The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-09-20

| the Jungle mentioned Dy NV con-
frere. ii was necessary TO slow up,
as there was but temporary Tres
tle-wOrk to cross upon, so that
when my train had passed The creek
and entered he jungle we were moi
going faster than mile per hour,
and il was then that | began 10
@open her 0ut y but The sold girl"
had hardly commenced TO increase
her speed when the forest re echo
ed with a yell that paraly2ed my
hand on the throttle aud verify
frnze the blood in nay veins.
Then all at once | heard some
thing fall upon he coal in The ten
der, ana The glance that east over
my shoulder revealed a sight which
served to augment, rather than al
lay, the lear that had taken posses
sion Of me.
For there, crouching within ten
feet Of where We sat, was mon
strous tiger, the largest OF its spe-
cies had ever seen.
His mouth was open as he emit
ted a shut snarl, and his lormld
able teeth cleaned and gliStened
as he foam dropped from them,
while his eyes ecintilated with rage
and excitement.
distinctly remember seeing, al
he first glance, his back and tail
waving and swaying with that Pc
culiar undnlating motion ol the Ie-
line race when about to spring upon
their prey, and il seemed as though
| was the arIicular object Of his
wrath.
NY two coolie iiremen with cry
of horror sprang from the cab and
went lumbllng down the bank.
How in that moment of supreme
peril | could think of means OF
defence has always b. en- d surprise
10 me, but acting on the impulse of
self preservation | clutched the
chain attached TO the furnace door
and threw it wide open; IA jet OF
flame flashed forth.
THIS seemed TO appaI my terrible
antagonist Tor an instant, which
rave me time to seize the shovel
| and fill il with blazing liyld Goals,
winch | hurled full in the face tf
the enraged and maddened beast.
That my hands we're terribly
burned | needed not, but turned
and drew forth a second shovellull
of almost liquid fire, but | had no
occasion to use this against my
deadly Toe, for he did not wait for
continuation of my hoSpl y(D,
:. for as The fire fell upon his head he
oave vent 10 roar that, although
the engine was now rafting at
lively pace over The rails, fairly
shook the old machine. and with a
bound my unwclcome Visilor clear
ed the tender and disappeared IN
the jungle.
When saw hlm go | shut off the
steam and whiStled for brakes, and
when the conductor came hurrying
forward TO inquire the cause OF the
halt, | was sitting alone in the cab,
trembling and speechless Wi h
fright and pain, and gazing at the
series of monslrouS blisters that
were putting on my hands.
Nv companions would scarcely
believe the story | told hem, and
| almost think at first they took
me for maniac.
Yes, think the conductor was
under The impression that | had
murdered the Two firemen and con
cocled this story To clear myself
| was unfit for further duty thai
day. but fort uEately one OF the
brakemen possessed fair knowl-
edge of an engine, and with him in
The cab we resumed our way 10
Delhi.
The following day, on our return
trip. when we arrived at Budza-
pore we lound my coolle tiremen
waiting our return, little the worse
for their tumble out of the moving
locomotive, and their story and
presence removed the lurking
doubt in the conductors mind as
to my supposed crime and lnsani
. ty.
1t was, however, several weeks
, before | was again able TO take out
i, nv engine for | had received some
very serious burns; but mad | mol
, resnrled 10 this means OF defense
there would have been at least one
more widow in India and probabl,
"lerrIble railroad accident iul
which "no one could assign
cause." MARLT0N DOWNING.