Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-07-14
A Little Girl Carried OF by q Bear.
CFrom the Mason County (Micb.( J Record j

/
(From the Mason County (Mich.l Record:l
We have TO record a very singular deliver
apce Of girl about three years old, to her par
rents; after being carried off BY a black bear,
and a search of 36 hours through the forest by
the excited parents. facts as near "a we
can gather them, are; substantially as follows;
:Mr, Henry Flynn lives 40 miles east Of this
place, at or near the logging camps OF Mr. Lud- l1
ington and we believe has charge CT one OF the
camps: . He started one; morning TO, take q
horse to pasture, about two miles distant from
the house, and as he was ready to start his lt-
tie girl appeared and seemed very anxious 70
20 With her father, who, In order to please the
child, put bersupon theh horses back and let her
ride short distance, perhaps 40 rods = from the
2house. where be put her down and told her to
rnn Nome. He noticed that the child was
standing where he had left her, and on look
ing back after going a little further saw her
nlsyine In the sand He soon passed out OF
sight, and was gone about an hour, expecting
Of course: that the child would return to the
house after playing a;few moments.
On returning home he made inquiry about
the child of her mother, who said she had not
seen the child, and supposed he had taken her
along with him. 0n2geing to the spot where
be had left her, he saw huge bear tracks in the
sand. and atIonce came to the conclusion that
the child had been carried off by the bear.
The family Immediately gave search through
the forest, which was grown up to almost 2
Jungle, rendering their search very slow. All
day these anxious parents searched Tor some
trace Of their child, nor did they stop when
darkness came on, but remained IN the woods,
calling the child by her name, and with ach-
L orr o. M h..
less fear to catch some sound by which they
could discover their lost darling. Morning
came and their search was fruitless.
A young gentleman, looking for land, came
to the house, and, being informed OF, the cir,
cumstances, Immediately set out to help to lind
the child. They had wandered about, and as
they were passing swampy spot, where the
underground was very thick, they either called
the child, or else were talking loud, when one
of them heard the child voice, He then cali
ed the child by name, and told her to come out
OF the bushes. She replied that the bear
would not let her. The men then crept through
the bush, and when near the spot whero tine
child and the bear were, they heard splash in
the water, which: the child said was the bear.
On going to her they found her standing upon
a log, extending about halt way across the
river. The bear had undertaken to cross the
river on the log. and. being closely pursued,
left the child, and swan away, She had re-,
ceived some scratches about her face, arms and
legs, and her clothes were almost torn from her,
but the bear had not bitten her, only the marks
of his teeth. being found on her back, where, IN
taking hold Of her clothes to carry her, he had
taken the flesh also. !IrN0UH "a al@a, J"
The little one says the: bear would put her
down occasionailytto rest, and would put his
nose up to her face, when. she would slap him,
and then the bear would hang his head by her
side and purr and rub against her like q cat.
The men asked her if she was cold in the night,
and she told them the oldbearlay down beside
her and put his .srms' around her and kept
her warm, though she did not like bis long
hair, She was taken home to her parents, who
could hardly express their joy at her safety,
TIE bear has been seen lurking about in the
vicinity, it is supposed for the purpose OF yet
carrying off the child. = The suppesition is that
it is azfemale bear, and having lost her cubs,
came across the child and adopted it. Steps
are being taken to capture the bear.