The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-05
A NIGHT WITH A TIGER.
- Mau aazasta-

Pail Mali Gazette.
There are two entrances 70 the
drasing-rooEn this must be borne in
mind.
The hoase itself was oldfashioned
large and many gabfed one, stand
ing quite alone and solitary in spa
eious garden: all the windows had
been closed and the jaIonsies shut and
secured from the-0utside: the fatty
grass blinds OF tbs piazza had been
rolled up al put away TIL another
blazing morning called for their re
fFeshing shade.
The locality was near thai part Of
the delta called the sunderbunds,
through which the GaDges expands It's
branches as il approaches the sea-a
labyrinth Of creeks and rivers, of jun
gle and stagnant water. The night
was perfectly fine, butmoonless there
was a heavy dew rapidly falling, like
misty rain. which in hot countries is a
perfectly natural occurrence.
] went 10 the drawing by what
may be called the back door, as II led
into the back sirawing-roo;n and
smaller one OF the two; the other, a
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
inconvenientiy so As | was CARRYING
an armfnl OF books, and in my olsen
gagged hand a lamp. / proceeded with
toIerable security. though slowly, but
then of course | knew the rocns, and
could have gone 10 my destination in
the dark. What struck me as both
curious and Initiative was the fancy
that the room seemed more irnpeded
than ever with the furniture, dark,
oidfashioned rosewood furniture, that
bad been made 70 match the grand
piano. The various articles looked as
II 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 spread to-
wards the center OF the room
round heavy and solid table. Ii vas
this table that wished 20 20 10. /
walked very slowly, partly because
did not wish I'd spin the books that I'd
spent the last hour In collecting, and
partly because OF an unaccountabiv
horrible feeling that had come over
me. This part of she house was quite
silent; indeed, il was offan so OF an
evening. My brother had passed me
ON bis way upstairs. having been all
day at Madrepore. and no doubt being
tired had gone 10 bed. There we're
very few stairs al all, rs the house was
practically e one-storied one, rambling
and full % angles. having been built
and added 10 At various times: here
and there little staircaseS streamed out
leading % long passages and unex-
pecied cnpboarsis, the back drawing
room door itself opened from a side
Hight OF 1--WE stairs. As / had en-
countered two small chairs and an
overturned musis stand. | stood still
Tor second, looking for clear pas
sage, and thereby holding the lamp
high and well Ia front oi me. As
paused amid the complete silence that
reigned, ali immense tiger slowly
crossed the path ct light. turning ON
me two burning yellow eyes. cleaning
like vivid topazes--I stood there in
stisiened terror and heard nv heart
beatits mouth was loosely parted
and running with saliva: 50 wide was
II hanging open at the corners that
the serraied edges OF the lower lips
Were plainly visible 1t gaEed with a
steadsast look of such grinning cruelty,
such conscious maiignity, that il froze
my blood and turned my limits Il
stone. This description of sight and
feeling was ct course the impression
al one vivid conception condensed by
n minutes agony.
The tiger crossed the India mating
OF the roam with noiseseSs swinging
gait as Il appeared - have come from
the obscurity near the piano. SO il
vanished into the olsScnrity beyond
that Is. outside the pathway OF this
lantern light, | stood perfectly im
movable. still eiutching the books witt
my left arm, still holding the lamf
before me, sslh gazing at the place il
had crossed, and apparently forever
seeing that awful hook upon the tiger,
broad face. IL seemed as il my eve.
saw the face. though Ray mind has
rapidly suggested the frightfai praha
hllity that the tiger was behind ma
At The same time by some dual men
tai process Il was holding ont hops
that the animal bad passed through
the great folding doors into the siarl
room beyond. fhaye no remembrance.
~ all o. my Iaiua dictatias the mex
action ! pslEsUed il seemed lust an
instinct inddlgcd la by the lss,lv amor
its own seconnt and for It's awn inne
diatc preservation
!" IL il obviously the mind that a ills. 2
say the scientists Much confnSioy
has arisen hy che misuse at the tern.
will power. The xiIl. instead 81 hein;
a. defined hy Professor Edwards
''thas by which the mind chooses any
thing, is the mind's faculty or pows
Of making effort, and that as gegar,i
choice We make effort. and that a. ~
gards choice we make effort 10 Ascer
tain which OF two or more things 4
preferable
| lasd the hsAaSz very carefully ,sax,
without making the slightest anaeeeS
ssry noise OF disturbing the hand tina
fesd the lamp. and then raising viii
slaw effort one al the heayy lsstl,
chairs thai had hlcxke,s Env passage.
silently hung il ON te ssv shoulder,
and aeld II So that il covered ray head
then turned slowly sideways with IN,
mind impressed Wlta the necessity =
keeping tae lamp as far a. ,s,,ss5 s.l.. -
hind me. This struck sae 81 the sisue
a. clever and 81 objectionable isu,
portance N saving asy sige. 1 man
aged tss walk eensiy oat II the room
suppose Ia been in Il flye msnusrs
but u seemed ike we&yy boar.
As closed the deer and l,sekcsl !,
nay brother enezpestestls came siowr
the lssssage and passed sac an the lit
Tie isSsas az stairs he w&s rather in !
hurry.
Godfrey. ! Gales eat after him
dc Yea Inilad rallsng the 'front.' door L
10 the large ssFswing~Tcesa as yea q
by. IL seems strange f0w hat
s'nstid thsak Ut nothing else ID "a,
saaen, ard said il slowly and aust,
naturally.