274 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



annexation. My brother happened at the time to be 

 there on a visit. He told me that the leopard used 

 to wander at will all over the house ; it was as tame 

 as a dog, and would let anyone stroke it, though not 

 everyone cared to do so. It was, however, a great 

 terror to strangers who came on it unexpectedly. 



There was a story about this leopard, or some other 

 that succeeded it, that it eventually became savage and 

 was killed. I tell the story as I have heard it, without, 

 however, vouching for its correctness. Indeed, of that 

 I entertain some doubt. The story, certainly sufficiently 

 exciting, is as follows : — 



A gentleman, a visitor at the Residency, was lying 

 asleep in the morning. His right arm hung slightly 

 over the bedside. He awoke with a feeling of pain, 

 and, to his horror, saw the leopard beside him and lick- 

 ing the back of his hand. The leopard's rough tongue 

 had scraped the skin and drawn blood. The gentleman 

 attempted to pull away his hand ; the leopard growled. 

 The gentleman repeated the attempt ; there was another 

 growl, and louder and fiercer. It was early morning ; 

 there was no one near to give assistance, and yet if no 

 assistance came the position of the gentleman seemed 

 desperate, for, with the taste of blood, the animal would 

 soon get maddened and tear him to pieces. But the 

 gentleman remembered that he had a loaded pistol 

 beneath his pillow. He cautiously drew it out with his 

 left hand, placed the mouth of the barrel to the leopard's 

 skull, and fired. The leopard fell dead, and he was 

 saved. 



I will follow this story by another, which in contrast 



