Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-02-03
AN ADVENTURE
WITH A TIGER
Terrifying Experience In an
Indian Bungalow.

| the largest railroads in India i took
my wife and little daughter with me
and established them In a bungalow
on the line. I was away all day, some
times for days together, but I left
| plenty of servants at the house and
felt no concern as to the safety of my
family. My wife, who weS troubled
| with insomnia. slept alone, and our Lit.
tie girl, seven years old, slept in a
room with me. In that hot climate 1t
is impossible to keep the doors and
windows closed and when / came in
late at night 1 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 l 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 ii
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
to make an attempt to save my own
life. 1 might slip out of bed and
through the door. 1t is said that self
preservation is the first law of nature,
and I confess I 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, 1 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 heavy body striking against it,
and a terrible growl, which l now
recognized as that of the man eater
(the tiger) of India.
There was nothing to do but hold
the door. True, the tiger would not
unlatch it, 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 I heard the thud
of his fore paws on the floor. / ex-
pected he would go 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.
'RosieW moaned-
''What Of herr
"Lost!'
without a word the mother sank In
swoon.
Now comes a surprise in my story,
for which, whenever think Of it, j
lift my eyes to heaven and utter a
"Thank Godw 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
natives that when / explained that II
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, 1 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 bit of yellow fur above
the window sill. It was the ridge of
his back. should have waited till he
put his paws on the sill preparatory to
jumping through the window but I
could not brook the delay. / called to
the servants to bring me something on
which to stand SO that could see into
the room. but none of them dared ap-
proach. Finally one Drawer than the
rest threw me box. Taking 1t to
within few yards of the window, J
mounted it, in time to see the beast put
his fore paws on Rosie's crib and in
this elevated position stand looking
about him. There was no time to spare.
He would soon see me and come for
me. / have never before or since
known the perfect poise of nerve with
which pointed my rifle at him, aimed
behind the shoulder and fred. The
tiger sprang to the ceiling, then fell
back dead.
What has since puzzled me are my
own changes and feelings, first horror
at the supposed fate of my child, next
the all pervading sense of my own dan
ger and lastly fear giving place to
desire for revenge. The most pleasur-
able sensation have ever experienced
was the sight Of the beast springing up
and falling dead.