"Oh! crazy! crazy! it is something that affects her brain she has taken.
Oh! Dr. Grimshaw, how can you have the heart to stand there and not go?
Probably opium."
Jacko laughed till the tears ran down her cheeks—never, since her marriage, had Jacko laughed so much.
"Oh, Dr. Grimshaw! Don't you see she is getting worse and worse. How can you have the heart to stand there and not go for a physician?" said Mrs. Waugh, while Mary L'Oiseau looked on, mute with terror, and the commodore stood with his fat eyes protruding nearly to bursting.
"Go, oh, go, Dr. Grimshaw!" insisted Mrs. Waugh.
"I assure you it is not necessary, madam," said the professor, with stern scorn.
"There is no danger, aunty. I haven't taken any poison since I took a dose of Grim before the altar!" said Jacko, through her tears and laughter.
"What have you taken, then, unfortunate child?"
"I have swallowed an assignation," said the elf, as grave as a judge.
"A what?" exclaimed all, in a breath,
"An assignation," repeated Jacko, with owl-like calmness and solemnity.