St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-08-30

one Of theis coat pockets. he saw TIE
butt end Of large pistol
"You had narrow squeak Ter it sir!"
said the spokesman. when he had lis
tened to what Bob had done. ''If my
lord hadn't satisfied his cravings with
Mat there young lambkin. and you
a1dn't slammed being dead like. ten to
one he'd have made his supper OF you.
You did quite right, sir. II amt every
gent - would have been % knowing.
Boon in tho Indies. perhaps, sir, eh?
and knows the ways Of the beast? But
ere, you two had better stand aside
now, case my lord gives US the slip
again. Up these ere stairs? Yes to
b sure, here's his trail; spots Of blood.
don't ye see, from what he was carry.
ing in his mouth. All right; get out q
the way"
'But you are never going to face him
loose in tho room?" said Bob, as the
men were about to ascend the stairs:
''or, il you do. you'll have to shoot him,
suppose?'
"Shoot him-I.or' bless yer. not bit
Of it. Why, . animal like that's worth
two hundred pounds stcrling-can't At
ford to kill him. May be we'll just
blow on . bit Of gunpowder in his
face, to give him bit Of . scare like
nothing more"
"What will you do then? How will
you catch him?" was the natural in
quiry.
.Oh! you leave that TO us. We knows
all about that Well soon bring him
to reason. He knows US We tames
'em. don't yer see. by the heye. Lor'
bless yer! he'll b in . awful funk when
he sees Us; and ten to ono he'll come
out Is quiet Is the lambkin he swal-
lowed. II he won't well soon hamper
him so as he won't have no choice"
HE is not very savage. then, sup
poser said Bob.
..Ain't he, thought" cried the man
Il reckon he'd soon show you the diff
ference. Not savage.-l do like that
And up the stairs went the three keep
erx
Bob and the groom watched them
from . respectful distance. They bold
ly entered the room. closing the doc.
after them, and for some time nothing
happened within sight There was >
loud growing 1t first followed by .
deep, savage roar, and then the report
of pistol. After . considerable time,
however, the men emerged slowly, hal!
dragging, half carrying the mighty
monster, smothered with the net and
bound with the ropes and chain. When
the two spectators Of this sensational
scene turned their eyes for minute to
tho lawn, they saw that the van had
been driven right in through the stable
yard, across the grass and was now be-
ing backed BY its attendant to the foot
Of the stairs In another twoso three
minutes the unwelcome intruder WAS
dragged and lifted down the stairs. He
did not seem to offer much resistance
indeed, he could not-but he continued
to growl fiercely, and when . whack
from one Of the crowbars fell upon him
his roar seemed to shake the earth.
The blackboard, or dap Of the van was
lowered on to one Of the steps, and
presently the beast was thrust and
huddled into . great iron cage which
the vehicle contained, and which was
then closed.
Bob says ha hardly knows how the
awkward business was managed, SO ex-
citing Was the spectacle. But it seemed
to him that the beast Was completely
cowed and terrified, making little or
noneof the resistance one would have
expected. Fear is tho potent agent by
which alone those accustomed to the
work manage the denizens Of menag.
cries The captors in this case, how.
ever, did NOT escape without some ugly
scratches, to use the mildest term, and
the wrist Of one OF the men was torn
and bleeding and seemed to be severely
injured. And no wonder. How the
capture was effected at all is the real
wonder.
The whole household was astir by
this time. The keepers were given
some rcfreshment. tho injured mans
arm bound up. and, though he seemed
to make light Of the hurt it evidently
caused him great pain. But he do
clared that they were used to that sort
OF thing. and merely condescended to
explain that it was done by smart pal
from the tigers paw. Shortly afte,
the party departed, and the unwelcome
guest was driven to the wild-beast show
ct Reading fair. the proximity Of which
festivity accounted, of course, for his
presence in Bob's room. 1t was 4
strange and awkward experience, you
will admit; and as my sons story ends
here need only add that m examina.
ton Of the apartment proved that the
capture had not bcen effected very
easily. The furniture was greatly dis
arranged and the signs Of = tremendous
scrimmagc were apparent everywhere,
while bones Of the luckless lamb were
found under the bed. As to that
strange sense Of depression Bob re.
ferred to, I hardly know what t.
think. Some people would say II
was due to . mysterious kind Of
electric influence produced by the pres
ence Of the beast; precisely as certain
sensitive tempcraments declare they
can always toll when strange cat is in
. room. even without seeing it Bob's
mother. for instance. know from ex.
pericnce, is 20 constituted, and has NJ.
tonished me moro than once BY discover
ing puss hidden in . corner when no
body else had the slightest idea that
any such intruder had entered the
house. II this be the true solution OF
the lads state Of mind, he has probably
inherited his sensibility from his moth.
OF, and in that case We must suppose the
feeling to b . vague sort Of warning
given by nature of the presence Of
danger. Throughout tho animal crea-
ton we ind some such instincts CON
S.e ~~.ft