The Missing Link

Museum of Marvels, to impersonate Mahdi, the Missing Link, at a salary of thirty-seven and sixpence a week and keep, Nickie unde

a previous Missing Link had taken advantage of Sunday being an off-day to get unreasonably drunk, in which

Missing Link, and as he understood that even when on show Mahdi was expected to do little more t

ce. It was tight-fitting, coated with monkey-like hair, and covered him entirely, the face being disguised under an attached

alousy of Mahdi was a source of no little inconvenience to Nickie the Kid) was an item of considerable interest, but the Link was the culminating point of

situation. The Professor himself was a born vagabond, and his wife, Madame Marve, the somewhat plump prophetess, who read fortunes, and was mistress

nder the singlet that lay between him and his hairy simian cuticle was a store of treasure with the product of which Nicholas Crips dreamed of

on, but as yet no one had thought of associating either the Rev. An

Link, was permitted the privilege of free speech, denial of whic

' th' grip, Nickie?" as

the livin

dreamily, "but it has its drawbacks to a man

but I'm considered rather a fine man in flesh. It almost breaks my poor wife's 'eart t'

g a missing link has its advantages." he said. "After all, a missin

t on your perch," crie

r's open

eard Professor Thunder declaiming on t

t man-monkey, captured in the gloom junge of Darkest Africa, the Connectin' link 'tween man an' the beasts; Marve, the Mystic, the prophetess, enchante

ich Egyptian costume, made by sewing a design

his hairy legs, and remained suspended in a limp attitude, as two wom

y ape, and tracing the descent of man through Ammonia, the gorilla, to Mahdi the Missing Link, and Mahdi rompe

s, Madame was anything the occasion required. The Professor had great faith in her. She had once carried the show through successful

d his position as "spruicher," or public speaker, and took charge of the interior, acting as ex

incessant, Nickie the Kid found his duties most oppre

e pound and a silver medal valued at one guinea would be given to any person courageous en

y on his part, following a fawning and submissive manner, while madame, weari

ade his prodigal offer, it was Mahdi's duty to stimulate ungovernable ferocity, in order to deter any too-venturesome spirits. Nickie did his best. He bounded madly round the cage, he tore at the straw, tooth and na

brute!" she said. Mahdi backed into shades carefully provided at the back of the cage, and th

daring enough to enter the cage of Mahdi, the man-mon

t?" gasped

s intrepid words; aside he hi

sperate energy, he clawed up the s

man. "A pound jist fer

I'm ye

in his famous fake of the man-monkey had man or woman been found courageous enough to beard the mo

cage. "Howl!" she whispered.

t to savage Ammonia. His paroxysms were fearful to look

e door,"

rrible risk?" said Thunder, gravely, feeling ke

e bin managin' men fer twenty years, an'

consequences be upon yo

oar, curse

loring attitude. "No, no; for the love of heaven!

ing Link, and threw open the cage door. The crowd huddled hack, horrified. One girl screamed, b

kest Africa would spring upon her, but he did nothing of the kind; he rush

p. He gave no sign. She kicked him. He bore it meekly,

!" said the woman, and p

nto a corner and refused to stir, she took him by one leg, and towed him twice round the cage, and the tittering the crowd swelled to yells of derisions and ribald laughter

, and thank God you have been permitted to live through this fearful experience." He paid with the grand air of a hero of melodrama. His manner was so impressive it almost re

as gone, and the doors

approach

a Missin' Link, I must say," he said haughtily. "Why in the d

an to do?" an

ve scared her out of her rags. By Heavings, man

with a den of lions and an old-

ssin' Link would have

to know,

about her in per

, Professor, but I ought to know something about he