Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-07-02

tends from the neck (close by the jugu
lar vein, too, my boy) down over the
shoulder quite to the breastbone.
A tiger did that-a royal Bengal
and beauty he was, tell you. Yor
can see the skin any day in my married
sisters sitting room.
But it's story quite worth the tell
ing, and it has a funny side, too, that
was thought quite worth repetition at
the time in the English papers, though
they did not get at the inside facts OF
the adventure.
1t was the period of the hot season
stagnation when we were in the con-
sular service at Madras, you know.
The English society (ncluding the
few Americans there) were doing little
else than to sleep and yawn to pass the
time.
But everybody, the men especially,
were galvanized into excitement when
the news came that tiger had car
ried off first a woman and then a child
during the previous week from Sta
tion 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 it 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 me-.ttal torpidity that we need
ed only tie slightest straw to grasp at
for the sake of excitement.
In half an hour a 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 morrows
expedition.
1t was just dawn the following morn
ing when re started-a curious caval-
ca6e 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
little, bungalow, commanding 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 tiffins aud such little eX-
cursions as we would call picnics.
We had hardly entered tn!
when a silvery feminine laugh
our ears. coming from the dire
the native house.
The major beside whom l
ing, perceptibly started at thu
and glanced at me. | in turn
inquiringly at him.
Don't you recognize the vol
asked.
mo, 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-l
thought it for all the world like Miss
Bradfords voice"
could not help looking quickly and
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 an
Indian jungle when her brother failed
to do so there must be something SER
ious on the carpet.
therefore had a peculiar interest in
the development of the next few mo-
ments.
'It is positively cruel of you!" said
another and petulant voice. you
make no allowance for my extremely
sensitive organization. But l simply
cannot go back over that road; the
mere thought Of it is killing! Hark!
don't you hear something creeping out
from the grover" and there arose a
shrill scream which became hysterical
as it seemed to diminish as If the femi-
nine speaker had flown into the cot
tage.
She had doubtless heard us breaking
through the thicket, and in an instant
the head of our calvacade came in full
view Of the place, and. there sitting
calmly on seat before the door under
the overhanging boughs and looking
expectantly but undismayed towards us
was-my sister.
"You tere!" I exclaimed, really sur
prised. "And Miss Blithedale, too; I
need not ask that" said, glancing at
an open parasoi of flaming cherry that
lay a few feet away on the ground
where the fair and nervous owner had
dropped it in her flight.
That parasol! In defiance of all the
scientists from Ben Franklin down,
Miss Blithedale must needs import
from the west sunshade of the color
of which above all others reflected
least the rays of that very orb.
This she imperturbably carried, a
shining mark for derisive jokes, or,
perhaps as an incentive to well-born
subaltern bachelors in the arena of
love, she the matador and they the
quarry.
"How penetrating you are!" was my
sisters ironical reply. Major, you
are just in time. Miss Blithedale has
just declared that she will not return
to town without the escort of the whole
garrison-or of Major Gallanton. per-
haps"
The major looked almost panied at
this allusion in the dead set that Miss
Blithedale had been making at him to
every ones amusement.
"And SO" nv sister continued brisk