The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-01-12
; THE LAME TIGER
; OF HULDUANI.
A Story Showing That It Is Moro Dan
gerous to BE a Coward Than
5 to BE Brave.

Inc sal trees had lost their leaves anu
looked like ghosts, the grass had been
burned in all directions, and as the sun
Set in the copper sky 1t lit up a land
scape that might have stood for the
determination Of desolation."
The dry chirping of the crickets, just
beginning to tune their first uneasy
strains. accorded with the unholy
scene. Even the horses waiting for the
mail cart were imbued with the de-
pressing influence of the season and
hung their heads with a sense Of de-
spair.
No one spoke, and the hookah passed
from hand to hand in dreary silence.
Suddenly the attention Of those assem-
bled was attracted by the curious ac-
ton of a bya (tailor) bird in a neigh
boring mimosa tree. 1t was calling
frantically and dropping lower from
bough to bough, as though against its
will
"Nagw exclaimed the bunnia, and
directed by his remark, all eyes were
turned to the foot Of the tree, where
an enormous cobra. with expanded
hood, was swaying its head from side
to side and drawing the wretched bird
to it's doom through the fascination Of
fear.
Ram Deem, whose sympathles were
always with the weak and defenseless,
rose to his feet and. throwing a dry
clod Of earth at the reptile, drove the
creature from the tree. while the Bird
released from its hypnotic influence.
few away.
| Brothers" said Ram Deem, fear Is
| the father of all sins and the cause OF
most calamities. He who feareth not
death is king in his own right and
dieth but once. but q coward
shabash. who can count his pangs?"
"Ho. no" chuckled the little bullock
driver. Ram Deem. the fearless, shall
live to be n hundred years old"
NAY. Goor Duttr' said Ram Deem
| gravely regarding the little man. 81
too, have known fear. No man may
drive the mail to Kaladoongie with
out looking on DEATH"
Ram Deem smoked awhile in silence
| and when the expectation Of his listen
ers was wrought to proper pitch he
went on. aye all knew Nandha. the
hostler. who used to go with me last:
year from this stage to Kaladoongie"
AYE, coach-wan j." responded the.
carrier for the others. "'Tis a great
| telling, but not known to these hon.
orable wayfarers who come from be-
yond Moradabad."
Brothers, ye saw the plight Of the.
bya bird but now; so was it with:
Nandha," said Ram Deem
Zone evening ere the mail arrived he.
| called me to where he stood by the
kikar tree yonder. looking down at:
the ground. In the dust of the road.
were large footprints.
"'These be the spoor of n tiger lame
in its left hind foot I.said to Nandha..
See, here it crouched On it's belly and.
wiped away the wheel tracks made by
the mail cart this morning.
"''Tis the lame tiger Of Huldwani,.
coach-wan. He Is old, and he hunteth.
man. Gunga send he is hunting else.
where tonight replied Nandha.
when we came within mile of the
Bore bridge that night, the horses:
stopped suddenly. They were wild.
with fear, and refused to move. The.
night was as dark as the inside of q.
gourd, and beyond the circle Of light;
made by our lanterns we could discern
IN the middle of the road two balls Of
fire close to the ground.
bag (tiger),' said Nandha, as he
climbed over into the back seat. We:
be dead men, Ram Deem
"'Blow! l commanded, giving him,
the bugle, and he startled the jungle.
with blast. l gathered up the reins.
and. adding my voice to the terrors Of
Nandha's music. l urged the horses;
with whip and yell to n fury Of speed.
and the lighted lanterns showed the
great beast leaping into the darkness
to escape our onset.
"Sandha ceased not from blowing.
on the bugle till l took 1t from him by
force at the door of the postoffice at
Kaladoongie.
.'They give him bhang to smoke.
and arrack to drink ere he slept that
hight, for his great fear had deprived
him Of reason for awhile, and he look |
ed round him rs though he expected to !
see the tigers eyes everywhere. ;
"'The bag followed me to the hither !
side of the Bore bridge he said to !:
me next morning US we prepared to !:
return to I.al Kooah. But ! laughed !
Mt his fears. to give him his courage. :.
at is n devil he whispered. look.
ing cautiously round MIN, and l saw
that the light Of his reason fickered.
"When we came to the Bore bridge.
Nandha leaped to the ground, and in;
the dim light Of the morning l could:
see the tracks of a great beast on the,
ground, to which he pointed. and evens
as we looked there came the roar Of a.
tiger l could scarce hold the horses
while Nandha. whose limbs were stifr;
with fear, scrambled into the back:
seat Of the mail cart.
when a tiger puts its mouth to the
ground and gives voice. no man may
tell whence the sound comes. SO l.
staid not to see, IL might, where the
danger lay, but gave the horses free.
rein.
"As we cleared the end of the bridge,
Nandha screamed, Bag. bagp andi
glancing back saw the tiger in full!
pursuit of us, and within 100 PAGES.
"'Blowp commanded, handing the
bugle to Nandha; but, though he took:
1t from me. he appeared not to under.
stand what he was required to do.
elbow" said | once more, shaking;
him, but he took no heed Of me, and.
was as man who walks in his Sleep.
So put my arm round him and lifted.
him on to the front seat beside me, and
even rs | pulled him to Inc his head
was drawn over his shoulder by the
spell of fear. There was foam on his
lips and OH his beard, and he shook so.
that feared he would fall off the mail
cart.
"'Be brave, Nandhav l shouted to-
him. The beast is lame, and we shall
soon leave 1t behind For answer, he
turned his face to me for one instant,
and his lips framed the word bag
but no sound came therefrom.
Suddenly he laughed like a child.
that Is pleased with n toy, babbling,
and saying: How beautiful Is my lord!.
Soft be the road to his feet! But look,
my lord limpeth; belize he hath q.
thorn In his foot! AS he rose, put an.
arm round him and forced him DOWN