Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1879 — A Young Woman’s Battle with a Bear. [ARTICLE]

A Young Woman’s Battle with a Bear.

About a month ago Miss Alice Corey, of New York City, came to visit her a German, who owns a small farm in the mountains, six'miles north of this place. Miss Corey is about sixteen years old, and her parents are well-to-do. Her uncle has a daughter Clara, also aged about sixteen years. Her father having but one son, Clara has for years helped to do the work on the farm, and she has become an expert shot with a rifle. She has a mania for hunting, and she frequently goes into the forest in search of game.' A few days ago Clara invited her cousin to accompany her on a hunting expedition. They started from the house shortly after breakfast, Alice with a double-barreled gun and Clara with a rifle. After scouring the woods

for several hours without much success, they visited “ Dark Swamp.” This swamp embraces several hundred acres, is densely wooded, and bears are frequently seen there. The girls reached the edge of the swamp at noon, and started into the thicket. They had gone but a short distance when Miss Corey, -who was walking a few yards behind her cousin, heard a crackling noise in the bushes a short distance back. Looking around she saw a large black bear coming toward her. Clara, who had frequently encountered these shaggy monsters, called to her frightened cousin to come to her. She then drew her rifle to her shoulder and, taking deliberate aim at the-animal, awaited^until it came within easy range, and then fired. The bear uttered a howl of pain and fell bleeding. As Clara’s rifle was a single-barreled one, she seized the double-barreled gun from her cousin and discharged both barrels at the infuriated animal, in the hope of killing* it outright. But, with the disappearance of the smoke from the gun, the bear was seen writhing, but not dead. The brave young woman then approached cautiously to within reaching distance of the wonnded animal, and, taking from a large leather belt encircling her waist a bone-handled deer-knife, plunged it to the hilt into the bear’s neck. At this moment the dying monster gave a sudden lunge and fastened its sharp claws into the girl’s skirts, pulling her down. Her frightened cousin ran about wildly and screamed at the top of her voice; but, as there was no house within two miles, her cries were not heard. She then returned to where Clara was still struggling with the animal. The bear still heldthe girl in its grasp, but was rapidly growing weaker. The girl was all the time using her knife with good effect. She dealt the dying animal blow after blow until it finally released its hold and rolled over dead. Though very much exhausted and considerably scratched by the bear’s claws, Clara, with the assistance of her cousin, was soon able to walk. They marked the spot where the dead bear lay, and then returned home. Clara’s father and brother drove to the swamp and brought the bear in, which, when dressed, weighed 340 pounds. The skin is to be sent to a New York taxidermist to be stuffed, and it will be kept by the yoting woman as a souvenir of ner terrible struggle and fortunate escape.— Hunter's Range (Pa.) Cor. N. Y. Sun.