The Warwickshire Herald. — 1895-08-15 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

STORY OF THE INDIAN MUTINY.  There were times during the &pop rebellion in India when men were more to be dreaded than wild beasts; but the following minor incident of that reign of terror shews how the lives of two young English soldiers, exposed to both perils, were strangely saved through the preference of a tiger for native flesh. The young men had been suddenly captured on rear-guard duty by a prowling band of Moslems, and were being marched to the place of imprisonment and torture. t the first night's camp they were meditating escape in the vain hope that their guards would fall asleep. Two hours passed. The fire burned low, and the boys, in spite of the danger of their situation, were just dropping off to sleep, when there was a tremendous roar, a rush of some great body passing over them; a scream from one of the natives; a yell of terror from the rest. A tiger stood with one of the guards in his mouth, growling fiercely, and giving him an occasional shake, as a cat would shake a mouse, while one of his paws held down the prostrate figure of the other. There was a wild stampede. Men tumbled over each other in their effort to escape from the terrible presence, and then, getting to their feet, started off at full speed. For a moment the English soldiers had lain paralysed by the sudden event of the terrible man-eater, and then had, like the rest, darted away. "To the jungle!" Ned exclaimed; and in an instant they plunged into the undergrowth, and were forcing their way at full speed through it. Man-eating tigers are rarely found in pairs, and there was little fear that another was lurking in the wood; and even had such been the case, they would have preferred death in that form, to being murdered in cold blood by the enemy. Presently they struck on a track leading through the wood, and followed it,until in five minutes they emerged at the other side. As they did so they heard the report of firearms in the direction of their last halting-place, and guessed that the peasants were firing at hazard in hopes of lrightening the tiger into dropping his prey. As to their own flight, it was probable that so far their enemies had not thought of it. The first object of the fugitives was to get as far as poisible from their captors, who would at day. break be sure to organise a regular hunt for them, aud accordingly they ran straight ahead until in three-quarters of an hour they came into a wide road. Towards morninf, they spied a large, fortified house, evidently the abode of some person of consequence, and determined to climb the garien-wall and risk the chances of finding shelter and protection. The house fortunately proved to be the house of a Hindu lady of rank, who sympathised more with the English than with the Mohammedans, and by her kindness they were put in the way of escape end final restoration to their friend:,  He: "I had a queer dream about you last night, Miss Louisa. I was about to give 30u a kiss, wheP suddenly we were separated by a river that gradually grew as big as the Thames." She: "And was there no bridge and no boat?" Uncomfortable but useful.—Mrs. Flutter: " Thip reception chair is very pretty, but looks uncomfortable." Salesman: "Yes, madam; and for the; reason it is just the thing to offer visitors when • abort call makes them most welcome." „