The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-04-24
A NARROW ESCAPE.



Terrible Danger.
One of the strangest incidents Of
she sepoy rebellion is told by Will
liam Forbes Mitchell In his Rem
iniscences of the Great Mutiny."
Mr.. Mitchell, who was sergeant of
highland regiment, bad the misfor-
tune during a battle to lose the
greatcoat which every soldier car
ried folded in what was known as
"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 outright 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 to get rid of it, but by 10
o'clock at night there was. a differ
ence in temperature, and when l
was relieved from patrol duty and
, wanted to lie down to sleep felt
; the cold, wet grass anything but
: comfortable, for kilt is not the
most suitable article of dress on a
cold November night in upper In
dia.
r NV company was encamped In
, and about the tomb of the first king
of Oudh. a large inclosure sur
I rounded the building of the tomb
itself, and on the inside Of this
were small rooms built for the ac-
commodation Of pilgrims. When
entered the inclosure noticed
these apartments and asked permis-
sion to sleep in one of them, but
was refused. I had to make the
best of my position, but was too un-
4 comfortable to sleep.
q It struck me that some Of the Sc
Q poys might have dropped theil
blankets in their hurried departure
= With this hope 1 went into one o.
= the rooms where lamp was burn
= ing, took it off the shelf and walked
, to the door of the great domec
n mosque or tomb.
:. peered into the dark, but coulC
= see nothing, so | advanced slowly
:. holding the lamp over my head
:, :. looking cautiously around until
' 's was in the center Of the great vault
= where my progress was obstructe'
- by a big black heap about four o
J five feet high, Which felt to my fee
- like loose sand.
" l lowered my lamp and discover
!. ed / was standing ankle deep i
/ I loose gunpowder. About forty hun
y - dredweight Of 1t lay under my nose
:" and nasty GLANCE aregnd shove
y me twentr or thirty barrels Of tn
le same substance oyer a hundre
P eight-inch she!'-,. all loaded an
"a with fuses fixed, AM profusion c
OF spare fuses and slow matches lyin
" about.
% ~ 1 took in ray danger at gla2c'
IL There l was, up to my knees neal
6 In gunpowder, with a naked ligh
u in my hand. Ny hair literally stoo
oy on end, and my knees knocked t
u gether. Cold perspiration brob
sc out all over me. | had neitht
as cloth nor handkerchief in my pocl
al OF with which to extinguish n
light, and the next moment m,g
be my last, for the overhangiI
wick already threatened to send Il
smoldering red top to nv feet, wit
consequences too dreadful to col
template.
Quick as thought I put my le
hand under the down droppiI
fame and, clasping it firmly, slow
turned to the door.
Fear so overcame all othet GO
sation that I felt no pain Of u
burn until l was outside. Then
was sharp enough. poured the
from the lamp into my burn'
hand. Then I knelt down al
thanked God.
Next I staggered to Captain Da'
son and told him. He did not b
lieve me and told me | had wax
up from dream. ! showed him t
powder still sticking on my "
feet. He instantly reused the slee
ing men and quenched every spa
of fire on the premises. =.