OUR SERVANTS. 185 



in the morning, to chop wood for her day's needs; 

 and as they, like all the coloured race, never perform 

 the most e very-day duty unless specially reminded, 

 she has to do this work herself, with much difficulty 

 and dawdling; the luncheon or dinner being accord- 

 ingly delayed indefinitely. If, on the contrary, it is 

 between meals, and no cooking will be required for 

 several hours, there is a roaring fire, over the hottest 

 part of which the chances are ten to one that you will 

 find the empty kettle ; while you are fortunate indeed 

 if in your immediate and anxious investigation of the 

 boiler you are yet in time to avert irretrievable damage. 



Any dirty water or refuse which is thrown away at 

 all is flung just outside the kitchen door, where it lies 

 in unsightly heaps and pools, attracting myriads of 

 flies ; a plentiful sprinkling of which, needless to state, 

 find their way, in a drowned, boiled, baked, roast or 

 fried condition, into every article of food sent to table. 

 Occasionally a teaspoon is tossed out among the rubbish, 

 and lies glittering in the sunshine, ready to tempt the 

 first ostrich that happens to prowl past the door. A 

 very frequent counting of plate is necessary ; and in- 

 deed, with such careless and not always honest servants, 

 it is best to have no silver in daily use. 



Breakages are ruinously numerous ; each rough- 

 handed Phillis in succession having her own private 

 hiding-place, generally in the middle of some large 

 bush, where- in spite of the standing promise that any 

 accident honestly confessed will receive instant pardon 

 the fragments of all the glass, earthenware, and 



