The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-09-29

seen hJ nome! he nau JUST come lnUO
the open space from Q dense Jungle
brake, and sat there washing his face
aud purring in a contented sort of way,
like huge cat
Was l frightened? Not an atom; 1
had my bicycle and a start of forty
yards, so if / could not beat him it |
was pity.
He had not seen me yet, and stood
for another minute admiring the hand
some creature, and then quietly
mounted-(the tiger was directly on
my right, while the road stretched
straight away in front of me). The |
noise made reused him; he looked |
up, and then, after deliberately |
stretching himself, came leaping with |
long, graceful bounds over the rank |
grass and rocks which separated him |
from the road. He did not seem bit |
angry, but evidently wished to get a
nearer view of such an extraordinary
object
Forty yards, however, 1 thought was
quite near enough for safety. The
tiger was in the road behind me now;
SO pulled myself together and began
to quicken my pace.
Would he stop disgusted after the
first hundred yards and give up the
chase, or would he stick to it? Iquite
hoped he would follow me, aud already
pictured in my mind the graphic des
cription 1 would write home of my BIZ
cycle race with tiger.
Little did think what terrible
race it was going TO be. looked be-
hind me. By jove! he was sticking
to it." 1 could not Judge the distance;
but at any rate was not farther from
him than when we started. Now for O
spurt rode the next half mile at q
lively pace, bukon again looking round,
found / had not gained yard.
The tiger was on my track, moving
with long, swinging trot, and going
quite as quickly as L was.
For the first time 1 began to feel
anxious. and thought uneasily of the
ten long miles which separated me
from safety.
However, it was no good thinking
now; it was my muscle and ''bike"
against the tiger. Icould only do my
best and trust to Providence.
Now there was no doubt about the
tigers intentions; his blood was up
and on he came, occasionally giving
vent to roar which made the ground
tremble. Another mile had been ira
versed aud the brute was slowly but
surely closing up.
dashed my pouch to the ground,
hoping it would stop him for few sec
onds; but he kept steadily on and I
felt it was then grim earnest.
l calculated we must be about seven
miles from camp now, and before /
} could ride another four miles my pur-
, suer, knew, must reach me. Oh,
the agony of those minutes which
/ seemed like long hours!
Another mile passed, then another.
could him behind me now, pad, pad,
pad, quicker and quicker and quicker,
louder and louder. l turned in my
I saddle for a moment and saw there
A were not twenty yards separating usl
4: How enormous the brute looked, and
how terrible! His huge tongue hung
a out, and the only sound he made was
0 a continual hoarse growl of rage,
a while his eyes seemed literally to fash
fire.
{ 1t was like some awful nightmare,
a and with shudder bent down over
1 the handles aud flew on.
: On, on, ON, scorched. the slight
est slip knew would be fatal; sud
n den jolt, a screw giving, pedal break
ing, and 1 should be hurled to instant
It death.
" My strength would not stand much
r more; the prolonged strain had toli
g upon me, aud felt all would soon bt
t over. My breath came in thick sobs
+ a mist gathered before my eyes-I wal
g stopping; my legs refused to move anC
o a thousand fends seemed to be fitting
J. about me, holding me back A weight
like lead was on my chest; Twas dying
l. Then a few moments which seemed 1
lifetime, and then-crash-with roal
like thunder the tiger was on me anC
}, was crushed to the ground.
n Then 1 heard shots fired, babel o.
l. mems voices, and all was blank.
IL
After many days of unconsciousnes
l. and raging fever, reason gradually re
g turned, and learned the particular
a of my deliverance.
a A party of officers had started will
n shikaree (native hunter) to u tral
le which had been prepared for the tiger
a They were talking of our coming bi
,e cycle race, as they went along, and ex
pecting every moment to meet me o.
a. my return journey. AS they passed
1s clump of bushes 1 came in sight. whirl
m ing along in a cloud of dust, whic
lg hid my terrible pursuer.
/ They soon, however, saw my awfu
re danger. The huge brute, mad wit
I'd rage, hurled itself upon me just as W
reached them.
e. Ny friends stood almost petrifie
ly with terror and did not dare to fire
but the shikaree sprang quickly
a within yard of the tiger, and putin
Ia; his rifle almost TO the animals eal
he ired twice and blew its brains ont iul