MERIT AND PROMOTION. 
sherry or champagne, but he never drained his glass, 
his lips would merely touch it. The result was, he 
had always his wits about him, and just from this 
very fact he not only seemed to but did enjoy him- 
self far more 'than others, who had not their wits 
always about them. Whatever might be, any one who 
wished to see Mr. Stediman, between the hours of 
6 A.M. and 4 p.m., never once dreamed of going to 
the bungalow: that was about the most unlikely 
place to find hint. He frequently had his breakfast 
sent out to him: at all events, there was no fixed 
hour for it ; the nominal time was ten o’clock, at 
which it was ready, and at that period of the day, 
or from it till noon, half-an-hour would be devoted, 
as it best could be spared. He generally spent his 
Sundays at home, reading, or taking a quiet walk 
during the cool of the evening: in fact his neigh- 
bours said he was a religious man. Notwithstanding 
this, during the push of crop, when Sunday work 
might be considered a necessity, in order to save 
or secure coffee, which otherwise was in danger of 
being lost, he would spend the greater part of the 
day in the pulping-house, measuring in Sunday -picked 
coffee, and in a general way superintending store 
work ; in the evening, when all was over, he would 
read his Bible, and some other good book, his prin- 
ciple being, that, fif, from his position, or sense of 
duty to his employers, he could not properly observe 
the whole sabbath as it ought to be, there was no 
reason why he should not keep a portion of it. He 
thought it no offence to work in order to secure his 
employer’s property from loss, but he did think it 
wrong, immediately after having done so, to walk 
off to his next neighbour’s to dine and spend the 
evening. Thoroughly consistent men will generally 
always have the respect of others, and thus it hap- 
pened that, although Mr. Stediman was not what is 
called a popular man, he was respected and esteemed 
by all who knew him. He asked for no advance- 
ment or increase of pay: he knew neither of these 
would be forthcoming in his present employment, 
but he plodded on in order to gain a character and 
experience which would undoubtedly procure, in 
course of time, remunerative employment ; nor was 
he disappointed, for^ after four or five years of this 
weary apprenticeship, his employer one day told him, 
if he chose to accept: of the situation, he was offered 
one for him, or bad procured it, as manager on a 
large estate on a salary of £360 per annum with 
horse-keep and other allowances. Of course he ac- 
cepted it, and so it was that, at the close of the. 
