Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-08-25
A MAN EATER
A True Tiger Story.
By CAPTAIN DYCE

Cantonment church, and to its south
side, stood a fair-sized, fiat-roofed
bungalow. generally known as the
Warren" The name, however, was
applied to it in jest only, for its official
designation was No. 40. Its occupants
were hospitable, good-natured young
bachelors, who were continually put
ting up" or providing shakedowns for
| their numerous friends.
In the year 1855, one of the residents
of this bungalow was George Price,
young officer of artillery. Price was
much given to athletics of all kinds.
and had rugged up in one OF the unused
rooms what might be considered
very fair apology for a gymnasium
There was movable horizontal bar,
set of parallel bars, trapeze and
rings, and, as Price always asserted
| that the alpha beta of gymnastics
ought to be to making falling easy,
and, if possible, even comfortable and
luxurious, he had provided an album
dance of .wadded rugs and elephant
pads for that purpose.
Tt was in the middle of the month of
May. The hot season was in full
swing; but it was comparatively early
in the day, and the heat, though great,
had not as yet reached its maximum.
Three young fellows were disporting
themselves in the gymnasium.
Perched on the horizontal bar, sitting
with his shoulders square, and both
his legs dangling on one side, was Ar
thur Venn. a captain in the Loyal
Prancers. The bar was seven feet
from the ground, and Price was Of
floating as instructor. Evidently
some feat was about to be performed.
The third individual had made him
self as comfortable as circumstances
would permit on the parallel bars, and
was watching the other two, with an
amused smile on his face. This was
Capt. Francis Sackville, "a years of
age, in the same regiment as Venn, and
one of the handsomest and most popu-
lar men in the station. Price was hold
ing forth.
Now, Venn, what you've got to do
is this: Fold your arms across your
chest and let your body swing quickly
backward. keeping the knees well
crooked. The effect of this catch will
be to send your head and shoulders
pendulum-wise, up against the other
side; then slip the knees from the bar,
and you'll come to the ground on your
legs as light as feather"
Say like bird!'" suggested Sack
vile, persuasively. you see, a feather
has no legs to speak of. Moreover. it
is vacilla ting, undecided sort OF thing.
which, I take it, doesn't pay in this
business
1--we heard all this BEFORE" re-
marked Venn, sitting stolidly on the
bar, apparently without the least in
tention of carrying out the instruc-
tions given him.
'Of course-of Counsel" said Price,
taking no notice of Sackville. 'sThe
hockswing is the simplest feat in the
gymnasium"
Simplest feat, indeedi I found it
far simpler alighting on my head, when
I tried it yesterday. You know Ito
PRICE, I'd seen you do it two or three
times running. 1t appeared so easy
that, when you all went out, I de-
termined to manage it by myself. Sit
ting squarely on the bar, screwed up
courage and made a dive backward,
but if it hadn't been for those marvel
aous elephant cushions of yours should
have broken my head"
Come, confess, Venn, you had Prices
long-legged valet handy, in case of ac-
cidents."
''Pouf! don't count natives as any
thing"
At this moment the servant in ques-
ton came into the room, with letter
in his hand, and, making low salaam,
he handed it to Sackville.
"Chitt-he-captain, sahib Ike waste
C'Letter for his honor, the captain').
Sackvilie tore open the note, read
rapidly for a second or two, and then
uttered a quiet ''Hurrah.''
whats .up?" inquired Venn.
well, about a fortnight ago, Jeffrey
and 1 were dining with Col. Burrows,
the deputy commissioner. After din
aer the conversation turned on tigers
and tiger shooting. Burrows told me
he knew what a keen sportsman was,
and that he might soon have something
for me to do, if cared about it. Of
course, 1 replied that 1 should be de-
lighted. Now, this letter of his says
that, driven probably by drought and
hunger. large tiger has appeared at
Oona, a village about 60 miles from
here. Tt has killed a couple of ma
tiTes-a woman and an old man-and
is committing all sorts of depredations
on their focks and herds The vii
layers say it is a man eater and one
that paid them a visit two years ago.
So, good-by, both Of you! start this
evening. Nothing like travelling by
night in this weather. Besides, who
knows what good 1 may do by being on
the spot day earlier?"
And, having shaken hands with both
his friends, the young soldier left the
gymnasium in search of Jeffrey.