THE BUILDING. 
after a searching glance is quite prepared to hear 
that the small affair will “meet with attention next 
month,” and he has a tolerably correct idea that it 
will be forgotten, or rather unfulfilled. But, not to 
wander from the subject, and to put it briefly and 
concisely, an old bungalow can speak through the 
tongue or pen of one who has formerly inhabited 
its walls, or enjoyed the genial hospitalities of its 
owner, one who has known its history from the lay- 
ing of the foundation-stone to the tumbling in of 
the roof. Yes, old bungalows can speak, and volumes 
might be written of what their silent and- solemn 
ruins distinctly say. On returning from a snipe-shoot- 
ing expedition on some of the rice stubbles, or as 
we call them paddy fields, tired, weary and thirsty, 
we suddenly find ourselves in the vicinity of the 
ruins of an old bungalow ; the garden grounds around 
were rank with weeds and jungle, the roof had fallen 
in, and the posts and pillars stood up like ghosts. 
A buffalo was picking at the short green sward over- 
running what had once been a garden, and some 
cows were “chewing the cud” in wdiat had once 
been the spacious verandah of the house. Getting 
under a grove of guava trees, which seemed to flourish 
amid the general desolation, and gathering, or rather 
knocking down some of the fine ripe fruits, proceed- 
ed to rest under their shade. While resting, we 
gazed at the remains of the old bungalow. Sad me- 
mories stole over the mind. The ghostly looking 
posts and pillars seemed to look sternly on us, as if 
in reproach, and the sighing of the wind through 
the piimalo trees seemed whisper forth words from 
the old bungalow. They were these: — “You who 
saw my birth, or beginning, have you come to 
see my end — end — end — ended now ? Thirty years ago 
my present site was a pleasant grass expanse, com- 
manding a fine view over the surrounding country, 
behind was a large track of jungle, out of which 
in the early morning, elephants, elk, pigs and many 
other animals used to come forth to crop the short 
grass or drink of the clear water collected in a pool 
close by. My first recollection of anything was a 
corner-stone popping up a few feet above the ground, 
and disclosed all around in a mass of confusion^ 
great heaps of stones and sand lying about every- 
where. My progress towards maturity was very slow 
for there was always something going wrong. The 
master, after being away for a day or two 
would return, and after inspection would declare all 
the work performed in his absence bad, ordering it 
to be pulled down again, -^and the pay of the car- 
