The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-01-21
STAUNTON, VIRGINIA. THURSDAY. JANUARY o. 1862
From the Nashville Press January IL
A Child Taken off by an Eagle and Car
rIed Two Miles,

|
| A gentleman named Bowers, from Me
| vile, jackson county, now in town, informs
us that, on Christmas Eve, about 3 O'Clock
in the afternoon, the farm of MIR. White
side, about five miles from Meigsville, was
the scene of most exciting and nearly fatal
event. 1t is briefly this:
MIR. Whiteside was in the little town do
ing some business; his wife was away at a
neighbors, where sick child was struggling
with cholera inEantum and the Only in door
servant they had was out in the barn looking
after some cattle, when their child-a bright
little boy, just learning to todde around on
its little feet and pratte the name of ''pa"-
tumbled or crawled out Of his cradle, in which
it was left asleep by the servant few mo-
meats 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 AYERS that she had closed it on 60
ing out. The child tumbled into the front
yard, it is supposed: and was crying and
sprawling around, when great gray eagle,
seen by the girl as she was leaving the barn,
came swooping down, and fastening its i'm
mense and cruel talons in the clothing of the
little boy, rose up apparently with much diff
fculty, as high as it could, which was not
very high, and sailed off across the adjacent
woods, just skimming as the servant says, the
tops of the trees. When the servant saw the
eagle coming down, as she was leaving the
barn, she had presentaent of the strangcst
kind, and says that she felt that the child
was out doors, and that the fierce bird OF
prey was bouncing down upon it; but when,
in moment after, she beheld the great ty-
rant of the air rise above the house top with
the little child in its claws, she grew crazy
ever did not continue long the cold air
blowing across her face revived her quickly,
and jumping on her feet and gazing around
wildly, she saw the eagle disappearing over
the woods in the direction Of the Cumber-
land River She was filled with but one i'm
pulse-to rescue the little boy. She became
as one frantic, for she had a remarkable af-
lection for the child. She rushed forward
bounded over the fence as if she were endow-
ed with the lightness and agility Of deer,
dashed iuto the woods dark and tangled as it
was, not taking time to hunt out foot paths,
or COW tracks She instinctively felt that
the theying bird would keep in straight
line, and she kept in straight line also
With the strength aud minimizing courage
Of a strong man deranged, she dashed the
underground aside, crossed ravincs as if she
were on the level plain, spurned the fallen
trees and jagged rocks as if they were the
smothest and softest moss.
The patch of wood was fully a mile and
half through ]; but the girl made the run to
the other edge Of it without feeling in the
least fatigued. Beyond the wood, and be-
tween it and the river, lay patch Of cleared
ground, partly marshy and partly corn field,
full of old stumps. When she left Che wood,
and had 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 and fresh hope,
and she ran forward with increased speed
It luckily happened at that time that there
was a man hunting in the neighboring mar
shes, aud just at the particular moment when
the eagle reached the ground with his burden,
Shot went off SO dangerously and alarming
ly near him Qor the hunter was behind a
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 bur
den. The pursuing girl was filled with joy
when she behcld the bird rise without the
child. But fearing he would return, as he
seemed inclined to do, she set up a vigorous
shouting as she ran, which attracted the at
tention CT the hunter in that direction, who,
seeing the eagle quite near him, and lady
rushing down the slope with str uing air
and garments, and wildly shouting concluded
at once that there was something strange and
perhaps dreadful in his immediate vicinity,
aud he also set up a vigorous halloong, and
proceeded to reload his gun with much pre-
cpitation, forgetting to so after the game
which he had just shot.
The eagle soon became aware of the for
midable opposition he would meet if he at
tempted to recapture his prey, and thinking
better of it, he wheeled round and swung
himself in one grand swoop across the river
disappeared behind the shelving rock which
forms the opposite bank at that point before
shot from the hunters gun was ready to
speed its flight to its bold heart When the
girl came down to the hunter, she fell stiff
aud was not able even to indicate what was
the matter. While the rough gallant was
endeayoring to restore her to consciousness,
he heard the scream of child, and leaving
the slowly recovering girl, he went toward
the spot where the screaming came from, and
beheld fine, healthy, rosy boy, with torn
clothes but otherwise uninjured, endea voripg
to raise upon his little feet. The tears stream
ed down his innocent check, and his face
wore most hideous expression. He took
the baby in his arms aud carried it to the
girl, who was now sufficiently recovered to
comprehend that her beloved charge was safe
She clasped it to her bosom, covered it with
kisses and wept with joy. In the meantime
the mother and father Of the child had return
ed home, and finding it empty with no sign
to Indicate where the inmates were gone. save
bucket Of spilled milk out near the barn,
where the girl had dropped it in her flight,
they became exceedly anxious and uneasy
but the return O. the servant, the hunter aud
the wonderful little uoyayeur, who had the
most thrilling adventure that was ever heard
of restored them to tranquility. There was
truly merry and joyous Christmas in that
household
~