A moment later it went up again.  No one was now in the room, but a short piece of rope dangled from one arm of the chair.

The third scene revealed an office.  On a table lay a number of small instruments, a lot of loose teeth, also a couple of full sets.  A lady was seated in a chair, and beside her stood a gentleman(?) holding aloft in one hand a pair of forceps, in which there gleamed a single tooth, while with the other he extended a glass of water to his patient, remarking in a suave, professional tone: 

“It is all over, madam—­a very successful operation.  Rinse your mouth, please, and then we will look at the others,” whereupon the curtain fell.

The fourth scene showed the same room in which the first act had been given.  In a low rocker sat a spinster of uncertain age, very prim as to attitude and attire, her face partially concealed by a profusion of corkscrew curls that dangled from her temples.  She appeared to be absorbed in reading, while there were piles of books on the table at her side, on chairs, and were also strewn promiscuously about the floor.

Presently a colored servant entered the room.  A spotless kerchief was folded about her expansive shoulders; a bright red bandanna was coiled around her woolly head, and a long, blue and white checked apron was tied about her ample waist.

She was a typical, full-blooded negress, and shuffled into the room in true darky style, but with signs of distress and one black hand covering her right eye.

“Well, Dinah, is anything wanted?” demanded the spinster, but without glancing up from her book.

“Y’sm, honey; I’se done got sumpin’ in m’ eye.  I has sho’.”

“Come here and let me look at it,” said her mistress, reluctantly laying her book aside and taking a pencil from the table.

Dinah knelt before the woman, who made a careful examination of the suffering member.

“I see it!” she said; “don’t move and I’ll get it.  There!”—­ carefully removing something with a corner of her immaculate handkerchief—­“see?”

“Y’sm; thank’e, Miss Julia.  Yah! yah! what a li’l spec to make such a rumpus!  Looks like de Bible ‘mote,’ but, golly! it done feel mo’ like de ‘beam.’  Yah! yah! yah!” laughed the negress, revealing two rows of dazzling teeth to an appreciative audience as she laboriously struggled to her feet.

“Feel all right now, aunty?” queried the spinster, as she carefully refolded her handkerchief.

“Y’sm, y’sm; I’m obleeg’d to ’e, Miss Julia.  Lor’!” rubbing her knees and groaning, “de rumatism do work de mischief wi’ dese yere po’ ole bones.”  But Miss Julia had again become absorbed in her book and, apparently, did not hear.

“Got another new book, Miss Julia?” queried Dinah, after watching her mistress in silence for a moment.

“No, Dinah,” replied the spinster, lifting a beatific glance and smile to the ceiling, “I am still engaged with my ’Philosophical, Psychological and Theosophical Research.’”