The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-08-15
PEACOCK
FEATHERS
By Clarence o. Robbins
Copyright. 1912. by Associated Literary Press.i


terrace
why don't you like them, Aunty?"
asked Bess Long as she tossed a bis
cult to one Of the birds.
Mrs. Long shook her head mourn
fully. 1T means bad luck to have 'em
around" she said
Il don't believe it." declared Bess
stoutlv. y think l am lucky to own
them. l always admired Hester's pea
cocks, and when she went to Europe
and gave these to me-you know how
delighted l ami"
My Aunt Emeline had a peacock
feather fan that l believe caused her
death" declared Aunt Agatha dismal
ly.
But Aunt Emeline was nearly
ninety when she died; thought she
died from the effects of a fall"
She was carrying the fan when
she fell She always carried it, al
though the whole family warned her
against ill-luck She dropped the fan
and stopped to pick 1t up. She turned
dizzy and fell down the front stairs"
But she might have been picking
up her handkerchief in the same man
ner," protested Bess.
she was picking up the peacock
feather fan" returned Aunt Agatha
obstinately, and so We burned the
fan in the kitchen stove"
1T was a pity" murmured Bess,
watching the sunlight play on the
gorgeous feathers of the outspread
tails of her pets.
Aunt Agatha arose and shook out
her cashmere skirts Il must be get
ting back to the farm" she said prim-
ly. 81 can't abide the screech of
those birds. 'Taint fine feathers
make fine birds, nor never WILL"
Bess said nothing, for she was quite
accustomed to her aunt's openly ex-
pressed dislike for the peafOwls, but
herself great lover Of beauty in any
thing, she almost loved the splendid
coloring of the feathers of the pea
cocks that strutted on the terrace.
She watched the old-fashioned fig
ure of her country-bred aunt enter the
modern automobile which Uncle Fred
insisted was a necessity on the farm,
and waved them gay goodbye be-
fore she returned to her slow pacing
of the terrace.
v -Odmere was a beautiful estate,
for Mr. Long was very rich, and this
country place was his pride The pea
cocks were the finishing touch to the
formal garden with its clipped hedges,
fancifully trimmed trees and stiff beds
OF glowing flowers.
Aunt Agatha has declared against
peacocks," she said to her father at
dinner that night.
Agatha nourishes a foolish vein of
superstition" observed MI Long BY
the way, have you seen our new neigh
bOrs?"
you mean the Allyns?"
Yes"
mo. Nora said they were occupy
Ing the house, but of course we can
not even get a glimpse of it except
from the west terrace, and l haven't
walked there"
The next afternoon when the sun
slanted warmly on the western terrace
of the Long house the peacocks took
q sudden fancy to sun themselves
there.
Bess, browsing in a hammock II an
upper balcony, saw the beautiful crea-
lures leave the terrace and drag their
sweeping plumage across the grass to
the brick wall that separated the two
estates. 1t had been Mr.. Longs great
grief that he could not purchase the
adjoining property and thus enlarge
his own grounds on that side; but the
Allyns had had long lease of the
property, and had never occupied 1t
until this season.
From the upper windows Of the
Long house one could see quite over
the high brick wall into the quiet gar
den Of the other house
Il do hope that the peacocks will
not bring bad luck-to-old Mr..
Allyn" thought Bess, as she dropped
into light slumber
L lie udIsu SCIedm Oh one or the
birds brought her to her feet wide
awake and trembling.
How dreadful-it fitted into nv
dream so wildly. l must go down and
bring them back" Bess yawned and
shook dimpled fist at the peacocks
now sitting on the brick wall and
screeching outrageously
At that moment she saw a lean hand
reach up from the other side of tho
wall and neatly catch one of the birds
by its ugly feet and drag it down out
of sight. An instant later the other
frightened bird also made its screecb-
ing exit only to be promptly mufied
in some manner. Then followed in
tense silence
Miss Long stared incredulously
from the window for several moments
and, seeing nothing except the tangle
OF the old garden beyond the wall.
and hearing not sound of her van
ished birds or of their captor, she
marched grimly downstairs and, OBJ
1 tanning a big rusty key from the gar
dener. she made her way through the
/ little pine grove to a small door set In
! the brick wall
/ The lock was rusted and the kew
was unwieldly Bess struggles brave
] 1v ,,ptSI ba bar