Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1902-02-06
THE COURAGE
OF A COWARD.

whether that fellows really coWatH
~ not"
"N'lia. fellow Capt. Medwin asked
his companion.
why, this new doctor Of ours.
Hackett-nice name for a surgeon, by
the by" said Lieut.. Vane, instinctively
fixing with his eye a widewinged vui-
ture whicn hovered just above the top
of the tall palms on the river bank.
THE first night he dined at mess, just
before you came back, the colonel Of
fered to send a man with him, lest ne
should miss the road home to his
quarters in the dark, and he answered
quite eagerly, oh, thank you, Gel.
Carr; | don't at all like being out
alone alIer dark And when old
Brown asked in joke if he was afraid
he said as gravely as could be: In
deed | am
We'll, do you know" said Cart.
Medwin, that's just what would make
me think he wasn't; for no man WHO
was really coward would own it as
plainly as that"
At that moment tremendous noise
was heard within the little hotel il
front of which they were sitting, and
out rushed three or four Hindoo ser
wants, yelling with fright Behind
them, and to all appearances quite as
much frightened as any one, came
small, rounu-faced, red-haired man in
spectacles. whom the two officers at
once recognized as DR.. Hackett hi.u-
self.
Both drew back. rather hastily, and
no wonder; for coiled around the doc
tors right arm, with its writhing
neck firmly clutched by his fingers,
was large and hideous cobra di ca
pello, the ueadliest snake in all India.
kill HIM" shrieked the doctor:
"hit him, somebody. l daren't let
him co."
One tnump of Capt. Medwin's heavy
sword hilt pounued the fat, shining
head to jelly, and the doctor. seem
ingly immensely relieved, went back
into the mouse again.
mo mistake now about his being
afraid, anyway" said Harry Vane, tri-
umphantly.
Hum" rejoined Medwin, 'if were
a coward, | should hardly begin by
catching up the deadliest snake l could
find and running about with it, There's
something in all this that | don't ur-
derstand."
Nor did any one else understand it;
et~a ~e ,l,o nr'c
age or cowardice soon became pone
of contention for the whole regiment.
But the officers had something else to
think of. For now reports began TO
get abroad of grand picnic that was
about to be given by the head Off
abad. to which all the Europeans of
the neighborhood, whether civil or
military, were to be invited.
The day came at last, or rather The
night, for the entertainment was to be
held by moonlight, da! picnic i'll
Bengal during the hot season being
very much like getting UP party in
a bakers oven. DR.. Hackett created
some amusement by appearing with 4
pair of long pistols in his belt
Halo, doctor!" cried Vane, "a.e
you going to fight duel?"
'One can never tell what may nap
pen." answered the doctor, with a
nervous shake of his head.
With the gay dresses and bright uni
forms, the bright moonlight, the dark
faces and Oriental costumes of the at
tendants, the wide clearing lit up Ivy
the glare of an immense fire in the
centre, and the black, shadowy masses
of forest all around, the scene was
wonderfully picturesque and striking.
But the general merriment was sud-
denly and startlingly interrupted. A
roar like thunder shook the air. aUd
the dusky outline of an enormous
tiger, carrying a human figure in It's
jaws, fitted past the central fire and
was gone.
Instantly all was confusion. Ladies'
tainted, children screamed, native ser
wants ran hlrner and thither, while rhe
English officers secured their guns and
started in pursuit of the tiger though
with little hope of saving his victim
"Who is it?' asked Lieut. Vane. as
he and Capt. Medwin sped along side
by side.
"Hackett, poor fellow" answered
the captain, sadly
Poor fellow. echoed Vane re-
morsefuIly. Il wish | hadn't made
| fur ct him so.'
A sharp crack, like the report of a
! pistol followed by short, angry roar
was heard long way ahead. The next
moment came another shot. and all the
officers rushed at full speed in the di-
rection of the sound. And there. lust
/ at the point where the clearing melted
into the untamed forest beyond, lay
the body of tiger, seated upon which
as eoolly as if on sofa, was Dr.
Hackett.
Thank fate. you're safe, doctorp
| cried Col. Carr, graspng the little