The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-07-13
barrier between the enraged animal and it's

barrier between the enraged animal and its
helpless victims.
Maddened with rage, the huge man-eater
tore fercely at this fresh obstacle, its sharp
claws, however, failing to make any i'm
dression upon the tempered spring steel.
But it bent dreadfully. VIII it holdi Yes,
1t bends, it is true, but even those claws,
terrible weapons though they be, rebound
harmless from the slippery and springy
surface. Thank Heavenl 1t forms coat
of mail through which the huge beast can
not penetrate. After few minutes of futile
endeavor the tiger, exhausted with its ex-
ertions, lay crouched above them. The man,
white with terror, could see the saliva drip
ping from its Jaws and mark the ferocious
CLEAN in its yellow eyes as it glared savage
~ down upon them Without covering, it
was bitter cold. A deadly chin crept over
him. Would he and his wife survive the
horrible experience. His wifel He reached
out his hand and touched her. He spoke to
her, iowat first, then louder. There was no
response. Overcome with the horror Of their
situation the unfortunate woman had
tainted. Each minute seemed an hour as he
lay there, the immense form Of the tiger
above them, while his face was turned away
to escape the prurient odors which its body
emitted. In their exposed situation his wife
would perish with cold and fright. Some
thing must be done. He saw, too, that beneath
the repeated onslaughts Of their foe even
the steel mattress showed signs of yielding.
Suddenly the thought struck him, "That box
of tools again. With the augur and saw it
contained why should he not cut his way
through the floor, drop into the parlor be-
low, and summon assistance. No sooner had
he hit on this plan, than heproceeded to put
it into execution. Turning over on his face,
he bored with as little noise as possible q
series of holes through the soft pine floor
ing, and inserted the edge of the saw. IL
was new and sharp, and the soft wood
readily yielded to his efforts. Soon he had
cut hole two feet in length in one plank.
The tiger had notmoved. Mrs. Hartley was
lying face downward, and groaned from
time to time uneasily. She had regained
consciousness, but replied to all her hus-
bands questions in an incoherent manner,
and the poor man thought piteously that
perhaps her reason had given way under
the dreadful strain. The thought urged him
on to renewed efforts. The second plank
was now cut through. Breaking away the
plaster beneath, he thrust his legs into the
hole thus made, and hung suspended by his
fingers. Whilst in this position the thought
involuntarily flashed through his mind that
perhaps the tiger might rush downstairs
and seize him, and he gripped the rough
boards tightly with his tired fingers. He
would soon have to let go his hold any way.
He felt his fingers gradually slipping from
the boards. He looked up, a prayer tremb-
ling on his blanched lips. The animal had
not moved from its recumbent position on
the bed. Its eyes were half closed, and it
was apparently becoming drowsy. He let
go his hold and fell-down, down, down
away into space. 1t seemed that he never
would reach the floor
At this juncture the merchants wife
shook him violently by the shoulder and ex-
claimed, in somewhat irritable tone: "For
goodness sake, James, wake up and cease
dreaming about that wretched tiger. be-
ieve you are more frightened about it than
am"
And he was.-Austyn W. Granville, in
ChicapO journal