Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-06-15
NIGHT OF EMOTION


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
felt no concern as 10 the safety of my
family. My wife. VITO was troubled
with insomnia. slept alone ard our lit
tie girl. seven years old. slept in n
room with me. In that hot - latc it
Is impossible 10 keep the d - and
windows closed. and when came In
late Mt night had uo trouble in Ell
tcrinS.
One night | went home and. finding
the door closed. climbed info my room
through an open window. AS did
not care to wakcn Rosie. who slept IN
a crib in one corner. took or my
shoes before entering and stepped
noiselessly. Undressing with the same
caution. | got into bed and was soon
asleep.
was awakened by low growl
Thinking that my big dog Bruin had
come into the room. l was about to
get up and put him out when 1 was
startled by another growl unlike that
of a dog. but strangely resembling
some one OF the wild animals with
which the country aboundS. But what
sent thrill OF horror through me was
that 1t came from Rosie's crib.
The chamber door opened near my
bed-that Is. It opened toward me in
stead OF away from me. Here was
a possible exit for me II indeed gave
up my child for lost and chose to make
an attempt TO save my own life. I
might slip out OF bed and through tho
door. 1t is said that SELF preservation
is the first law OF nature. and 1 con-
TESS practically Illustrated the say
ing. Catching sight OF two Glar1n1
eyes In the corner In which the crib
stood, / lost consciousness Of all but
one thing-my own immediate threat
ened death. Springing from the bed,
l pulled open the door. which fortu-
nately stood slightly ajar. slipped
through and pulled II shut behind me.
At the same instant / heard the sound
Of n heavy body striking against Ii
and terrible Growl. which l now rec
tiger Of India.
There was nothing TO do but hold
the door. True. the tiger would not
unlatch il. but did not care 10 take
even the most remote chance OF letting
him into that portion nf the house oc-
cupied by my wife and the servants.
There was n tranSom above. and very
soon glass shattered by the tigers paw
| fell on my head Looking up. | saw
his nose prOtruding. but fortunately
/ the space was too small to pass him.
Realizing the fact. he abandoned this
\ point OF eSreSS. and heard the thud
| OF his fore paws on the floor. I ex-
pectcd he would go out ut the window,
but ne did not seem inclined TO do so.
Hearing a step behind me. turned.
and there stood my wife in her night
| clothes
Rosie" I moaned
| "What OF her?'
! lost"
Without n word the mother sank In
a swoon.
Now comes surprise In my story.
for which. whenever think of II.
Thank Godr Rosie herself came run
ming along the hallway. \ few hasty
questions and answers explained her
presence. She had heard low growls
from the tiger under the window be-
fore he entered 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 I explained that
had left one In my room most OF them
fed. Ny wife revived. saw her daugh-
ter and swoOned again. this time
through excess OF joy.
One feeling now took possession Of
me. Il desire to have the blood Of the
creature tha; had so terrified me. that
might have killed my child. Directing
the servants 10 take my wife and
daughter 10 their sleeping room and
: lock them In. called for my repeating
rifle and, going into the yard. took pc
sition near the window through which
the tiger had entered. There was ne
sign OF him. and | feared he had gone
when | saw a bit Of yellow fur above
the window sill. 1t was the ridge OF
his back. ! should have waited till hC
put his paws on the sill preparatory L
jumping through the window. but
could not brook the delay. | called Il
the servants to bring me something OF
which to stand so that could see int
the room. but none of them dared ap
proach. Finally one drawer than tn,
I rest threw me n box. Taking It {,
within few yards of the window.
mounted it in time to see. the beast pu