The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1911-09-15
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Presence Of Mind In the Face OF q
Terri BILE Danger

Terri BILE Danger.
One of the strangest incidents 4
the sepoy rebellion is told 10y Wi
liam Forbes Mitchell in his rem
iniscences OF the Great Mutiny.
Mr.. Mitchell, who was sergeant Of
highland regiment, had the misfor
tune during n battle to lose tn
greatcoat which every soldier car
ried folded in what was known a
"Crimean roll" and strapped /,
the shoulders in such manner tina
it crossed the breast:
Many n man owed his life to tn,
fact that bullets became spent il
passing through these rolls. 1t hap.
pened that in the heat of the fight
my roll was cut right through where
the two ends were fastened togeth-
er by the stroke Of a keen edged
tulwar, which was intended to cut
me.
As the day was warm, | was rath-
er glad 10 get rid Of it, but by 10
O'CLOCK at night there was a differ
ence in temperature, and when
was re- ,"cl from patrol duty and
vented - lie down to sleep | felt
the co vet grass anything but
comfor BE. for a kilt is not the
most suitable article of dress on a
cold November night in upper In
dir.
My company was cncamped in
and about the tomb of the first king
Of Oudh. A large inclosure sur
rounded the building Of the tomb
itself, and on the inside of this
we're small rooms built for the ac-
commodation of pilgrims. When !
entered the inclosure | noticed
these apartments and asked permis-
'ion to sleep in one OF them, but
vas refused. i had to make the
best OF my position, but was too un-
to sleep.
1t struck me that some Of the Sc
BOYS might have dropped their
blankets in their hurried departure.
With this hope went into one Of
he rooms where a lamp was burn
ng, took it of the shelf and walked
o the door of the great domed
mosque or tomb.
peered into the dark. but could
ee nothing, so l advanced slowly,
gliding the lamp over my head,
boxing cautiously around until I |
as In the center Of the great vault,
here my progress was DISTRACTED |
a big black heap about four or |
We feet high, which felt to my feet 1
Ike loose sand
1 lowered my lamp and discover
l was standing ankle deep in |
'ose gunpowder. About forty hum
redweight of it lay under my nose,
nd o hasty glance around showed II
le twenty or thirty barrels of the
me substance, over a hundred II
ght-inch shells, all loaded and II
it'll fuses fixed, and a profusion Of n
ARE fuses and slow matches lying II
)out.
| took in my danger at a glance. II
here was, up to my knees nearly II
gunpowder, with a naked light
my hand. Ny hair literally stood
end, and my knees Knocked to-
'ther. Cold perspiration broke
1t all over me. / had neither
9th nor handkerchief in my pock-
with which to extinguish my
ght, and the next moment might
my last, for the overhangina
ck already threatened to send the
red top to my feet, with
nsequences too dreadful to con-
mplate.
Quick as thought 1 put my left
nd under the downs dropping
me and, clasping it firmly, slowly
rned to the door.
Fear so overcame all other sem
ton that | felt no pain Of the
IN until | was outside. Then it
IS sharp enough. / poured the oil
I'm the lamp into my burned
nd. Then / knelt down and
anked God.
Next / staggered to Captain Daw-
a and tom him. He did not be-
We me and told me / had walked
nom q dream. / showed him the
wder still sticking on my wet
t. He instantly reused the sleep
men and quenched every spark
fire on the premises.