Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1881-01-07
The Bird Omen of Death.

"Iook," cried Adelaide Nelson in
terror to the physician attending her in
her lsst moments, look at that great
bird flying about me-" 1t was a bat
that had flown into her death chamber,
and Dr. Monier drove it out
This little incident is suggestive OF
the strong belief which once obtained in
England aud Scotland that the appear
ance of bird in the sick room was
sure omen of approaching death to the
occupant. Sir Walter Scott, in his book
on "Witchcraft and Demonology,p gives
many remarkable instances of this SUI
perstition which, like all superstitions,
is never at "a loss for eye-witnesses and
circumstantial evidence. Faith in the
omens of birds is indeed one CT the most
ancient Of popular delusions. lL was an
article of universal faith among the
| ancient Greeks, and Sophocles, the most
delightfully."- human of the tragedy wri-
ters of Athens, speaks of the sure
| prophecies and foreknowledge to be de-
rived from birds, from the strident
wings of full-grown ones to the young
ones "whose callow wings refuse a
heightened tlight."
The episode of the "great bird"
which so terrified the dying actress re-
minds US also of one of the strangest
of lives and deaths to be met with in
the English history. Thomas, the
second son of Lord Lyttleton, is believed
by many critics to this day to be the
author of the famous Letters OF
Junius," although Macaulay inclines
decidedly to Sir Philip Francis. Ger
tain it is that the description gwen by
Woodfall, the printers boy, of the tall,
thin gentleman, with high shoulders,
gold-laced coat and word, who gave him
the MS. OF one of the . letters" accords
with the appearance of Lord Lyttleton
but not with that tt Sir Philip Francis.
Moreover, when he former spoke IN
tie house of lord be fairly electrified
his audience by his power of invectlye
and sarcasm, and it is q notable com
cidenee that many of Lord Lyttleton's
expressions, such as " women, ana men
like women" are found also in Junlus'
But all this. of course, is not conclusive,
and we only recall the strange noble-
man who, even Mt Eton, was looked
upon with awe for his odd mixture
of morose soicism with dissipation,
because his death, so al least he as
1 serted, had been predicted to him by
the appearance ola white bird in his
bedroom. This was the third night be-
fore he died, ard he declared that his
death would takeplace at midnight, just
when il did. He was Mt convivial
partv Mt a broth er nobleman's country
house, and looking at his watch he said,
with the sardonic smile peculiar to him,
II | live half an hour longer | shall
Jockey the ghost" meaning that he
would give it the lie to the omen. He
retired shortly alter, and sent his ser
want for spoon that he might take his
customary dose ofrhubarb. When the
man returned he found his master diving
in convulsions on the floor. There
seems little doubt that he hsd poisoned
himsel', and had predicted mis- death in
the full purpose OF fulfilling the pvoph-
ecy By suicide. Still, tthe storp OF the
bird m9y have been true, and the belief
in such appearances of the feathered
tribe, especially oi one or sometimes two
white birds, before death, was very pre-
) Valent even among the upper classes OF
society in those Brooklyn Eagle.