The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-17
WILD FLIGHT FROM A DEAR.
Miss LOughran's Adventure on a BIZ
cycle in Vermont.
From the Baltimore American.

HI
From the Baltimore American.
WoOdford, Vt, Oct. I2-Miss Jessie
Loughran OF Jersey City, who is visiting
her aunt, Mrs. James Davis, near this
place, had lively adventure with large
black bear this week. She is an enthu-
siastic wheelwoman, and, when she came
from Jersey City. she brought her bicycle
with her. She had gone about five miles
from her aunt's house and was returning
home, when she heard the sharp crack of
rife. That is nothing unusual at this
time Of the year in Vermont, for the deer
season is now open and there are many
hunters in the woods. Miss Loughran
would probably not have paid more than
passing attention TO the shot had she not
heard Immediately afterward a heavy body
crash through the underground skirting
the roadside. She turned around, and
doing so lost her balance. To save herself
from fall she dsmounted.
Hardly had she left the wheel when a
large black bear burst out of the woods
IN fuli view of her. 1t was evident that
the animal was wounded, for it was snort
ing with rage, and endeavored TO lick its
4eIt shoulder. Miss Loughran screamed
ana Hade a desperate attempt to remount
her wheel. Never before did her wheel
behave so disreputably. 1t wabbled as It
never Wabbed before, and cavorted with
an the Wlckedness of an unbridled bronco
Az least that is what she thinks it did.
NO sooner did the bear see Miss Lough-
ran than 1t gave a snort and made a dash
1or Aer' Half frightened to death. Miss
LouShran made another desperate attempt
10 mount her wheel and this time was
successful. Just as her feet caught the
pedals and the first burst of speed was
ACQUIRED the bear shot up alongside her
ana with one dart of his paw, tore a
Jagged piece out of the side of her flap
ping SKIRT. The wheelWoman looked down
at the enraged bear, and wondered how
long the race would last So long as he
pear ala not get tangled up in the wheels
ana she ran against no obstruction she
was reasonably sure of getting away from
the animal. But fate had not decreed that
MISS Loughran should escape absolutely
rom the animal The bear got over the
ground with surprising CELEBRITY, Once
Wheh rounding turn in the road the
pear drew so near the wheel again that
II TORE another piece from Miss Lough-
ran SKIRT. The sharp claws even went
deeper, and scratched Miss Jouehran's
les' AT that Miss Loughran screamed al
the top of her voice.
II wonder 1 was not heard in Wood
ford" she said afterward. Il thought ev-
cry minute was to be my last"
LUCKILY for the young woman the hear
ala not get mixed up in the wheels of her
Dlcycle. Not mile had been covered in
the race with the bear. vet Miss T,oueb-
ran imagined that she had gone at least
nan way 10 the New York state line. The
pear, though painting holly, was beginning
10 gam steadily on her; the excitement of
the race was telling on her and she was
rapidly losing nerve and strength. She
began TO pedal with renewed vigor but
lhe squirt was made too late. The bear
was upon her. Both its forepaWs fastened
themselves on the hind wheel of the hi
cycle. The claws sank deep into the tire
and wheel, rider and bear went tonnline
over, confused mass, in the dusty high
way.
When Miss Loughran struggled to, her
ieet' she was covered with dust and
breeding from scratch in the face Turn
ing about, she saw the bear making des-
perate attempts to free itself from the
wheel. Then Miss Loughran did wbex
few city girls are capable of doing. She
climbed tree. She knew that il would
be worse than useless to run awav. for y
would not be long before the bear would
ne free and after her. How she ever
got up that tree she will never be able
to tell lucidly. But, after desperate strug-
gies and many sobs, she got as high as
lne lower limb, over which she swung her
SELF. In her excitement she forgot thar
pears can climb trees. 1t was not untiI
she was perched there that this thought
came to her.
Great goodnessi Suppose that hoo,
should climb this tree!" she cried.
The thought made her shudder Han.
PLY for her, this occurrence was averted
Just as the bear had succeeded in ger
tlng itself untangled from the wheel q
pack or hunting dogs ran out into the
road a short distance above. The
bear Immediately turned tail and fed int,
woods
road, followed by the dogs. A minnie
later two young hunters came into view
Both were running. When they saw the
bicycle they stopped
II wonder where that bear got this
wheelY' said one of the hunters,
Loughbran. -'0'
The hunters looked around in astonish-
ment.
Il thought I heard a voice, Harley -
said he to his companion.
MISS Loughbran slid down the trunk oP
the tree rather the worse for her expert
ence, yet relieved to know that her ner,I
was past 1t took few words 10 taI1 ba,.
story. Beyond the fact that her rear tire
was badly punctured, the wheel was NOT
much injured "' 'o'
Miss Loughbran insisted upon tr,,ndling
tne Wheel herself to her aunt's home
though she was accompanied the greater
par % the way by the two young men.
one of whom was from New York and the
other from Rutland, this state.
Il never expected to have such an ex-
citing time in quiet old Vermont /" said
Miss Loughbran, "but then one cannot al
ways tell what is going to happen. NV on
~ regret is that the horrid bear was not
killed. 90 AI0'
SPAIN'S PENAL COLONY.