The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-03-08
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Presence OF Mind In the Face Of
Terrible DANGER.

Terrible Danger.
One OF the strangest incidents oi
the sepol rebellion is told by vii,
liam forbes Mitchell in his Rem.
inisccnces ef the Great Mutiny."
Mr.. Mi,eacI, WHO was sergeant of a
highla 4 regiment. had the misfor-
tune q ing Il battle to lose the
greatooat which every soldier car
lried fo.aed in what was known as
IA "CFimo roll" and strapped to
the shoulders Il such manner that
it crossed the rea t.:
Many a man owed his life to the
fact that bullets bee ne spent in
passing through these rolls. 1t hap
Ipened thet in the heat of the fght
my roll was cut right through where
the two ends were fastened togeth-
er by the stroke Of keen edged
tulwar, which was intended to cut
me.
As the day was warm, 1 was rath-
er glad 70 Get rid OF it, but by 10
O'CLOCK at night there was a differ
ence in temperature, and when |
was relieved from patrol duty and
wanted - lie down to sleep l felt
the cod, wet grass anything but
comfortable. for kilt is not the
most suitable article Of dress on a
cold November night in upper In
dia.
Ny company was encamped in
and about The tomb Of the first king
of Oudh. \ large inclosure sur
roundcd Il building OF the tomb
itself, an' on the inside of this
were small rooms built for the ac-
Of pilgrims. When I
entered the inclosure I noticed
these apartments and asked permis-
sion to sleep in one of them, but
was refused | had to make the
best OF my position, but was too un-
comfortable to sleep.
1t struck me that some of the Sc
poys might have dropped their
blankets in their hurried departure.
With this hope | went into one of
the rooms where lamp was burn
ing, took it of the shelf and walked
to the door of the great domed
mosque or tomb.
| peered into the dark, but could
see NOTHING, so / advanced slowly,
holding the lamp over my head,
looking cautiously around until /
was in the center of the great vault,
where my progress was obstructed
by big black heap about four or
i've feet high, which felt to my feet
ike loose sand.
| lowered my lamp and discover
ed | was standing ankle deep in
DOSE cunpowder. About forty hun
lredweight of it lay under my nose,
md hasty glance around showed
ne twenty or thirty barrels of the
same substance, over a hundred
.ight-inch shells, all loaded and
With fuses fixed, and profusion of
pare fuses and slow matches lying
bout.
took n my danger at a glance.
There ! was, up to my knees nearly
Il gunpowder, with a naked light
n my hand. Ny hair literally stood
IN end, and my knees knocked to-
,ether. Cold perspiration broke
nut all over me. | had neither
10th nor handkerchief in my pock-
It with which to extinguish my
ight, and the next moment might
'e my last, for the overhanging
ick already threatened to send the
rcd top to my feet, with
onsequences too dreadful to con-
emplate.
Quick as thought | put my left
and under the down dropping
anne and, clasping it firmly, slowly
urncd to the door.
Fear so overcame all other sem
alton that ] felt no pain of the
urn until | was outside. Then IL
rs sharp enough. ! poured the oil
rom the lamp into my burned
and. Then | knelt down and
banked God.
Next e'aggerod to Captain Daw.
On and told him, lie did not be.
eve me- and told mo | had walked
p from n dream | ahowod him tho
owder ttill sticking on my wet
'ct lie instantly reused the sleep
lg mon and quonched every aparl
fire on The premises.