The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-05-17
4 NARROW ESCAPE.
Presence Of Mind In the Face Of .
Terrible Dancer.

TIE sepcf ISOtuIOH Is lOIu ny VIII
liam Forbes Mitchell in his Rem
iniscences of the Great Mutiny."
Mr. Mitchell, who was sergeant of q
highland re giment, had the misfor-
tune during a battle to lose the
greatcoat which every soldier car
ried folded in what was known as
a 'Crimean roll" and strapped to
the shoulders in such a manner that
it crossed the breast:
Many a man owed his life to the
fact that bullets became spent in
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, l was rath-
er glad to 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 to lie down to sleep [ felt
the cold. wet grass anything bit
comfof, be. for a kilt is not Il.
most suitable article of dress on d
cold November night in upper In
dia.
My company was cncamne1 i
and about the tomb of the first kin
of Oudh. \ large irclosure SUI
rounded the building of the tom
itself, and on the inside of IT,
were small rooms bGilt for thN &C
commodation of pilgrims. Thca
entered the inclosure ! notice.
these apartments and asked permits
sion to sleep in ore of them. but
was refused. / had to make the
best OF my position, bat was too I'M
comfortable to sleep.
It 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 off the shelf and walked
20 the door of the great domsd
mosque or tomb.
l peered into the dark, but could
see nothing, so | advanced slowly,
holding the lamp over my head,
looking cautiously around until l
was in the center Of the great vault,
where my progress was oostructed
by big black heap about four or
five feet high, whicl. felt to my feet
like loose sand.
I lowered my lamp and discover
ed | was standing ankle deep in
loose gunpowder about forty hun
dredweight of it lay under my nose,
and a hasty glance around showed
me twenty or thirty barrels of the
same substance. over a hundred
eight-inch shells, all loaded and
with fuses fxed, and a profusion Of
spare fuses and Slow matches lying
about.
1 took in my danger at glance.
There ! was. up f. my knees nearly
IN guppowGer. with naked light
in my hand Ny LAIR literally stood
on end, ard my knees knocked to
gether. Cid pcrspiration broke
out ali over ne. | had neithe.
cloth nor handkerchief in my peck
ct with which to extingu,sh my
light, and the next moment might
be my last. for the overhangin!
wick already threatened to send the
smoldering red top to my feet, with
consequences TOO dreadful to con
template.
Quick az thought ] put my left
hand under the down dropping
fame and, clasping it firmly, slowly
turned TO the door.
Fear SO overcame all other SEN
sation ths: ! felt no pain Of the
burn until | was outside. Then it
was sharp enough. ! poured the oil
from the lamp into my burned
hand. Then | knelt down and
thanked God.
Next saggered to Captain Daw-
son and told him. He did not be-
heve me and told me I had walked
up from a dream. l showed him the
powder still sticking on my wet
feet. He instantly reused the sleep
ing men and quenched every spark