The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-01-28
An Exciting Chase and Narrow Escape.
A CHILD CAKRIED TWO MILES RI AN EAGLE.

"A gentleman named Bowers, from
Meigsville, Jackson county, informs US
that on Christmas Eve. about three o clock
in the afternoon, the farm of a Mr.. White
side, about five miles from Meigsville,
was the scene of most exciting and
nearly fatal event 1t is briefly this :
AZ Whiteslde was in the little town
"o'lS some SssinesS; his wife was away
at nelShbor's where sick child was
struggling with chul0ra infanru,o cd
the only in door servant they had WAS ou>
in the barn looking after some cattle,
when their child-a bright little boy, just
learning 10 toddle around ON his little feet
and prattle the name of 'pa''-tumbled or
crawled out Of its cradle, in which il was
left asleep by the servant n few moments
before, and managed somehow to get to
the door, which was unfortunately open
at the time, although the girl left in charge
OF the place avers that she closed it on GO
ing out. The child tumblcd into the
front yard, it is supposed, and was crying
and sprawlIng around, when great grey
eagle, seen by the girl as she was leaving
the barn, came swooping down, and Ess-
tening its immense and cruel talons in the
clothing of the little boy, rose up, appa.
rently with much difficulty, as high as it
Gould, which was not very high, and sail
ed off across the adjacent woods, just
skimming, the servant Gays, the tops
of the trees. When the servant saw the
the eaele coming down, as she was leav
ing the barn, she bad presentment Of the
strongest kind, and says that she felt that
the child was out of doors, and that the
fierce bird of prey was ponncing down up
on It : but when, III moment after, she
beheld the great tyrant of the air rise
above the house top with the child in it's
claws, she grew dizzy and fell TO the
ground. Her weakness, however, did not
continue long; the cold air blowing across
her face revived her quickly, and jumping
on her feet and gazing round wildly, she
saw the eagle disappearing over the woods
in the direction of the Cumberland river.
She was filed with but one impulse-to
rescue the little boy. She became as one
| frantic, for she had a remarkable affec-
tion for the child She rushed forward,
bounded over tie fence as if she were en-
dowed with the lightness and agility of
| deer; dashed into the woods, dark and
tang led as it was, not taking time to hunt
out foot-paths, or cow tracks She in
! stinctively felt that the thieYing bird
would keep in a straight line, and she
| kept in straight line also. With tie
strength and unthinking courage of a
| strong man who had become suddenly de-
ranged, she dashed the underground aside,
| crossed the ravineS as if she were on the
| level plain, spurned the fallen trees and
jagged rocks as if they were the smooth
est and sofest moss. The patch of wood
was fully mile and half through but
the girl made the run 10 the other edge of
IL "itf10uE feeling III the 1cEsI faticued.-
Beyond the wood, and between it and the
river, lay patch nf cleared ground, part
ly marshy and partly eorn-feld, full of
old stumps. When she left the wood,
and had a clear view, she saw the eagle
as if he were inclined to alight with his
burden somewhere in the neighborhood of
the river. This gave her new courage
ann fresh hope. and she ran forward with
increased speed. 1t luckily happened at
that time that there was a man hunting
in the neighboriug marshes, and just at
the particular moment when the eagle
reached the ground with his burden a shot
went off dangerously and alarming him
(for the hunter was behind clump of
bushes about twenty yards off, and had
his back toward the spot where the eagle
and the child were), that he mounted into
the air again, but this time without his
burden. The pursuing girl was filled
| with 10y when she beheld the bird rise
without the child. But fearing he would
return, as he seemed inclined TO do so,
| she sat up vigorous shouting as she ran,
which attracted the hunters attention in
| that direction, who, seeing the eagle q1ite
! near him, and a lady rushing down the
| slope with streaming hair and garments,
and wildly shouting, concluded at once
that there was something strange and
perhaps dreadful in his Immediate vicihi>
! ty, and be also set up vigorous halloo>
ing. and proceeded TO reload his gun with
much precipitation, forgetting to 60 after
the game which he had just shot. The
eagle SOON became aware of the lurmida-
Bile opposition he would meet if he
attempted to recapture his prey, and
thinking better of it, he wheeled around
and swung himself in one grand swoop
across the river and disappeared behind
the shelving rock which forms the oppo-
site bank at that point, before shot from
the hunters gun was ready to speed its
flight to his heart. When the girl came
down to the hunter, she fell stiff, and was
not able even to Indicate what Was the
matter. While the rough gallant was
endeavoring to restore her to conciousness,
he heard the scream of a child, and leav-
ing the slowly recovering girl, he went to-
ward the spot where the screaming came
from and beheld a fine, healthy, rosy boy,
with torn clothes, but otherwise uninjured,
endeavoring TO rise upon his little feet
The tears streaned down his innocent
cheeks. and his face wore most pite"us
expression. He took the baby in his arms