HUGGED BY A BEAR.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 21, 19 August 1893, Page 12

HUGGED BY A BEAR.

The 2nd Life Guards keep a pet bear in Albany-street barracks, which recently nearly killed a lad of twelve years, named Albert Morgan. The lad was in the habit of running messages for the soldiers, and, boylike, took every opportunity of making friends with the animal. Bruin was confined with a chain, about six yards long, to a pole in a grass plot fenced in by railing’, but there was, it appeal’s, sufficient space between the rails for the lad to get through. Morgan approached the bear, which was lying down, and familiarly patted it on the back, as he had seen the soldiers do, saying Get up, Polly.” The bear got up in anything but a friendly mood, sprang on the boy, and with a great blow of its paw knocked him down, and commenced gnawing him. The little fellow struggled bravely, clutching the animal by the throat and nose, but he would have certainly been killed had it not been for the timely arrival of Corporal - farrier Taylor, of the Royal Horse Guards. With much difficulty he beat of the animal, then infuriated by the taste of blood. The lad was almost senseless when rescued, and w r as subsequently in a precarious state, suffering from no less than 20 wounds on the head, shoulders, body, and throat.