The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-06-20
By OWEN HAcKETT.

shoulder quite TO the breastbone.
a tiger did that-a royal Bengal
and a beauty he was. I tell YOU. You
can see the skin any day in my married
sisters sitting room.
But It's a story quite worth the tell
ing, and It has a funny side. too, that
was thought quite worth repetition ct
the time in the English papers, though
they did not get at the inside facts of
the adventure.
Il was the period Of the hot season
stagnation when we were in the con-
sular service at Madras, you know
The English society Including the
few Americans there) were doing little
else than to sleep and yawn to pass the
time.
But everybody, the men especially
We're galvanized into excitement when
the news came that a tiger had car
ried off first a woman and then a child
during the previous week from a sta
ton about fifteen miles IN the interior
at the foot of the mountains.
Time was when this would have been
a sort of everyday announcement in
India but of late years these monsters
had been killed off except far in the
interior wilderness, and 1t had already
become a rare event for one Of these
royal fellows to issue from his jungle
kingdom.
At any rate, things had got to such
pass of mental torpidity that we need
ed only the slightest straw to grasp at
for the sake of excitement
In half an hour hunt had been
agreed upon, and servants were flying
everywhere about the town to arrange
the details and secure accessories. such
as teams and wagons, native porters
and beaters, and in the cool of the
evening fifteen or twenty gentlemen
sportsmen were engaged in oiling gun
locks, swabbing out rife barrels and
preparing generally for the morrow's
expedition.
1t was just dawn the following morn
ing when we started-a curious caval-
cade Of fifty or more, in which the
white faces were largely in the minor
ity. Some were on horseback. some in
carts drawn by bullocks, which, in that
country, were very different from what
are known as such at home.
About mile from Madras there was
a little bungalow, commanding a view
of the sea, which had become a sort
of house of public entertainment, popu-
lar with the better class of residents as
a resort for tifins and such little eX-
cursions as we would call picnics.
We had hardly entered the grove
when a silvery feminine laugh entered
our ears, coming from the direction OF
the native house.
The major, beside whom [ was rid
ing, perceptibly started at the sound
and glanced at me. / in turn looked
inquiringly at him.
Don't you recognize the voice." he
asked
NO can't say do" [ answered
Whose is it? Surely none of mine
host Singh's family have such sweet
thrill"
81 should say not, decidedly" as
sented the major. But must be
wrong if you don't recognize it
thought it for all the world like Miss
Bradfords voice.
could not help looking quickly anC
keenly at the major. Miss Bradford
was my sister and the major had Ger
tainly been very attentive to her dur
ing the few months of their acquaint
ance.
If he could recognize her voice in al
Indian jungle when her brother falleS
to do so there must be something ser
ious on the carpet
therefore had peculiar interest il
the development of the next few mo
ments.
1T is positively cruel of you!" sai
another and petulant voice. "Yo
make no allowance for my extremel
sensitive organization. But | simpl
cannot go back over that road; tn
mere thought of it is. killingl Hark
don't you hear something creeping on
from the grover" and there arose
shrill scream which became hysterica
as it seemed to diminish as il the femi
nine speaker had flown into the col
tage
She had doubtless heard us breaLin
through the thicket and in an instar
the head Of our calvacade came in fu
view of the place, and there slttin
calmly on a seat before the door ndt
the overhanging boughs and lookin
expectantly but undismayed towards l
was-my sister.
"You here" ! exclaimed really su
prised. and Miss Bhthedale, too;
4. IL