abitual expression was that of one who has discovered a smell of
drains.

This big woman was very curious. She peered into every hole and corner,
she examined Bonypart, the Living Skeleton, very closely through her
glasses, looking critically at his features, and was equally curious with
the monkeys. She even inspected Professor Thunder with such minuteness,
and with such an air of one who has at last detected a shameful
imposition, that at length the celebrated showman exclaimed with some
grandeur: "Excuse me, ma'am, but I'm not an exhibit."

"Oh," gasped the female, "I beg your pardon. My name is Martha Spink; I
live at 'The Nook.' Do you happen to know a--eh--theatrical person named
Nicholas--Crips Nicholas?"

Professor Thunder had learned caution. "I fancy I have heard the name,"
he said.

"You haven't such a person in your employ?" said the lady.

"No," said the Professor, thoughtfully, as if mentally running over the
names of numerous celebrities on his long pay-roll. "No, I am sure there
is no artist of that name in my company."

"I'll find him," said Mrs. Spink, decisively, firing up, and making
dangerous gestures with her umbrella. "Mark me, I'll find him, and when I
do--" The sweep of her bulky gamp nearly knocked Bonypart off his
platform.

"Carefully, ma'am, carefully," said the Professor, "you came near
breaking a valuable exhibit then. Living Skeletons have to be handled
gingerly, madam. I am sure the ruffian deserves all you can give him. May
I inquire what villain's work he is guilty of?"

"He's been proposin' marriage, that's what he's been doin'," cried Mrs.
Spink. "I'm a widder lady, and he's been proposin' marriage to Me."

"Dangerous, dangerous--very dangerous," said the Professor.

The Living Skeleton looked apprehensively to wards the cage of the
Missing Link, and Mahdi growled fiercely and retreated into the shadows.

"He stayed at my house two weeks," continued the widow, "paid nothing for
board and residence, but made me an honourable proposal of marriage, and
then ran off. But I'll find him."

The Professor was called away to give his scholarly address on the
Darwinian hypothesis for the edification of his patrons, and the fierce
female hung on the outskirts of the audience, and examined the exhibits
suspiciously. When Thunder came to that scale of creation represented by
the Missing Link, Nickie exhibited great ferocity, growling and gnashing
his teeth in a most terrifying manne