The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-04-27

| very 1oHB GnO covered ny dark rings
not greatly dissinailar to those of tn,
American rnccoon. The creatures leg
ere singularly powerful and its talon
long and sharp, SO that, If SO inclined
| 1t can prove terrible foe to man OF
beast, though it usually preys, I wa.
told by Sumatra hunters, only apor
birds, monkeys, the young of deer and
| other weak animals.
| When the little flower piclsers ro1
close to the supposed dog, Lillian said
why, Lulu, that Is not a dog at oil
IT looks like some of the wild beasts
I've seen in picture books. See how its
back is bristling and It's tail puffino
angry; nnd oh, it's beginning to snarl
and growl, too: Let's run away. ii
! might eat us upi''
But so soon as the children turned
TO ~, the rimau dahan. which would
probably have itself retreated la all
sS,er moment, took courage, aud, with
Ling, light bound. bounced upon
them, knocking both down with two
apparently playful taps Of it's fore
paws, In which, as yet, it kept its
formidable claws completely sheatheti.
Then, seemingly delighted with such
novel game, the sportive creature be-
gan to leap and frisl< about, exactly as
does the domestic cat when tantalizing
captive mouse. Sometimes, after
crouching low, it would spring far
above the heads of the PROSTATE little
oncsl at other times 1t would lie down,
with paw upon each, and Hracious1y
purr, as if fondling its own Young:
hRain, it would roll them gently over
and over. wondering, perhaps, what
their outward covering neither fur
nor feathets-Gould possibly be.
At first the poor children were so
paralyzed with fright that they could
not cry out, but soon both began to
come; oh, come luicl<l'
So far from frightening the "tiger,"
these cries seemed merely to make it
angry. It began to handle the captives
a little more roughly, sometimes pro-
truding it's claws, and switching it's
great tail excitedly from side to side.
Though certainly not hungry, the
terribly beautiful beast was gradually
giving way to its fierce instinct, and
the danger of the helpless infants was
now Imminent, for If, while repea teddy
hooked into their clothing, whenever
they attempted to rise, the sharp talons
should chance to draw blood, oil would
be over in moment.
This strange situation had lasted,
Lillian thought, about fifteen minutes;
she and Lulu exhausted by screaming
were pitifully clasped In each others
arms, and the rimau dallan, no longer
irritated by their cries, stood q few
A~So
when, swift as n falcons swoop,
Ernest Mowbray and his trained Arab
dashed from out the encircling wood.
aud, before the great spotted cat could
escape, rode straight over it and hurled |
it, now screeching with rage. to the |
ground.
But by the time tho gallant pair had |
checked their hcadlong speed and |
turned around, the tcrror-stricken |
beast had sprung into the fork of q |
wild orange tree, which was precisely |
what Ernest wanted, as he had feared !
unity to the children, lest, being not !
instantly killed by the first shot, it |
night, in its death struggles. do them
! mischief.
Now. however, still sitting in the
saddle, he raised his rife, took DELHI
crate aim at a spot just below the ami,
nails ear, and pulled the trigger. No
aeed for the second cartridge, which
he instantly threw up to the breech
chamber; for rifleman who had
parked" tiny red squirrels in the tops
If Ohio and kentucky hickories was
lot likely to miss SO fair a mark as
his. The bullet, striking square end
rue, passed clear through the czea-
ure's brain and, without SO much 40
! single mi-aou, it dropped to the earth,
tone dead!
Then. hurriedly dismounting, tho
'OunE sports ran to assist the lit |
lie girls, finding, to his great joy, that
leither was at all hurt. The uncon-
entional little misses had not learned
low to faint, and, beyond the soiling
t their dainty frocks and the stain Of
ears on their pale checks, were none
he worse for their perilous adventure.
After both had Observation-Disclosures
he brilliant coat of their late enemy,
nd Lillian had at least tried to thank
heir rescuer, the latter, henceforth a
ero In their eyes, escorted them home;
there, In answer to Mr.. and Mrs.
herwood's grateful Acknowledgements,
e modestly said:
II am the one who ought to be thank
III; for, besides the happiness of help ,
,g these young ladies, have secured
rare trophy-one never should have |
OF but for thcm.''
''That reminds me- said Mr.. Sher-
God, 'that the valuable pelt may be
amaged by birds or beasts of prey if
1T long where it is" And, mounting
is own horse, he rode speedily back
it'll Ernest to the scene Of the en- J
,unter.
Fortunately; the "uger's" carcass
as still untouched, and Mr.. Sher- {
God, a veteran hunter, quickly re-
owed the beautiful hide, with head,
avs and tail complete. Next day =
Tered the boy forty dollars for it.; but I
sry naturally, considering its rarity
Id the incidents Of its acquisition, he h
id that mo amount of money could
~ it"-a speech which rather pie ased t
9 than otherwise, as proving the I.