The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-26

ground "feelinglv" too close Quarters
for sensitive nature like Beu's II so
happened that myself and the chain car
riers were on our way direct 10 the lair
of the tigress, and CARRYING. in addition
to our burdensome engineering iustru-
ments, our trusty caruines swung from
our shoulders and brace of Colts and
heavy cutlaSs TO our belts as usual Hear
ing the pathetic cries of Wise, we has
tened TO the scene in double-ouick time
the chain-gang declaring they had never
| heard stick, stuck repeated in sllcb
| rapid succession in all their born DAYS 1t
was no LAUGHING matter, but the situation
appeared so ludicrous that the bows were
| certainly eXcusable in this instance.
We had approached within Fifty wards
OF the besieged party before getting u
view of the situation of affairs The
| tigreSs was leapinC franticauy at the
limb on which Wise was perched, and at
every spring of the tigrcss Wise drew him
self up into the smallest compass posi-
| BILE, as though preparing to lean OF into
endless space. The tigress was so intent
on her purpose to capture her enemy that
the cry of the kittens on our approach
was not observed until we had arrived
within twenty steps of her and one of the
party had snatched up one of the kittens
and twisted its tail, causing it TO give a
warning cry of distress. Upon this SIGNAL
of danger the tigress turned about and
observing a new enemy in the rear in the
! act of invading the sacred precincts of
her house in disregard of the natural
rights of a sovereign of America, she
charged the enemy with the impetuosity
of a bereaved and infatuated demon
Although our party OF three were well
armed and INJURED to the dangers of such
situations as confronted US at that mo-
ment, | must confess TO a feeling OF envy
toward Ben Wise. But there was no time
for swapping bosses and we were forced
into the conflict without further warning.
1t was no child's play, at least it looked
/ that way to "a man up tree" Before
the lapse of five minutes there was but
one hero left on the ground TO dispute the
right of territory with the monster,
Henry Willis, one of the chain carriers.
aud he was hampered in such close quar-
tiers with his antagonist that for few
minutes it appeared doubtful as to the
outcome Willis GOODNESS was surpris-
ing. After lodging and evading a close
contact until he had emptied every
charge of his carbine and pistol into the
body of the beast without fatal effect he
boldly confronted her with his cutlass
and almost severed her head from the
body at single stroke.
When arriving at camp with the pelt
and four kittens and relating the exciting
adventure to our comrades around a cheer
full camp fire while enjoying a hearty
supper of broiled venison and other delici-
Gus viands of the plains, Johnny Biedsoe,
who up to this time had not been heard
from, took occasion to remark: Il reckon
you wished you was back in Philadelphia
'mongst your 'tother dandies," and as lie
looked searchingly into Wise's face, Ben
Wise, but now foolish hain't yel"
That proved one of the most successful
and enjoyable engineering trips in which
l was engaged during an experience OF
ten years on the southwestern plains.