Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1906-08-02
The Professor
and the Tiger .,>]',',~~rr~' .r s.s.,"'r ~.'r'r

way, and another in different one.
Often enough, that which is called
bravery, is nothing more than custom.
You wouldn't go up on the fore royal
yard in half gale to reef sail, would
you? Not you You'd be afraid.
Well, You might think me brave man
because | would. But then I'd be
afraid to cut chaps leg off, and you
wouldn't.
That was what old Captain Hoskins,
whom l sued to sail with, could never
understand If man was a bit nerv-
Gus about the sea, he used to look down
ON him as all sorts of a coward. But
there came day when he learned bet
ter.
1t happened when / was with him
in a Jhree-masted sailing ship called
the Arrow. We lay at Singapore,
alongside the Tanjong Pagan Wharf,
loading with general cargo for Liver
pool The principle object of that car
go-or at least the one we took the
most notice of-was a tiger that we
were shipping for, London. 1t lay in
a strong cage of wood and iron, with
door in the front through which it
could be fed. 1t was fine brute, and
every time it stretched itself You could
see the muscles slipping over its sides
and the big, wickedlooking claws
deeping out of the pads of its feet in a
way that made you very thankful for
the bars.
We had passenger or two. One of
them was a young girl who went by
the name of Hilda Sandford. She had
been governess in the family of one of
our agents out there, but the climate
hadn't suited her, and she had to go
home She was coming with us in
stead of by steamer because she got her
passage for nothing and she wasn't too
well off. Directly the old man set eyes
on her trim figure and the wealth of
golden brown hair about her head he
was struck all of a heap, so to speak,
and I could see that he was promising
himself a mighty pleasant voyage.
The other passenger was strange,
little, drled-up man, who wore a gold
pince-nez and kept peering about the
ship in most uncomfortable way. He
gave his name as Mr. Hay-Professor
Hay, he called himself, though we
didn't find out what he professed until
later. OF course, the tiger had its at
tendant, but he berthed forward.
An hour or two before we started
this Mr.. Hay came up to the old man
and began asking him lot of ques-
tions.
Captain, he said, nervously, ~
hope we shall have quiet passage. -
II don't see why we shouldn't, -
said Hoskins, genially.
Mr.. Hay looked up at the sky
There seems to be good deal o.
wind about he said.
Pretty fair said Hoskins
"That's what's going to take us home
Not being steamer we can't do i
without it.
You re sure it's safe?" asked Hay
"Safe" says the old man, getting
on his high horse, safe I'm sailing
this ship.
The little man smiled apologetically
"You will excuse me, Captain h,
said, II did not mean any offence
The fact is / am constitutionally nerv
Gus on shipboard. 1t is a feeling tha
have never been able to overcome.
The old man looked at him with
sort of good natured contempt.
You We no call to be alarmed" h
said well take you to England saf
enough. p"
Mr.. Hay smiled again and walked of
into the waist, where we had fixed u
the tigers cage. 1t seemed to hav
sort Of attraction for him, for h
stood before it for at least a quarter o
an hour Hoskins looked after him
and then turned to Miss Sandford, VIII,
was sitting near
Nice sort of a chap to have on
ship" he said. "A man like tina
ought to stick to dry land "
We'll, you know, have fellow
feeling for him, captain, she ans
wered. I'm afraid of the sea myself.
"Ah, =" he said, "but you're a wo
man, you see A bit of fear is al
right in woman. It's natural t
them. But with a man it's different
A man ought TO be afraid of nothing.
And are You afraid of nothing, cap
tainy" she asked.
Not l. " said Hoskins. You ca
have the biggest storm ever Matched b
the China seas and I'll thank you fo
it, 1t brings ont all the good in
man.
1t must be nice to be brave, sh
exclaimed
"Oh, it's all right when you're use
10 it, -" said Hoskins, modestly. IAN
a brave man and a pretty woman an
two Of the finest sights in creation
They ought always be together. "
There was something in his tone this
made her blush. And though she sal
she agreed with him, she took the mr.