le　girls　hugging　paper　dolls；　and

rollicking　school…boys　with　ruddy　morning　faces；　an　absent…minded

professor　carrying　his　shoes　under　his　arms　and　looking　wise；　followed

by　cronies；　fairies；　goblins；　and　all　the　troops　just　loosed　from　Noah's

storm…tossed　ark。　They　walked；　they　strutted；　they　soared；　they　swam；

and　some　came　in　through　fire。　One　sprite　climbed　up　to　the　moon　on　a

ladder　made　of　leaves　and　frozen　dew…drops。　A　peacock　with　a　great

hooked　bill　flew　in　and　out　among　the　branches　of　a　pomegranate…tree

pecking　the　rosy　fruit。　He　screamed　so　loud　that　Apollo　turned　in　his

chariot　of　flame　and　from　his　burnished　bow　shot　golden　arrows　at　him。

This　did　not　disturb　the　peacock　in　the　least；　for　he　spread　his

gem…like　wings　and　flourished　his　wonderful；　fire…tipped　tail　in　the

very　face　of　the　sun…god！　Then　came　Venus……an　exact　copy　of　my　own

plaster　cast……serene；　calm…eyed；　dancing　〃high　and　disposedly〃　like

Queen　Elizabeth；　surrounded　by　a　troop　of　lovely　Cupids　mounted　on

rose…tinted　clouds；　blown　hither　and　thither　by　sweet　winds；　while　all

around　danced　flowers　and　streams　and　queer　little　Japanese　cherry…trees

in　pots！　They　were　followed　by　jovial　Pan　with　green　hair　and　jewelled

sandals；　and　by　his　side……I　could　scarcely　believe　my　eyes！……walked　a

modest　nun　counting　her　beads。　At　a　little　distance　were　seen　three

dancers　arm…in…arm；　a　lea