The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-05-26
(From tho Ludington (Aich Record,
An Uncommon Big Bear Story.


From tho Ludington (Alich Record,
An Uncommon Big Bear Story.
CARRIED OFF BY A BEAR-nIARvEL-
oC3 DISCOVERY OF THE CHILD AFTER
SEARCHING THIRTY SIX HOURS.
We have on record very singular
deliverance of girl about three years
old, to its parents, after boing carried
off by black bear, and search of
about thirty-six hours through the for
est by the excited parents. The facts,
as near as we can gather them, arc
substantially as follows:
Mr.. Henry Flynn lives about forty
miles east of this place, at or near the
lodging camps of Mr.. Ludington, and
we believe has charge of one of the
camps. Ho started one morning to
take horse to pasture, about two
miles distant from the house, and as
he was ready to start, his little girl
appeared and seemed very anxious to
60 with her father, who, in order to
p.ease the child, put her upon the
horse's back and let her ride short
distance, perhaps forty rods from the
house, but III plain view Of it, where
he put her down and told her to run
home. He noticed that the child was
standing when he left her, and on
looking back after going little fur
ther,saw her playing in the sand. lie
soon passed out of sight and was gone
abous an hour, expecting, of course
the oaild would return to the house
after playing few moments.
On returning home he made inqui-
ry 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
tand, and at once came to the conolu-
sion that tho child had been carried
off by the bear.
Tho family Immediately made
search through the forest which was
grown up to almost a jungle, render
log their search very slow. All day
these anxious parents searched for
some trace Of their child, nor did they
stop when darkness came on, but re-
mained in the woods, calling the child
BY her name, and with aching hearts
would listen with almost breathless
fear to catch seha sound by which
they could discover - ~ ~: tc.:ling.
Morning came and their se...a was
fruitless.
y couple Of gentlemen looking at
land came to tho house, and, being in
formed Of the circumstance, immcdi-
ately set ont to find the child. No
doubt existed as to the fate of the
little one by any, and if thoy could
only find where the bear had dispatch
ca his victim they might then 90
home with the assurance that they
we're never to see the child again, but
uitil some trace Of her was found
there was hope.
The gentleman alluded to had wan
dored about, and as they were passing
swampy spot where the undergrowth
was thick, they either called the child,
OF else were talking loud, when one
OF them heard the child'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 then crept through the
brush, and when near the spot where
the bear and child were, they heard a
splash in the water, which the child
said was tho bear. On going to her
they found her standing upon a loo
extending about half way across the
river.
The bear had undertaken to cross
tho river on the log, and being closely
pursued, left tho child and swan
away. She had received some scratch.
es about her face, arms and legs, and
her clothes were almost torn from her
bJdy, but tho 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 ono 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 her
aide and purr and rub against her like
cat. The men asked if she was
cold in the night, aud she told them
that tho old bear lay down beside her,
and put his farms" around her and
hugged her to him and kept her warm,
though she did not like his long hair.
She was taken home to her parents,
who could scarcely express their JOY
at her safety.
TIL, bear had been seen lurking
bout in the vicinity, it is supposed
for the purpose of carrying off the
child. The supposition is that it is a
fomale bear, and, having lost her enba.