The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-15

monster mounted?"
Colonel Bob Downing laughed at
my plain1y-expressed horror of the
/ terrible beast he had set up in his
smoking room-a creature more re-
pulsive even than in life, because of
/ the taxidermist's faithful reproduc-
ton of a most suggestively ferocious
> and cruel expression on the face of
! the stuffed animal
Il had him set up there, Taylor, be-
cause of the associations, said
Colonel Downing, finally. but for
the Great Jhoot Demon should have
still been knocking about the world a
confirmed old bachelor, instead of be-
ing comfortably settled here in Lon
don with the incest little wife that
ever man had
''You told me there was an interest
ing story connected with your mar
riage," observed.
SIT is interesting and highly dra-
matic,' he went on. Light your
cigar and take that easy-chair, SO that
you can keep the monster in view.
It'll be realistic aid to your imagina-
ton my history of how L won Mrs
I Downing develops itself
1 adopted his suggestion, and never
in my life did / listen to story with
such interest.
Every word thrilled me, and I could
well imagine myself an actor in the
whole drama, and fancy that the life
less beast within touch of my hand
was alive and again the murderOus
demon of an Indian jungle.
Just before the colonel began, 1
noticed that small monkey, which
had before escaped my attention, was
perched among the limbs of a dwarf
tree in front of the demon, that the
taxidermist had used to give his sub
iect more life-1ike pose.
realized that the monkey was part
of the picture, for its grinning face
was turned toward the demon, and
clinging to the limb with one paw, it
had the other extended, as though
pointing to something ahead.
"What has the monkey to do with it,
co1onel?'' L asked, my curiosity
aroused.
1.-The Lungoor? You shall hear. He
plays a very important part in the
story"
With this assurance / was forced to
be content, and settling himself in his
chair, the colonel began.
AS an enthusiastic scientist and
mighty hunter, he had travelled over
every part of the globe, his wander
ings having been chiefly in the widest
and most inaccessible portions of our
planet.
Three years ago, while in search of
a peculiar plant which grows only in
the deepest of East Indian jung1es,
and which he was employed to hunt
up and secure specimens of, for a cele-
brated inventor, who wished to ex-
pertinent on the use of the pith of the
Mt IN o1o Priv
the colonel found himself at Ramgarh,
a Bengalene village at the foot of the
Behar mountains.
Here he was the guest of an ex-
army officer, Edward Meaney, whose
beautiful daughter, Katharine, made
a deep impression on the colonefB
susceptible heart.
To use his own description, ''she
was a woman among women, courage
Gus, gentle, kind, sensibl and accom-
p1ished."
The major was the owner of an ex-
tensive plantation, situated about six
teen miles from Ramgarh, where he
had a very comfortably appointed
bungalow, in which he lived a portion
of the time, his only companion being
his beautiful daughter.
Major Meaney had a smattering of
guest described the plant of which he
was in search, the major said:
81 think that L have met with it
while hunting for the Jhoot Demon,
in a dense jungle that lies to the
southwest of my place"
Hunting the what?" demanded the
colonel. whose sporting instincts were
aroused at the mention of creature
of which he had never before heard
s"The Jhoot Demon"
-''And what in the name of all that
is horrible IS Jhoot Demon?'
t'It's the name the natives have
given to an enormous man eating
tiger, which is the terror of that
whole country"
s'Ohl the demon is only a tigerl
And you say you have hunted for him?
Repeatedly"
Ever get shot2''
Never
'sT1l try my luck said the colonel
carelessly. ''I11 combine business
with pleasure. When I'm hunting for
this plant, I'll look up his demonship."
BE careful that the demon does
not look you up instead continued
Major Meaney.
s'Nonsensei Pm not an ordinary
shikari (tiger hunter). but a. man who
has slain over a hundred of the
beasts.'
That's exactly what poor Dick
Culverton said, and Dick shot over
fifty tigers in twelve months once, on
a wager"
"And did the tiger get himP''
Eyes In the past ten wears the