Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1875 — An Old Man’s Fight With a Bear. [ARTICLE]

An Old Man’s Fight With a Bear.

Samuel Ames, aged seventy-five years, met with quite an adventure while on a visit to his nephew, near Northville, Fulton Co., a few days since. He went into the near the house, and was almost immediately confronted by a monstrous black bear which had been hidden in the brakes and underbrush. Mr. Ames sprang over a fence near by and the bear after him. The animal attacked him with his paws and, as Mr. Ames had no weapon to defend himself, he seized the bear by the long hair each side of the head, and held the brute at arms’ length. The bear kept his fore paws “ padclling” rapidly, and tore off all the old gentleman’s clothing on the front side to the skin, scratching him considerably. The animal forced him to his knees once or twice, acting very savagely, and would doubtless have maimed and, perhaps, killed him, had he not obtained a piece of rail, which he used with such good, effect as to drive bruin away. It was thought to be a female with cubs, and that she made the attack in order to give her young a chance to escape. The old gentleman showed good pluck, at least, and escaped with slight bruises and scratches. The bear was taller than Mr. Ames.when she stood erect on her hind feet.— llont* {N. F.) Cor. Utica Herald.

A boy at Swampscott, Mass., put out to sea in a dory, during a high gale, the other day, and was earned off by the wind after 'losing one of his oars. A yacht put out to his assistance, and, after barely escaping shipwreck, ran by him, and the Captain hauled him aboard, after he had been five hours drifting and become quite exhausted and speechless. The family of the boy are getting up a testimonial for thej Captain, and the Humane Society is preparing medals for the crew who risked their lives in the rescue. She looked out of the window the lowering skies and flying leaves, and remarked, with a little'shiver of delight: “ Time to think about that winter bonnet and new f\irs”—Bocfo*ter Democrat.