals. He drew the long,
heavy knife that hung at his belt, anO
said, sternly:
You are soldier, franghi (foreign.
er)i could you fight full-grown tiger
with this knifep"
mo, nor you, either, nor any one
else, answered the Captain, contempt
uously, when this question was inter.
preted to him.
II could, said the other, emphati-
cally, ''and l vilI, II the badshah
(King) permits it.''
The King smiled again, and said,
simply: "Duore din" (to-morrow),
whereupon the soldier saluted and
turned away.
"Surely that mad fellow doesn't real.
ly mean to get himself eaten up for the
sake of one hasty word OF miner" cried
the French Captain, with a rather
troubled look at his friend
you'll see tomorrow whether he's
joking or not" answered the English.
man. Il can tell you that it's NOT the
way of a Goorkha to say thing like
that without meaning It."
"a GoorkhaP' echoed De Vautran, in
amazement. "Is that little fellow one
Of the terrible fighters that Eve heard
SO much aboutP 1mpossibler'
"Wait till tomorrow, and you'll see"
was the Coloners only answer.
Next morning, accordingly, a mes
senger from the King came to invite
the two officers into the inner court
yard, a largo quadrangle In tho very
center OF the palace, the windows Of
which looked down upon it from all four
sides.
Alarge space in the center had been
strewn with sand and fenced in with a
high bamboo stockade.
Around this space, above which the
King and his guests sat in safety on a
curtained balcony, stood the guards,
with leveled weapons, and at the far
end of the court, between the bars Of
several strong cages, might be seen the
restless limbs and the fiery eyes Of
number OF wild beasts, for the King
was even then famous for that whim OF
collecting. tigers, serpents and what not
which he still keeps up in his present
retirement at Calcutta
Suddenly the gate of the stockade
was thrown back, and into the arena
stepped, with the elastic stride OF
mountainer, the small, wiry figure
Of the Goorkha soldier, clad only in
white turban and a pair of cotton
drawers.
His brown skin glistened with oil, and
his right hand grasped the huge knifo
which was to be his only weapon in the
impending struggle.
He salaamed to the group on the ball
cony, shooting quick, scornful glance
at De Vautran, which made the French
man feel humbled in spite of himself.
Then, stepping forward into the center
Of the open space, he stood ready for
the combat.
\ At sign from the King, the door OF
the nearest cage was jerked open with
cord, and forth sprang, with long,
rejoicing roar, royal Bengal tiger of
the largest size. For moment he
stood motionless, as If bewildered by
the dazzling sunshine and the encir-
cling crowd, and then his restless eye
lighted upon the solitary figure of the
Goorkha, standing immovable in the
midst.
Instantly the beasts whole bearing
changed as If by magic. He drew him
self together, and, crouching like a cat,
began to creep stealthily toward his
enemy, the huge paws making not the
slightest sound as they touched the
earth.
Meanwhile the Goorkha moved no
more than statue, though the watch
full glance of his keen eye showed he
was on his guard.
Suddenly there came roar, a whirl
of flying sand, cry from the specta-
tors, and then all was hidden in rolling
dust. But quick as tho tiger was, his
adversary was quicker.
just as the monster made his terrible
spring, the Goorkha threw himself on
the ground and let the huge body pass
over him; then, rising on his elbow, he
made one lightning-like stroke with his
heavy knife, which severed the sinews
Of the tigers right hind leg, and COM
pletely crippled the limb.
''Well done!" chuckled the King.
The tiger, furious with pain, turned
open-mouthed upon its assailant; but
the veteran hunter was not to be taken
unawares. A rapid bound avoided the
rush, and then down came the terrible
knife once more, cleaving through hide
and skull to the very brain, and laying
the mighty beast dead on the spot.
Then, wiping his blade on the tigers
fur, and bowing to the King, the con-
queror lounged carelessly away.
"Well, what d0you say nOO?' whis-
pered the Colonel to his friend.
But De Vautran made no answer
David Rer, in Golden Days.
s
"A traveller in Wales, noticing this
sign over a door. viz; Agorseouerdere.