ftly. Presently a large party came into the
passage where the Stuffed Animals were, and you may imagine how I did
stare--sure enough they were a lot of the beasts from the Zoological
Gardens. But the most curious thing was, that many of them were dressed
just like Christians. First came the big Elephant, putting me in mind,
for all the world, of Mr. Trunk, the great City merchant; then the
Hippopotamus, with a fez cap on exactly like the Abyssinian prince,
Ippo, that was in the Exhibition a few days before; then a Kangaroo,
with a smart bonnet and shawl, in the same style as Mrs. Jumper's; then
a Wild Boar, looking like a country lout in a smock-frock; then a
Beaver, no better dressed than one of our navvies, and who stamped on
the Cat's toes, and made her squeak out so shrilly, that she made my
ears tingle; then came a Parroquet, dressed like a dandy, and with him
were two fashionable birds, Miss Cockatoo and Miss Snowy Owl; then
followed an old Crocodile, looking like one of those withered Indian
nurses, and in her arms she carried a young Frog that might have been an
Indian baby. Besides these, there was a young Monkey, exactly like my
brother's boy, Jack; a Mouse, dressed in the last-fashioned paletot; and
a little thing that for a long time I could make nothing of, but I fancy
they call her a Duck-billed Platypus.

To have heard the remarks these animals made on their stuffed
fellow-creatures would have made me die of laughter, but that I felt
rather frightened and uncomfortable at my position so near them. The
young Indian clapped his hands when he saw the two Frogs a-shaving, and
the Snowy Owl flew up to see if the Great Horned Owl above her was
really stuffed or not. The Cat seemed very much inclined to jump at the
young Partridges; and the Mouse, dapper as he was, shrank back with
fear when he caught sight of the Martins and Weasels.

At length Dent's clock struck four. The noise seemed to frighten them
away; for, when I jumped up, and rubbed my eyes, they were all gone, nor
could I make out by which door they left.

When I reported all this to my inspector, the only rewards I got were,
to be told I had been dreaming, and to have my night's allowance of
porter stopped for a fortnight.

[Illustration: THE STRANGE VISITORS AT THE EXHIBITION.]

[Illustration: LORD FALCON AND HIS LONDON GUESTS.]

ALDERMAN GOBBLE'S AMBITION.

NOT many years since, Mr. Alderman Gobble was a famous member of the
Corpor