Cañon City record., 1902-05-29
THREE SUCCESSIVE
~EMOTIONS
tOriginal.l

my "lle anu httlt dduSuteE Wltu me
and established them in bungalow
on the line. was away all day. some
times for days together, but left
plenty Of servants at the house and
family. My wife. who was troubled
with insomnia, slept alone, and our lit.
tie girl, seven years cid, slept in a
room with me. In that hot climate. it
is impossible to keep the doors and
windows closed, and when l came in
late at night had no trouble In enter
ing.
One night | went home and. finding
the door closed. climbed into my room
through an open window. As did
not care to waken Rosie, who slept in
crib In one corner. | took of my
shoes before entering and stepped
noiselessly. Undressing with tie same
caution. | got into bed and was soon
asleep.
was awakened by a low growl
Thinking that my big dog BruiD had
come into the room. ! was about to
get up and put him out when was
startled by another growl. unlike that
of n dog. but strangely resembling
some one Sf the wild animals. with
which the country abounds But what
sent thrill of horror through me was
that 1t came from Rosies crib.
The chamber door opened near my
bed-that is. 1t opened toward me in
stead of away from me- Here was
mp my child for lost and chose to- ma Ike
an attempt to save my own life. l.
might slip out OF bed and through the
door. 1t is said that self preservation
is the first law of nature, and confess
practically illustrated the saying.
Catching sight of two glaring eyes in
the corner In which the crib stood.
lost consciousness of I'll but one thing
my own immediate threatened death.
Springing from the bed. ! pulled open
the door. which fortunately stood
slightly ajar. slipped through and pull
ed it shut behind me. At the same In
stant | heard the sound of a heavy
body striking aGainst it. and, . terrible
growl. which I now recognized as that
OF the man eater ,the tiger OF India
There was nothing to do but bold
the door. True. the tiger would not
unlatch 1t. but did not care to take
even the most remote chance OF letting
him into that portion OF the house oc-
cupied by my wife and the servants
There was II transom above. and very
soon glass shattered by the tigers paw
fell on my head. Looking mp. ] saw
his nose protrrding but fortunately
the space was too small to pass him.
Realizing the fact. he abandoned this
point of egress. and | heard the thud
of his fore paws on the floor. h eI-
pectcd he would go out at the window.
but he did not seem inclined to DO so
Hearing step behind me. turned.
and there stood my wife In her night,
clothes.
"Rosie,- noaned.
What Of herr
Lost"
Without a word tise mother. sank In,
a swoon
Now comes surprise In my story
for which. whenever think OF It. h
lift my eyes to heaven and utter n
Thank Cod" Rosie herself came rum
ming along the hallway. A few hasty
questions and answers explained ser
presence. She, had heard low growls
From the tiger under the window be.
tore he enterad and. terrified. fed TO
her mothers room and got Into. bed
beside her without awakening her
Then came servants. but so great is
the terror OF the man eater among the
natives that when | explained that /
had left one in my room most Of them
fed. My wife revived saw her dnugh-
ter and swooned again. tbIs tiIse
through excess of joy.
One feeling now took possession Of
me. a desire to have the blood OF the
creature that had so terrified me that
might have killed my child. Directing
the servants to take my wife and
daughter to their sleeping room and
lock them In. called for my repeating
rifle and. going into the yard. took po-
sition near the window through which
the tiger had entered. There was no
sign of him, and | feared he had gone.
when ! saw bit Of yellow fur above
the window sill. II was the ridge of
his back | should have waited Til he
put his paw on the Sill preparatory to
Jumping through the window. but L
could not brook the delay called to
the servants TO bring me something on
which to stand so that could see into
the room. but none of them dared ap-
proach. Finally one braver than the
rest threw me a box Taking II to
within a few yards Of the window. |
mounted 1t In time to see the beast put
his fore paws on Rosie's crib and In
this elevated position stand looking
about him. There was no time to
spare. He would soon see me and
come for me. have never before or
since known the perfect poise of nerve
with which ! pointed my rife at him.