The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-10-02

snot1ed an1maI suddenly stood out In
the open. His long tail swung slowly
from side to side, and his smooth coat
moved nervously with some passing
emotion. 1t was the tiger of the South
American forests. He had topped with
one foot advanced, and with his head
in the attitude of attention. He had
seen something in the path before him.
It was Manuel, who was standing as
immovable as the rock beside him 1t
was a beautiful beast all silk and soft
ness and graceful curves thought 1t
a pity that so beautiful thing should
be hunted to the death, but at the same
time l reflected that this wonderfully
beautiful exterior covered a nature that
was the living incarnation of feroclty.
l do not know how long Manuel and
the tiger faced each other there in the
narrow path like gladiators. 1t seemed
a very long time. This was the test
The tiger waited instinctively to see the
strange thing before him turn and run
away as everything else in the forest
invariably did, but greatly to his sur
prise the thing stood it's ground like an
immovable rock. The tiger was king
of the forest, and he knew it, and when
thing was not going to run he came
forward slowly to investigate. This
was courage, even in a wild brute, and
/ respected him for it 1 doubt if the
lion or the tiger of India has this I'M
shakable nerve.
1 looked at Manuel as the tiger came
slowly and cautiously along the path.
He stood like a bronze statue, with his
spear held over his right shoulder. Not
SO much as an eyelid moved. confess
that during this trying time was bit
nervous. This was a new way OF
hunting to me, and a decided novelty
in the actions of a wild beast which
had not been attacked. / should ex-
pect an attack from a grizzly bear after
| it had been wounded, but assuredly the
! bear would not take the aggressive as
this 1.-the and beautiful beast was do
| ing. l will acknowledge that my heart
thumped against my blue flannel shirt
SO hard that was afraid that the noise
would attract the attention of the
tiger.
Slowly came the tiger; like rock
stood Manuel It looked as though the
case had been reversed, and that the
tiger instead of the half-breed, was the
hunter.
At length the tiger was within touch
ing distance of the man. He looked
the bronze figure over from head to foot
and then thrust forward his head and
shifted at the mans feet Back the
great beast sprang like a steel spring.
The figure was flesh and blood
The tigers tail twitched back snt
forth like fail. The great jaws opened
in a snarl. Quickly the beast measured
his distance and crouched with culver
ing sinews for a spring. Such calm
courage was grand beyond all descrip
ton. 1t was matched only by thu
steadfast nerve of the man.
Now came the crisis I could see the
huge muscles heaving under the striped
skin. In another second the tiger
would leap upon his prey. In that in
slant the hunter made a motion will
his left arm as quick as light itself HI
tore a handkerchief from his neck anC
thrust it full in the tigers face VI
went the tigers head in culver o
electrical amazement Then the hun
ter's poised right arm shot forward
with incredible force and the spear
, buried itself half way to the handle Il
|
All, it was nobly done; and through
out it all, from the beginning until tn
} wonderful ending. the hunte RS nerv
never faltered so much a by hair
t breadth. Before l could'catch my breat
and swallow the Jumps of apprehensio
t that had risen unbidden in my throa
the fierce beast was dead in the path
, l scrambled down from the rock an
= stood beside the dead forest king
E Manuel picked up his handkerchief an
r pulled out his spear. There was fain
a suggestion of smile about his in
passive face.
: docs the Senior Americana believe?
r he asked
: "He does" answered, and reache
: him my hand in that universal brothe
s hood of man which civilization ca
= never efface. BY the side of that dea
s tiger the savage and the son of civiliz'
t ton were on the one common level (
d man. There could be no difference
: n. Y. Recorder.