The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-04-27
BEAUTY THAT WAS TERRIBLE.
Graphic Description of Tigress' Death
"A Bullet Through Her Heart.

We who never see wild beasts save in a
menagerie probably have no idea of their
great beauty when they are in their happy
wilds. In the Letters" of Sir Victor
Brooke is an account of his watching a
tiger which he had determined to kill
from tree, beneath which buffalo had
been placed for bait. Hour after hour
went by, and there was nothing to break
the monotony OF his watch. Both he and
his companion were worn out with wake-
felness, and Sir Victor felt that he might
at any moment fall asleep. lie writes
suddenly sight glided into view that
reused me most efectually. The great
head, neck, forearms and long, beautifully
marked back of mine enemy, the tigress,
stood before me; she came with her soft
creeping strides, sat down behind "A tree,
and began to lick her chops at the thought
OF the delicious banquet she was just going
to indulge in.
| took good look. | thought her
lovely past expression; her soft, white but
most massive chest, her immense arms, her
beautiful head! all were wonders of lowell
ness so long as you did not look at that
cold, bloodthirsty eye. The perfect SYM
metry OF her graceful form was something
to which no words can do Justice All this
| noticed and appreciated in what was,
| think, the most exciting moment of my
life.
turned cautiously to Brine, my COM
panlon. lie was fast asleep, caught like a
bag OF sawdust in the branches! | chirped
like bird, signal of ''tiger"-but for
some time in vain; my hair stood up ike
brush with fear and anxiety. At last |
caught his eye, and one glance at me was
enough to put him on the qui vive.
Turning gently, saw her royal highness
still there, and knew she intended sitting
there till dark. | made up my mind to
shoot her at once, and not wait until she
began to feed. What was my disgust,
however, when | found that from the
position | held it was perfectly impossible
10 shoot her oil my right shoulder.
Watching her eye, | moved my rifle and
putting it up to my left shoulder, took
steady aim, firing into the middle of that
snow-white breast. Oh, the excitement of
that moment! | pulled the trigger most
cautiously, and click was all the result.
The cap had missed fire.
AS quick as thought pulled the other
trigger, and at that all important second |
was as steady as rock felt sure that the
bullet had gone to the right place. The
tlgress sprang high in the air, with low
muilied roar, and came straight at the tree
we We're in. | never saw such fury, such
ungovernable rage
Her face, moment before beautiful and
almost gentle looking, was now literally
alive with deadly hatred and defiance; her
awful teeth glitterng like knives as she
sprang about. The tiger missed the tree,
turned off at right angles and went spring.
ing. with immense bounds, through the
jungle.
Brine let fly at her to finish her, if pos
sible, but at the report her rage redoubled
She stopped short, snapped a small tree
off at the roots and tore it in pieces; then
the thought evidently struck her that the
dreaded being who had given her death
blow would be found about the tree she
was sitting by when fired at
She rushed back, Ike yellow mass shot
out of gun, but when within feet of
the tree she staggered and fell on large
forest creeper; this she tugged down like a
piece OF thread. She fell over on her side,
and then again made an effort to reach the
the tree; in vain
She reared straight up ON her hind legs,
struck wildly with her massive arms, and
then with groan sprang into the air and
fell over stone dead. On examination we
found that my ball had gone clean through
her heart. Fancy dashing about like that
with the heart almost cut in two.