The Missing Link

Nicholas Grips. Nickie had been given the meal half-an-hour earlier by a kind soul in one of the suburbs, to whom he had pitifully presented his urgent need of sustenance

sed in his clerical garments; they were carefully stowed away in a niche in a riverside quarry w

ached his second course, which was represented by the chicken, when his attention was attracted by a very lean, very pale

uld be generous with anybody's property, even his own. He tapped the chic

, sir?" he said urbanely, with

cepted the invitation as an offer of friendship, and approac

ks, boss,

r wrenching a mouthful from the back o

swered the

e garlic sausage sandwiche

ed his jam

k his head ver

Fact is, my livin' depe

fe an' kiddie

h the bottle half

ejaculated. "What, do you earn anything by st

y as Bony-part. Ain't yeh seen me advertisements up the main street? I'm drawed on a

himself with you

more an put on flesh out I go. There's a clause in ther contrac' what sez I'm li'ble t' be fired if goes above seven stone seven

ight pick a bone. That wouldn't be very fattening, and it might de

n, took the wish-bone with a

might be a comfort." He

nly original living skeelton broke o

he spree," sa

queried

enough fer ten Shire Councillors. He completely rooned that banquet. That was the third time he'

the Kid

e fondness for meals. I knew the travelling show' business was a hungry ga

th' food that Missin' Link gets makes me lose all patience, an' sometimes I'd like t' get right up from my c

in the h

kinds of monkeys, from Spider, a little cove 'bout th' size iv a rat, up t' Ammonia, what's a big griller. Th' Missin' Link, he comes next; but as I was sayin' he's out iv it just now, bein' ill, an'

just bout th' build fer

e?" crie

Nickie was silent for a

hat Nickie should sink

pportunity. "Has the Mis

ke

if, as I was savin'. Yeh see, people what come in t' th' show gives him buns

lse doe

s round in

hing

atches h

es

gro

seems

way it's easy enough, but real scratchin'

is?" aske

yle, hopped briskly over the stone, then s

you're er natural born artist, that's what you are. If I could growl an' scratc

las Crips seriously, "h

o remain in

noon, close at five, opens again at

nk to be growling' and

s blanket an' sleep, an' sometimes he kin stay lyin' on the stror when there's on'y a few people

hed out one leg, clawed with his

all th' natural gifts, an' with th' proper hide drawn on over yeh, an' yer face made up a bi

e Missing Link has not

, caut

ir own way. Hold on-he's gotter 'ang a bit by one hand from

oul," he said, "there are strange ways of earning a livin

ned the

knots in his limbs. The other pictured a strange, hairy monster, half human, half monkey, which was labelled "Darwin's Missing Link." On a kerosene case at the door stood Professor Thunder himself, appealing to the populace to pa

power of a steam whistle, and the penetrating qualities of a circular saw. He was a quaint product

entation of man's descent from the apes ever presented to an intelligent audience. There you will behold Bonypart, the miraculous, the bone man who has mystified all the doctors and amazed millions. There you will behold Ephraim, the enlightened pig; Madame Marve, t

hts, showing his bony knees; the educated pig, that did astonishing things at the bidding of Madame Marve; and t

vy and formidable. He was as big as a man, somewhat lank, and covered with coarse hair the colour of cocoanut matting

aid Madame Marve, in the chaste tones she assumed when imparting valuab

a'am?" asked a fa

on all fours on the floor of his cage, and sprang forward wit

do that to another woman's 'usb

rprising contortions, and rolled about, and capered, and growled in a most realistic way, while Madame Marve gave a full and exciting accou

he is the rarest animal in the world. Professor Thunder has been offered thousands of pounds for Mahdi, but refuses to part with

ter which he sat in a corner and scratched himself industriously, grinning at the peop

d pig, and presently the show-room was empty again for a m

rifies them, and they talk to their friends about it. You really must keep on

shed his drab muzzl

adame, but I'm damned if I do unless you give m

ave recognised those crisp tones instant