Passaic City record., 1893-08-05

wall. L oh, good gracious me
they've been here already! They've
killed him! Oh, Theodore, Theo-"
In turning from the empty room,
plump Patricia had nearly tumbled
! over her brother, who was hurrying up
stairs.
"Hold your tongue, Patty, said he,
breathlessly. cit wasn't burglar ;
it was me. 'Sh, 'sh, Patty; I've done
it."
"Done what, Theodore?"
"I've wrung that atrocious birds
neck"
"The turkey, Theodore? How did
you know I wanted the turkey for Fri
days dinner? I told George ="
Mr.. Pluckett chuckled once more.
"Go back to bed, Patricia, said he.
"It's all right. I just heard noise
down by the stables, and thought I'd
go and see what the trouble was. It's
all right now."
Mr.. Pluckett retired to his pillow,
and dreamed that Miss Lillicombe's
peacock walked him up with his scream
ing at four o'clock in the morning.
He sat up in bed, staring at the
golden penciling of sunrise on the wall.
miss Lillicombe is handsome
woman" he said to himself. "She
gave me one of those rare Holland
bulbs last fall; and that bowl of soup
she sent in when Patty ha6 sore
throat was simply perfection. I'm
- almost = sorry"
And then he lay down again and
went to sleep.
When he descended into the garden
that morning, Miss Lillicombe herself
was coming up the path between a
double row of dew-sparkling roses.
"Oh, Mr.. Pluckitt," cried she,
"I'm SO sorry! Patricia has just told
me how dreadfully Prince Pepin has
been annoying you"
Mr.. Pluckitt looked bewildered.
"I don't know any gentleman OF
that name," said he.
Miss Lillicombe laughed.
"I mean the peacock, said she.
"But you shall not be troubled any
more. Eve given him to my Uncle
Bagbury, who isa famous bird-fancier.
He's to take him away at once. And
if you'll forgive me for being so
thoughtless, I'll promise never to keep
such a noisy pet about the place
again.
"Hello, Laural" thundered a hoarse
voice over the hedge. Where's that
peacock?"
"Uncle Bagbury himself" cried
Miss Lillicombe, clasping her hands.
"And we can't find Prince Pepin any
where. Do, dear Mr.. Pluckitt, help
me look for him?"
"Plaze, MISS" said George, the
gardener, "ees in the poultry 'ouse
along with the other fools. Masters
got key in his pocket.
"Y-yes," stammered Mr.. Pluckitt,
turning pale and red by turns. "I-
I'll go and see. Here, Patty, take
Miss Lillicombe into the cool piazza. "
And only too thankful to secure
moment or two for reflection, he turn
ed away to the pretty Gothic poultry
houses under the terraces.
"Now, how am to tell her," he
franctically asked himself, "that I
deliberately went out and wrung that
pretty creatures neck last night? I
knew that temper of mine would be
the ruin of me. Why couldn't have
bridled it little? Why-why
couldn't / have behaved like sensible
MANI"
Slowly and sadly he fitted the key
into the door and swung it open.
With deafening screech something
in green and gold few past him, and
peacock's plume futtered down upon
his head
AS a feather is waited downward
From an eagle in his flight
Ere the rest of the imprisoned
winged creatures had made their pre-
cipitate escape, Mr. Pluckitt stumbled
over the remains of the unfortunate
white turkey which by the uncertain
light of the lantern he had mistaken
for the chief offender, the night before.
"There is such thing as luck in
this world" said Mr.. Pluckitt, his
whole face becoming radiant. "This