THE MISSING LINK
There was chattering and jabbering and bellowing and growling,
And the sound of many waters and of many creatures howling
As the voices of creation all were lifted up together
In a universal chorus—“Did you ever see such weather?”
Beside the rail, despite the gale,
Old Noah took each ticket,
And registered each Beast and Bird
That passed inside the wicket.
And when at last they had made fast
As much as they could stow away,
He cried “Let go! cut loose! yo ho!
Hoist gang! avast! heave ho—away!”
With heave and yank, up came the plank,
A-straining and a-creaking,
When, rising o’er the wind and roar,
They heard two voices shrieking,—
“Take us aboard! You can’t afford
So cruelly to flout us!
We are a pair extremely rare;
No ark’s complete without us.”
Down went the gang, and up there sprang
Before them, through the curtain
Of blinding rain, the oddest twain,
Of genus most uncertain.
They’d human shape, yet like the ape
Were caudally appended;
And, strange to tell, their feet as well,
Like apes’, in fingers ended.
Quoth Noah, “Pray, who are you—say?
Human, or anthropoidal?”
“You takes your choice!” as with one voice
They cried; which so annoyed all
The apes on board with one accord
They screamed for indignation;
’Twas very clear they would not hear
Of any such relation.
Said Noah, “Though you’re rare, I know
You’re not for my collection;
And though not vain, I must refrain
From claiming the connection.”
With small regret, the pair he set
On shore mid cheers and hissing,
And that’s the way it comes to-day
The Missing Link is missing.