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 292 EARLY REMINISCENCES There came to Brighton an eminent London dentist, who put up at the Grand Hotel. He had been overworked, and desired a fortnight's relaxation by the sea. Whilst at breakfast next morning, a gentleman was shown in, who approached bowing and smirking, and held out his card. " Sir," said he, addressing the dentist, " I am the proprietor of a menagerie, now visiting Brighton. Would you, would you do me a kindness ? My ourang-outang has been out of sorts for some time. Suffering from toothache, I presume, and he mopes and moans, and does no justice to the show. Would you, would you most kindly look at the ape's tooth ? I will most cheerfully give you a ticket to our performance this evening." " Oh, bother your performance," replied the dentist, " I don't want to see that, but I will visit your ourang-outang and extract his bad tooth." He did so and the proprietor of the menagerie thanked him cordially. Next morning the showman appeared again. " You were so good and obliging yesterday, sir," said he to the dentist, " that I venture to approach you once more. My poor wife could not sleep a wink last night. Raving with pain from her teeth : and we do not know which is the bad tooth. The poor dear woman has to jump through a fiery hoop to-riight from her saddle ; for we combine a little horsemanship with our wild-beast show." The dentist grumbled, and objected, but at length was induced to accede to the wishes of the man. So he attended, and operated on the fellow's wife, with great success. Next morning the same visitor appeared, with a further request. " Now, 'pon my word ! " blurted out the dentist. " ThL is too bad ; I cannot be further bothered by you." " Only this once more, on my word of honour I will not ask for more than this. Our Bengal tiger has a back tooth, a molar, that is causing much trouble. I would rather have it stopped than extracted. Will you, will you put your head into his mouth, and examir.fe the tooth ? " " Good heavens ! " shouted the dentist. " First an ourang-outang, then a wife, and now a tiger ! One must draw a line somewhere, and I draw it at Bengal tigers." And so say I with regard to the friendships between man and the members of animal life below him. One must draw the line somewhere. And I draw it at parasites. In this case the