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Article THE PEACOCK. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Peacock.
" I am verry son-y , " said Abel , looking at the dead bird for the third time , " very sorry—how many are killed , sir ?"" Eight , sir—eight , and every one with a hole in its head—pecked by that infernal peacock—and every hole in the same place . " " Curious , " said Staff , evidently struck by the sagacity of the destroyer . - ' I declare—just like a Christian . " " Mr . Staff" said his wife" that bird will be the ruin of !"
, , you" Pretty creature , " cried Abel , and he turned to look at his future ruin , at that instant spreading its tail to its full extent . Yes , at that moment , the ruin of Abel was displayed before him to its utmost verge , and yet , he smiled and said , — "Pretty creature !" "Eight , sir—the whole eight ; " and the owner of the dead returned to his loss .
" Well , Sally , you know Newgate Market ? here ' s a guinea : will you oblige me—how old were the chickens , sir ? One month , very goodwill you oblige me by ordering to the house of Mr . Calf , eight chickens , not less than six weeks ; " saying which , Abel pulled himself up , buttoning his breeches pocket with the air of a conqueror . "Eight chickens—what , mere chickens ! " exclaimed Mr . Calf . " You'd never have the conscience to expect turkies ? And
Lucy , my dear , I know you like broth—send next door for the other seven , " and Abel turned again to his ruin . "Mr . Staff , " cried Mr . Calf , and his strips of whiskers stood an end , and his face grew more fiery— " Mr . Staff , " and he laid two fingers on the cold breast of the bird— " do you know where these chickens came from ?
" % S , " sald Abe l and his eyes stared coldly as beads . . Eggs , sir . ' " exclaimed Calf , as if repelling so low and common an origin— eggs ! and as he reiterated the syllable , a cock in the next ground crowed very shrilly . " Do you know what cock that is , sir ?" . . ' /„ m not much of a judge , " replied Abel—but isn ' t it real dunghill ? — °
_ "Dunghill , sir ! it came from the East Indies—from the East Indies , sir ! — ' . ' . ' Well > I suPPOse there ' s dunghills all over the world . It isn ' t game , IS it ? 6 > "The real jungle cock , sir—not another in Europe—was given to me by the secretary of the Rajah of Singapore . " " Umph ! a long voyage for poultry , " remarked Abel — " however , Sallmind get the best in the market
y , you ;"—and again the peacock screamed , as if anticipating new victims . " Hear me , Mr . Staff;—I am very sorry that as a neighbour this should have happened ; but if money can at all compensate for the loss of my birds— L " Haven ' t I given this woman a guinea to replace them ? " asked Abel , pointing to his servant , who unclosed her hand to exhibit the coin to Call .
"A guinea—I estimate my loss at five-and-twenty pounds , —I might say guineas , at least , said Mr . Calf . " AVTiat ! for chickens ? " asked Mrs . Staff . " Chickens , ma ' am—this is a breed that lays " " Golden eggs I should think , " drily observed Abel , and again he turned to look at his strutting peacock , " But no matter , Mr . Staff—fortunatel y , there is law . This is a matter
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Peacock.
" I am verry son-y , " said Abel , looking at the dead bird for the third time , " very sorry—how many are killed , sir ?"" Eight , sir—eight , and every one with a hole in its head—pecked by that infernal peacock—and every hole in the same place . " " Curious , " said Staff , evidently struck by the sagacity of the destroyer . - ' I declare—just like a Christian . " " Mr . Staff" said his wife" that bird will be the ruin of !"
, , you" Pretty creature , " cried Abel , and he turned to look at his future ruin , at that instant spreading its tail to its full extent . Yes , at that moment , the ruin of Abel was displayed before him to its utmost verge , and yet , he smiled and said , — "Pretty creature !" "Eight , sir—the whole eight ; " and the owner of the dead returned to his loss .
" Well , Sally , you know Newgate Market ? here ' s a guinea : will you oblige me—how old were the chickens , sir ? One month , very goodwill you oblige me by ordering to the house of Mr . Calf , eight chickens , not less than six weeks ; " saying which , Abel pulled himself up , buttoning his breeches pocket with the air of a conqueror . "Eight chickens—what , mere chickens ! " exclaimed Mr . Calf . " You'd never have the conscience to expect turkies ? And
Lucy , my dear , I know you like broth—send next door for the other seven , " and Abel turned again to his ruin . "Mr . Staff , " cried Mr . Calf , and his strips of whiskers stood an end , and his face grew more fiery— " Mr . Staff , " and he laid two fingers on the cold breast of the bird— " do you know where these chickens came from ?
" % S , " sald Abe l and his eyes stared coldly as beads . . Eggs , sir . ' " exclaimed Calf , as if repelling so low and common an origin— eggs ! and as he reiterated the syllable , a cock in the next ground crowed very shrilly . " Do you know what cock that is , sir ?" . . ' /„ m not much of a judge , " replied Abel—but isn ' t it real dunghill ? — °
_ "Dunghill , sir ! it came from the East Indies—from the East Indies , sir ! — ' . ' . ' Well > I suPPOse there ' s dunghills all over the world . It isn ' t game , IS it ? 6 > "The real jungle cock , sir—not another in Europe—was given to me by the secretary of the Rajah of Singapore . " " Umph ! a long voyage for poultry , " remarked Abel — " however , Sallmind get the best in the market
y , you ;"—and again the peacock screamed , as if anticipating new victims . " Hear me , Mr . Staff;—I am very sorry that as a neighbour this should have happened ; but if money can at all compensate for the loss of my birds— L " Haven ' t I given this woman a guinea to replace them ? " asked Abel , pointing to his servant , who unclosed her hand to exhibit the coin to Call .
"A guinea—I estimate my loss at five-and-twenty pounds , —I might say guineas , at least , said Mr . Calf . " AVTiat ! for chickens ? " asked Mrs . Staff . " Chickens , ma ' am—this is a breed that lays " " Golden eggs I should think , " drily observed Abel , and again he turned to look at his strutting peacock , " But no matter , Mr . Staff—fortunatel y , there is law . This is a matter