In “Narrow Escape from a Bear,” young man meets bear with unexpected results; part thrilling adventure, part slapstick, the story is an example of the general tone of stories in Parley’s Magazine. A bear provided another humorous anecdote in an earlier issue.


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“Narrow Escape From a Bear” (from Parley’s Magazine, Saturday, April 27, 1833; p. 63)

A young man, in passing through the woods near Bangor, Me., a short time since, found himself within a few feet of a ravenous bear. He sprang to the nearest pine and climbed up, the bear clambering after him. Making good use of his feet he dashed his antagonist to the ground. The bear returned and was again repulsed, carrying with him one of our hero’s boots. Bruin ascended a third time and with more caution. The young man, hoping to escape ascended the tree about fifty feet, and as the bear approached him attempted to shake him off, but in vain, as his foot was held by the paws of the infuriated animal, who had lost his hold of the tree and hung suspended by the poor man’s leg. The young man’s strength becoming exhausted, he let go his hold on the tree, and down they went with a tremendous concussion to the ground. Our hero struck on the bear and rebounded eight or ten feet distant. The affrighted pair sat eyeing each other for some time, when the bear, who was the more severely bruised of the two, showing no signs of fight, the young man rose and fled, leaving his hat and boot behind him,—his friend of the shaggy coat casting at him an expressive look, accompanied by a growl and a shake of the head.

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