The Shasta courier., 1864-01-30
SHASTA COURIER.
STORY.

We have recently met with most remark
able volume. The name of the author is II
Sricer, a gentleman we'll known in the liter
airy circles of London, as contributor to
AL the Year Round. This book was pub
lished last spring. but as it has not been re
printed in the United States, we venture
70 epitomize one of its marve's being
the account of Tie Bird Woman-the
most extraordinary freak of nature of which
we have ever heard.
Somewhat painful in details, it is sufficient
iy grotesque for place in volume of Ger
man faneies, although we are assured that it
actually occurred in England, but a shoI t
time SINCE The narrator-a girl of the ser
want class, but of rather superior address
had called on Mr.. Spicer's sister, as to sit
uatIon, to which she had been recommended,
and In the course of conversation related the
following as a recent experience. The ad-
yertlsement IN which she bad set forth her
Willingness to take charge Of an invalid, in
hrm, or lunatic person. or to assume any of
ice demanding great steadiness of nerve,
was replied to by lady living on the out
SKIRTS OF The city, who requested her attend
eesat an appointed hour. The house prov
ed to be dingy, deserted looking mansion.
lt bad haunted and sirister aspect and the
girl. as she rang the bell was sensible of a
misgiyIng for which she could not account,
but she possessed courage and frmness. A
i.sdy.like person, the mistress of the house,
opened the door, and, conducting the appli-
cant into an adjoining apartment, informed
her that her task would be of very trying
and peculiar nature, requiring frmness and
courage. The girl, nothing daunted, wished
to be made acquainted with the nature of her
duties. The mistress. thereupon, leading the
way to a back apartment, unlocked the door,
rs about to enter, but hesitatingiv. She
warned her companion that she was about to
bs brought face to face with spectacle that
might well try the strongest nerves. With
this not very reassuring preface they both
entered the room, which was very gloomy
On the floor, in one corner, was plainly dis
tinguishable what looked Ike bundle of
clothes in disorder. However, it appeared
to be in motion, and the mistress told the girl
not to be alarmed. adding. . If she likes you
she'll hoot-if she don't, she'll scream" At
that moment, from the heap of clothes, there
rose head that made the strangers blood
run chill. 1t was human, indeed, in general
structure: but it exhibited. in place of
nose, a large beak. carved like that Of an
owl Two staring yellow eyes increased the
some feathery substance sprouting from a
skin hard and black as a parrot tongue,
completed this horrible intermingling of bird
and woman.
As they approached, the unhappy being
rose and sunk with the measured motion of
bird upon a perch. and presently opening
its mouth, gave utterance to hideous and
prolonged g tu-whoo. " "All right" said the
lady, :. she likes you.a They were both, as
it were, standing over the unfortunate freak
OF nature. Have 20 ucourage to lift her?"
impaired the lady. Try" The girl, tho
recoiling instinctively from the contact, nerv
ed herself to the utmost, and, putting Ter
arms beneath those of the still hooting crea-
ture, strove to raise heru In doing so, the
hands became disengaged from the clothes.
! hey were black, armed with l)ng curved
talons, like those of a bird of prey. Even
this new discovery might not have made the
girls courage fail, had she not, as had seem
ed to be the case, crouched on the ground,
bat, balanced on an actual perch rail,
round which her feet closed and clung bv
means OF talons similar to those which adorn-
cd her hands. So irrepressibe was the feel
ing of horror that now overcame the visitor.
that, after one desperate effort of self-control,
she was forced TO let 90 of the thing she held.
A wild, unearthly scream that rang through
the house marked the creatures change of
mood. The baleful eyes shot yellow fire, and
scream after scream pursued her as she fairly
fled from the apartment, followed at stead.
Ter pace by the lady. The latter took the
girl in the parlor, did all in her power to
soothe her agitation, and expressed no sur
prise when she declared that ten times the
liberal amount offered would not tempt her
to undertake such an unnatural charge.