Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-15
An Uneommon Big Bear story.

We have TO record n very singular de-
liyerance Of girl, about three years old,
TO its parents, after being carried OF by
n black bear, and search Of about thirty.
six hours through the forest by the ex-
cited parents. The facts, as near as we
can gather them, are substantially as
follows:
Mr.. Henry Flynn lives about forty
miles east Of this place, at or near the
lodging camps of Mr.. Ludipgton, and,
we believe, has charge Of one Of the
camps. He started one morning to take
a horse TO pasture, about two miles dis
tant from the house, and as he was ready
to start, his little girl appeared aud
seemed very anxious to go with her
father, who, in order to please the child,
put her upon the horse back and let her
ride short distance, perhaps forty rods
from the house, but in plain view Of IL,
where he put her down and told her to
run home He noticed that the child
was standing where he left her, and, on
looking back after going little farther,
saw her playing 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 few moments
On returning home he made inquiry
about the child Of its mother, who said
she had not seen the child, and supposed
he had taken her along with him. On
going to the spot where he left her, he
saw huge bear tracks in the sand, and at
once came TO the conclusion that the
child had been carried of by a bear.
The family Immediately made search
through the forest, which was grown up
TO almost jungle. rendering the search
very slow All day these anxious parents
searched for 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 aching
hearts would listen, with almost breath
less fear, to catch some sound by which
they could discover their lost darling.
Morning came and their search was fruit
less.
A couple of gentlemen looking at land
came to the house, and, being informed
of the circumstances, immediately set out
to help find the child. No doubt existed
as to the fate of the little one by all, and
if they could only find where the bear
had dispatched his victim, they might
then 90 home with the assurance that
they we're never TO see their child again,
but until some trace Of her was found,
there was hope.
The gentlemen alluded to had wan.
dered about, and, as they were passing a |
swampy spot, where the underground |
was thick, they either called the child or |
else we're talking loud, when one of them
heard the chiId's voice. He then called |
the child by name, and told her to come !
out of the bushes. She replied that the
bear would not let her. The men thu N
crept through the brush, and when ear
the spot where the child and bear were,
they heard splash in the water, which
the child said was the bear. Or. going
to her they found her standing upon a
log extending about half way across the
river.
The bear had undertP. zen to cross the
river on the log and BEING closely pur-
sued, left the child aid swan away. She
had received some scratches upon her
face, arms and legs, and her clothes
were almost torn from her body, but the
bear had not bitten her to hurt 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
The little one says the bear would put
her down occasionally to rest, and would
put his nose up to her face, when she
would slap him, and then the bear would
hang his head by ner side and purr and
rub against her like cat The men
asked her if she was cold in the night,
aud she told them the old bear lay down
beside her and put his arms" around
her and Rugged her to him aud kept her
warm, though she did not like his long
hair. She was taken home to her parents,
who could hardly express their joy at
her safety.
The bear has been seen lurking about
in the vicinity, it is supposed for the pur-
pose of yet carrying off the child. The
supposition is that it is a female bear,
and having lost her cubs, came across
the child and adopted it. Steps are being
taken to capture the Ludington
(Mich.) Record, June 30.
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Frank P. Blair, jr., passed here en-