The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-29
AN ADVENTURE
WITH A TIGER
Terrifying Experience In an
Indian Bungalow.

/ plenty OF servants AZ tHe House anu
felt no concern as to the safety of my
family My wife, who was troubled
with insomnia, slept alone. and our lit.
| tie girl seven years old. slept in q
room with me- In that hot climate il
is impossible to keep the doors aud
| windows closed, and when l came in
late at night had no trouble in enter
ing.
! One night ] went home and, finding
! the door closed, climbed into my room
| through an open window. AS did not
| care to waken Rosie, who slept in a
crib in one corner, took off my shoes
| before entering and stepped noiselessly.
! Undressing with the same caution, |
got into bed and was soon asleep.
/ was awakened by a low growl.
Thinking that my big dog Bruin had
| come into the room, was about to get
up and put him out when | was star
tied 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 a
thrill of horror through me was that it
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, If indeed
gave up my child for lost and chose
10 make an attempt to save my own
life. | might slip out of bed and
through the door 1t is said that self
preservation is the first law of nature,
and confess practically illustrated
the saying. Catching sight of two
glaring eyes in the corner in which
the crib stood, lost consciousness of
all but one thing-my own immediate
threatened death. Springing from the
bed. pulled open the door, which
fortunately stood slightly ajar. slipped
through and pulled it. shut behind me.
At the same instant heard the sound
Of a heavy body striking against 1t,
and a terrible growl, which now
recognized as that of the man eater
0he tiger of India.
There was nothing to do but hold
the door. True, the tiger would not
unlatch ii, but | did not care to take
even the most remote chance of letting
him into that portion of the house oc-
cupied by my wife and the servants.
There was a 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 egress, and heard the thud
of his fore paws on the floor. | ex-
pected he would 20 out at the window,
but he did not seem inclined to do so.
Hearing a step behind me. turned.
and there stood my wife In her night
clothes.
"Rosier' l moaned-
"What of herr"
'Iost!''
Without word the mother sank In
a swoon.
Now comes surprise in my story, |
for which, whenever | think Of 1t. !
lift my eyes to heaven and utter a !
"Thank God"' Rosie herself came run
ming along the hallway. A 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 4
natives that when | explained that | I
had left one In my room most OF them
fed. My wife revived, saw her daugh-
ter and swooned again, this time
through excess of JOY.
One feeling now took possession of
me, desire to have the blood OF the
creature that had so terrified me, that
might have killed my child. Directing
the servants to take my wife and
daughter to their sleeping room and
lock them in, called for my repeating
rifle and, going into the yard. took po-
sition near the window through which
the tiger had entered, There was no
sign of him and feared he was gone
when saw a bit of yellow fur above
the window sill. 1t was the ridge OF
his back. | should have waited till he
put his paws on the sill preparatory to
jumping through the window, but /
could not brook the delay. l called to
the servants to bring me something on
which to stand so that could see into
the room. but none of them dared APP
proach. Finally one Drawer than the
rest threw me box. Taking 1t to
within few yards of the window.
it in time TO see the beast put
his fore paws on Rosie's crib and In
his elevated position stand looking
about him. There was no time to spare.
he would soon see me and come for
ne. | have never before or since
Known the perfect poise of nerve with
which pointed my rife at him. aimed
behind the shoulder and fred The !
Tiger sprang to the ceiling, then fell ]
Jack dead {
What has since puzzled me are my
wn changes and feelings, first horror
t the supposed fate Of my child, next
he all peryading sense of my own dan t,
er and lastly fear giving place to
Iesire for revenge. The most pleasur-
BILE sensation [ have ever experienced
ras the sight of the beast spvinging up
nd falling dead.
FADn