The morning call., 1891-07-06
FACED A TIGER.
How a King of the Forest Was
Slain by Half. Breed.
It Was Nobly Done and the Hunters Nerve
Never Faltered So Much as
Hairs Breadth.

1t was in the State of Mirandeo, New
Venezuela. 1t was in the morning, and 1
was with Manuel, the tiger On the
mountain.
do not know how long Manuel and the
tiger faced each other there in the narrow
path like gladiators. 1t seemed a long time
This was the test. The tiger waited instinct
lively 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 its ground like an i'm
movable rock. TIE tiger was king of the
forest, and he knew it, and when he had
made up his mind that this thing was not
going to run he came forward slowly to in
yestigate. This was courage, even in a
wild brute, and | respected him for it, |
doubt II the lion or the tiger of India has
this unshakable nerve.
looked at Manuel as the tiger came
slowly and cautiously along the path. He
stood like bronze statue, with his spear
held over his right shoulder. Not SO III uch
as ali eyeld moved. / confess that duri ng
tbs trying time | was bit nervous. Til S
was new way of hunting to me, and de-
clded novelty in the actions of a wild beas
which had not been attacked. / should eX-
pet an attack from grizzly bear after it
had been wounded. but asSuredly the bear
would not take the aggressive, as this 18th
ana beautiful beast was doing. l Will
acknowledge that my heart thumped against
my blue flannel shirt SO hard that l was
afraid that the noise would attract the atten-
ton of the tiger.
slowly CAME the tiger: like rock stood
Manuel 1t looked as though the case had
been reversed, and that the tiger instead OF
the halt-breed was the hunter.
AT length the tiger was within touching
distance of the man. He looked the bronZo
Inquire over from head to foot and then
thrust forward his head and shifted at the
mans feet. Back the great beast spraDg
like steel spring. The figure was flesh and
blood.
The tigers tail twitched back and forth
like a fail. The great jaws opened in a
sparL Quickly the beast measured his dis
lance and crouched with quiyering sinews
tor spring. Such calm courage was grand
beyond all description. 1t was matched
only By the steaGfast nerve of the man.
Now came the crisis. | could see the huge
muscles heavIng under the striped skin. In
another second the tiger would leap upon
his prey. In that instant the hunter made
a motto! with his left arm as quick as light
ITSELF He tore a handkerchief from his
neck and thrust it full in the tigers face
Up went the tigers head in culver of cleo.
triCal amGZement. Then the hunters poised
rnsht arm shot forward with incredible
| force and the spear buried itself half way
to the handle in the tigers neck.
AN, III was noply done, ana throughout IL
all, from the beginning until the wonderful
ending, the hunters nerve never faltered SO
much as hairs breadth. Before | could
catch my breath and swallow the Jumps Of
apprehension that had risen unbidden in my
throat the fierce beast was dead in the path
| | scrambled down from the rock anC
stood beside the head forest-king. Manue
picked up his handkerchief and pulled GU
| his spear. There was a faint suggestion OF
| smile about his impassive face.
Does the Senior Americana believer" be
| asked
| He does" l answered, and | reached
| him my hand in that universal brotherhood
| of man which civilization can never efface
| BY the side of that dead tiger the savag,
and the son of civilization were on the ont
common level OF man. There could be nc
diIference.-N. Y. Recorder.