Youth, Volume 1, Number 5, July 1902 An Illustrated Monthly Journal for Boys & Girls

A quiet Georgia town is stirred by a whisper that a Bengal tiger slipped free from a sunken steamer and slipped into the nearby woods. Uncle Hayward and his children, newly arrived from New England, hear the gossip while sharing stories of past menagerie mishaps that once sent panic through small communities. The teenage cousins, lovers of hunting and the thrill of danger, debate whether the fearsome cat might really be prowling their pasture, their imaginations fueled by vivid recollections of a startled “mammy” and the scent of fresh game.

The narrative captures the lively banter of a Southern household as the adults scoff and the youngsters plot adventures, each line painted with the era’s colloquial charm. Listeners are drawn into the cotton‑field atmosphere, feeling the summer heat, the rustle of the Ocmulgee River, and the uneasy excitement that comes when a legend begins to feel possible. The story promises a blend of humor, regional color, and the restless spirit of youthful curiosity.