﻿THE PEACOCK. 



203 



M'me de Blinval has returned to her estate at Berry. In the beau- 

 tiful days of summer, at the foot of an old willow, on a seat of moss 

 fragrant with wild thyme, may be often seun two pretty young girls, 

 conversing pleasantly together, with a basket of cherries beside 

 them, and a beautiful goat lying at their feet on the flowery turf. 





The Peacock. 



IF there is anything in this world for which Mark Forrester has 

 a dislike, it is a great, proud, noisy peacock. I am willing to admit 

 that so far as outside appearances go, they are very gaudy, and I 

 suppose many people would call them beautiful ; but there seems to 

 be so much show and parade about them, so much pride and impor- 

 tance about all their movements, that I always associate them in my 

 mind with a pop-gun. I can endure the strutting of a huge gobble 

 turkey very well. His movements are generally upon the shabby- 

 genteel order, and he shows himself to be humbug at once. But he 



