The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1875-09-16
NATURES FREAK.
a Child Born With the Head of Cat and
the Feet ofa Chicken.

Nature, when in a festive mood, performs
many odd freaks, but the most wonderful
of which We have ever heard, was the birth
OF 4 strange monstrosity about two weeks
ago and not hall dozen miles from
Joplin. The circumstance was related 10
us by a physician whose reputation for
truth and veracity cannot be questioned
the physicians name as well AZ theirs will
not at this time be made public.
About one o'clock A. NJ, - ult, DR.
was summoned 10 attend Mrs.-who was
momentarily expected TO be confined Ar
irving At the house he found the three or
four women gathered there in a state OF
great excitement, and on inguiring the
cause of their agitation he was shown TO
the bedside where he found the lady in a
state of great mental prostration. After
administering the necessary remedies which
succeeded in quieting the nerves, he was
shown into another room where he beheld a
strange looking being, which the lady had
given birth to a few minutes before his ar
rival. Even the doctor, who was accus-
toned to see strange sights, was shocked at
this. Wrapped in its swaddling cloths lay
the child, if child it could be called, weigh
ing about eight pounds, with head whose
forehead was we'll developed, but whose
mouth, nose, eyes, ears and general coun-
tenance was the exact counterpart of
cats, though the eyes, from their dazzling
brilliancy, looked much like serpent's.
The body, arms and hands were well FORM
ell and natural, and so were the legs as far
down as the knees. From the knees they
bore an almost exact resemblance to the
leg of chicken-the foot was as near a
chickens foot as can be imagined-and
the infant would contract Its toes lust as a
chicken would. Its head and neck was COW
cred with growth OF fine black hair, the
body and limbs looked like chicken when
plucked of its feathers Its cries were those
OF 4 cat. Other peculiarities were notice
able, but perhaps it is best not to make
them public at this time.
1t is said that this unfortunate circum-
stance was brought about in this wise Five
or six months ago, while the parents resid-
cd in another State, the lady was watching
a fight between a cat and rooster, in an
adjoining yard. Two boys, aged ten and
twelve years respectively, were watching
the conflict with great interest. Finally
the cat caught the chicken BY the neck and
instantly dispatched him, the older boy
grabbed a light axe, and, uplifting it,
rushed toward the younger, saving.
"D-n you, your cat killed my rooster, and
Pll kill you" The younger brother in at
= tempting TO escape. stumbled and fell. AT
this stage OF the proceedings the lady fell to
the floor in a swoon, but only recovered to
pass from one spasm:: into another, which
continued for several hours. and the result
Was the birth of this monstrosity.
The parents wished the child put out of
the way by violent means, but after a deal
of persuasion and the promise of large
sum Of money the doctor was allowed to ne
tain. it, provided he would never make its
payentage known or exhibit j: for two years.
He has hired an old negro man and his
vile, who live at an out-ofthe-way place
on The Arkansas line, to raise the infant.
Less than a week ago he heard from it, and
it was growing finely. There are other in
teresting matters connected with this strange
case which we will lay before our readers
in few weeks if .permitted.-Jopin (Mo.)
Bulletin.