Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1897-06-18

NiAi~h wv Nv AAOtiiidtiOl III cAtCp'
The skies we're clear, and looking up
through the mouth of the pit, the
few stars that came within its mar
row field seemed intensified, as
through that crude telescope
watched them swinging in the vast
immensely Of space, rolling slowly
across the narrow expanse Of sky to
which my vision was limited.
When morning came | set about
investigating the chances for escap-
ing from the pit, and found that they
rested almost wholly on my being
able to attract the attention of some
one by discharging my gun.
Raising it above my head fired
three times in quick succession, then
paused moment, after which | re-
peated the firing at intervals, until
| had only a half-dozen cartridges
left.
The sun climbed slowly upward,
gliding the treetops, and soon there
after / heard an exclamation of sur
prise and, on looking up, saw Father
Palemon, of the mission house, peer
ing down at me, his face the picture
of astonishment.
Almost simultaneously the heads
of three Of his Bengalese servants APP
peared over the rim of the pit, and
| was soon released from my damp,
unwholesome quarters.
Seated On the trunk of fallen tree
close beside the pit, Father Palemon
opened basket containing an ample
lunch and, while / refreshed myself,
told how he had sat up for me far
into the night, and alarmed at my
continued absence had, with his serv-
ants, started out to find me as soon
as it was light enough to see the way.
Fortunately they followed the
same course that / had taken the
day before, and it was not long until
they heard my rapid firing, and
rightly judged 1 was in need Of as
sistance. Following the direction of
the sound, they lost no time in get
ting to the pit and releasing me from
my unpleasant quarters.
In the meantime the Bengalese had
gone into the woods near by, to cut
some poles and branches with which
to cover the pit anew, when they
came dashing back to where we we're,
their faces blanched with terror.
CHANGING in the direction they
came from, we saw the head of a
,ress peering at us through the un-
uergrowth, not more than Is yards
away.
Snatching up my Winchester /
aimed at the brute and sent ball
crashing through her skull.
With one mighty bound she sprang
toward us, knocking down the priest
and plunging headlong into the pit,
where she lay quite dead.
ran to Father Palemon and as
sisted him to his feet.
"Deo gratis!" he exclaimed, as he
arose and assured me that he was
unhurt.
The frightened Bengalese had fled
right and left, but soon returned, and
when we had assisted them to get
the tiger up out of the pit and ex-
planned to them that there was no
further danger for the present, we
left them to remove its skin and cover
the pit, while Father Palemon and
myself returned to the mission house.
On the following day I went back
to Singapore, and found the repairs
on the steamer were completed and
she was ready to sail, but there was
some delay about her papers, so we
did not get away that night.
The next morning as we steamed
out of the harbor 1 leaned over the
taffrail and watched the island slowly
recede from view, conscious of the
fact that tiger pit uncovered in one
Of its green forests would, in all prob
ability have been my tomb, had it
not been for the timely assistance of
the good Father Palemon.--Golden
Days.