The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-02-28
WITH A TIGER DEVIL.

Charlie Wallace Of Forty second B
= n. |. was in the Dumps Nor wholly
without cause. Dame Fortune had
Just dealt him one of those ugly
blows she spares none of us-not even
the luckiest. An official letter lay open
before him. And thus it ran;
"Sir:-I have the honor to inform you
that I have placed your name on the
list Of applicants for the vacant post
in the Waste Paper Office. AS you
are one of 21S candidates, I feel it
right to warn you against harboring
any very sanguine hopes Of success.
Yours faithfully John Leving.'
Such was his answer to his twentieth
application for a post in that depart
ment Of the Indian Civil Service. And
he had nothing but his lieutenants
pay to depend on, nor any prospects
worth mentioning; and ne was head
over ears-not in debt--but in love
with Lucy Campbell, the only child Of
the Collector of Burgareeopootur, the
place where tho regiment was station
ed. And albeit she smiled on him. and
kept other suitors-including rich old
Colonel Greybeard-at arms length for
his sake, her parents did not give him
any encouragement though they liked
and esteemed him. On the whole,
then, he had some reasons for being
in the dumps as he sat in his bungalow
"chewing the cud of sweet and bitter
fancy"
His meditations We're suddenly cut
short by the CHEEKY voice of his bosom
friend Captain Finch. ''Why, Charlie.
what the dickens ais you, that you've
cut mess these last three days.?
ooh, I'm trihe out of sorts-noth-
ing much,' replied his friend. ANY
news"
"Only that the man eater has been
making a meal Of another post-run-
ner-'
why, that's the sixth within the
last nine months!" broke in Charlie
Wallace.
II believe you my boy" replied his
friend; land Collector Campbell has
offered a reward of 5000 rupees for
said man-eaters skin. And high time,
too! Else we shall find no one to carry
our letters"
"Where did it happen?' inquired
Wallace.
why, about ten miles noreast of
this place-just where the road dives
into the Serawat jungle after cross
ing the gully. They found the poor
fellows letter-bag and his bells lying
in the bed Of the gully.
coarnc thnco hollis inStoo6
Of soaring the brute as intended, act
ed as a signal to him to make ready
to pounce on his prey
'"True to you, friend Charlie
II should dearly like to have a shot
at the BRUTE"
"No CO. my boy! He's too leery.
Grant and Squirting have both been on
his track: but they couldn't even
catch sight Of his tail"
After a few minutes more chat
about things in general the captain
left the bungalow; and Charley Wal
lace forthwith shouted to the boy in
the verandah outside:
"Where's Murreem Alp
This was his factotum a native Of
the lowest caste, but faithful as a mas
tiff.
"Gone to bazaar, saheeb," answered
the lad.
'Then go you and buy me a half
dozen small bells such as the post-run-
ners carry on their sticks" said his
master. f1inging him a couple of rupees.
sand be quick about it."
Away sped the boy to do his errand.
Meanwhile the lovelorn lieutenant care
fully loaded his rifle and double bar
relied gun, and then strolled out on
the verandah to await Murreeem Alis
return.
Ali soon made his appearance with
the boy at his heels. When he was
within earshOt his master called to
him. "That hrsute Of tiger has killed
another mailcarrier, and now I'm
minded to put bullet through his
hide"
"Pardon saheeb. He no tiger, he dew
il!' said Ali; "saheeb no shoot him.
he eat saheebr'
1--WE shall see about that" replied
the lieutenant. Are you man enough
to come along with me and chance it?'
III saheeb so Ali go with him, and
devil-tiger eat both," replied the native
calmly.
"Well then, just get me red coat
such as the mail carriers wear, and
We'll be off at once"
The native took the purse which his
master held out to him and retraced
his steps toward the bazaar, thinking
his master stark mad. But then in the
east mad men are deemed inspired.
When he returned with the red coat
he found the lieutenant transformed
into fair imitation of a native by the
aid Of burnt cork. The lieutenant don
ned the coat, loaded his pistols, thrust
them into his belt and handed the
gun to to his servant The rifle he
shouldered himself. The two then stole
out Of the bungalow by the back door
and gained the high road by an unfre
quented path to avoid attracting atten
ton Observation-Disclosures wise precau
ton when one goes out for wool al
the risk Of coming home shorn.
For some four or five miles their roa(
lay through open fields sown with
maize and cotton. Then they divej
into the jungle. Here the lieutenan
babe Ali fall behind and trotted OF
ahead by himself. lest the tiger SHOULD
: "smell a rat" SO on he logged alone
hoping-thn1lgh not without Uualn
m. tu.o--thot tho hooct would oi,+o II