Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-05
The Peacock and
The Nightingale
AN OLD FABLE RETOLD.

Two little girls were seated on a couch
in the big hall talking about themselves.
| oh. dear." sighed Lucy. 81 don't see
| why [ couldn't have had golden curls deem
| blue eyes and red cheeks! Mamma was
beautiful when she was as old as I am.
grandmother says, and I'm just as ugly
| as blue mud. / don't see why couldn't be
pretty like you are, Rose. I'd give anything
| II were. I'm sure people must hate to
| look at me-
What NONSENSE" cried Rose ''Why,
Lucy. II L could have people say such nice
Things about me that they do about you I'd
! as leave be black. think. Mrs. Telfair told
father last night that with your bright
smile you were more attractive than
May come into this discussion" asked
Voice behind them. and the two faces
flushed guiltily while both little girls an
swered:
I'VE didn't know you were there Mrs
Telfair.''
Il did not mean to listen," explained
the gray-haired lady, who sat down by
Rose and Lucy. "but I couldn't help hear
ing you. And 1 thought of straight short
hair Lucy. 1 had very straight, short hair
muddy eyes, yellow skin, harsh voice, bad
manners and a disconnected heart. A dear
old lady took compassion on my unattract-
veness, and one day told me the story Of
how the peacock Junos favorite bird, COM
planned to the goddess that he thought he
had been neglected because his voice was
not as sweet the nightingale. The night
ingale listened to with pleasure, while
he was only laughed at for his ugly noise
If he ventured to open his mouth.
THE goddess was sorry for him and
said: If the nightingale is blessed with
a fine voice, you have the advantage in
beauty and size But the peacock was not
appeased; he did not wish to be excelled
in anything. So the goddess told him to
consider his blessing carefully; that each
bird was given some good and indispensa-
BILE quality, one as valuable the other:
To him, beauty; to the eagle. strength; to
the nightingale, a voice of melody; to the
parrot. the faculty of speech, and so on
That each of these birds must be satisfied
with what quality he possessed and make
the most of it, and unless he wished to be
miserable he must speedily become con-
tented with his lot
That's fable isn't it," asked Rose.
AS Mrs. Telfairn stopped. isn't there
little verse to it, too?''
"Yes-it Is the moral:
1.-the man who to his lots resigned
True happiness Is sure to find.
But makes feel it keener still
81 discovered that I had nimble fingers
and, at the dear old ladys suggestion put
them to work-trying to help others little.
Perhaps this little suggestion will help
you, little Miss Lucy and Mrs. Telfair
passed OH to the parlor
The little girls looked at each other 81
lantly for a couple of minutes.
Goodness mer' exclaimed Lucy solemnly.
"To think that there is chance of grow
ing as nice as Mrs. Telfair Why, Rose,
everybody in town loves her"
Yes" agreed Rose thoughtfully, mother
says she is one woman in a Million and
you know what that means. I am going
to be as near like her as I can"
"And t. added Lucy resolutely. "She
had no more to start with than you and I.
Rosebud-and. and I'm not going to envy
you any more"
Nor 1 YOU" answered Rose, they
twined arms and went upstairs to write
this good resolution on the back of visit
ing card. and put 1t in their mirrors as a
81 eminder."