Show LORI NAPIERS VEUVE rUT TO A SEVERE TEST SV A SIKH WARRIOR The dolth oUAlnI Nnplerof Jfag dolt recalls a POlity of the old Mi dIets nerve na exhibited once in a time of profound peace In India ee S kiroo The Sikh warriors were famous swordsmen and If any one was hardy enough to test their skill they could cut an apple resting I on the or lIn fltLI palm of a mans hand cleanly In two In equal pieces 10 that tacIt piece dropped separately to the ground without fraying the fckln of the outstretched band Perfect steadiness was required In the j r son holding the apple for if don hand shrank the consequences were likely to be serious It Is perhaps needless to say that Die offer to perform per-form this feat was more often made than accepted j For a long time lord Napier re > fused to believe that the wild Soldiers Soldi-ers could do this thing and when one of them invited him to hold the apple and wltqcfes tho exploit he promptly consented supposing that the swordsman would ehg from the undertaking but the Sikh had enUre confidence in Ills own skill His eye however detected a UtUe Irregularity on the Generals right I palm IL was held out and he asked him to present the apple In his left baud Lord NapIer afterward after-ward said that for the lint time i in his life he was conscious of the sensation of fear as the conviction flashed upon him that the man was not going to back out However firm as a rock the hand with tha apple upon It was extended ex-tended the sword flashed down and the fruit fell in two segments to the earth The kin was not scratched but Us owner raid he felt the keen blade touch it as though n hair had been broken across It He added that though he was at Jut convinced of th Sikh swordsmans kill he would never again allow one of them to test it in that way and has advised his officers to make the same resolution Jfew York Sun |