HAPPY RATS. 
drier on the bank, beyond the reach of any future 
flood, or chance, for many a long time to come, if ever. 
Bide your titne and watch your chance. Mind chances 
are fast passing, and won’t wait your time ; out with 
you : at it, grasp it, and off you go ! 
There was, but it is now extinct, another class of 
old planters, not very numerous. They came down 
the stream, none knew from whence. Into the pool 
(Ceylon) with a great splash, splutter, and dash, 
round and round they v^ejit, one week at Colombo 
races, another at Nuwara Eliya, and then in a few 
days elephant shooting, or some other sporting excur- 
sion. They were anywhere and everywhere, except 
on their own estate, for these were proprietors. Round 
the pool they go ; sometimes, at the spill-water (Colom- 
bo); it would be thought they were off, but they were not ; 
they had cheated the current, apparently going off with 
the gentle suction, they would again shoot p)ast and dis- 
appear on the old routine. When tired of all this 
scurry, this planter would return to' his estate to 
rest, and gain strength for another cruise. Big com- 
fortable bungalows they had, with every comfort and 
luxury They were hospitable in the extreme, and 
often when spending a Sunday with them have I 
been astonished at what pleasure they could have in 
rummaging about the country living in bad resthouses 
and tents, neglecting iheir estates, when they might 
be so comfortable there. 
Sometimes Avhen the butler with a bunch of keys 
at his belt, opened the store-room door, to take out 
some necessary supplies, have I gazed in, as has been 
remarked about coolies going for rice, with a hungry 
visage. For there w\as revealed to my wondering eyes 
shelves placed along the wall on which were ranged 
rows of pots of jams, pickles, sauces, and wRat not ; 
from the rafters hung hams, bacon, and smoked 
tongues ; on the ground were piles of bottles, containing 
all sorts of wines and liqueurs ; and in a back corner 
stood some tall fellows, capped with tinfoil, evidently 
containing champagne, but almost covered over with 
earth, excavations of rats. For the rats held wild 
revelry here : open casks of salt-butter perceptibly 
‘contained their marks, and it was quite certain they 
had been tasting all the cheeses to see which were 
best. They had such a choice of good things, that 
they had become nice and particular as to the quality 
of their food. We would turn away a!id sigh; — “ flippy 
rats! To-morrow morning we must return to our curry 
and rice, and mud bungalow and hard work. When 
can we ever hope to attain to this perfection in plant- 
ing life ? What a fine thing it must be to be a pro 
