HOW TO MEET CIFFICULTIES. 
master', wiping his brow with an old handkerchief, 
‘ ‘ if this sort of thing is to go on, it will drive me 
mad. I am thankful it ’s all over, for this day, at 
all events, but it won't go on.” Probably next day 
there will be some more vexatious repetitions of an- 
noyances, on a more trifling scale, but being boldly 
and promptly met they will gradually become fewer 
and farther between, until the machinery day after day 
is set agoing and stopped, without one disagreeable 
incident to mar the temper of the planter. 
It is often well for the peace of mind of our human 
race, that we are in ignorance of events which are 
taking place. The waste of a few bushels of coffee 
going down a drain, in the setting of a pulper, 
would be neither here nor there, in the reckoning up 
a crop ; if we take the waste and loss from many 
other causes, not so immediately passing under our 
notice, it is as nothing. Suppose the absent proprietor 
seated at his club, in London, reclining on one chair, 
and his legs resting on another, reading The Time& 
(not the Ceylon Times). He is studying the pro- 
duce market article, and gives a hem of satisfaction on 
perceiving that coffee is “up 2/ and in good demand.'’ 
He is in great good humour, and is under the im- 
pression that “ coffee is not such a bad thing after all.” 
Mr. Pulpem is really a hard-working man, and — and 
— he has never asked for any increase of pay, and 
visions, perhaps only phantoms, of an increase of £50' 
are passing through his mind, just at the very mo- 
ment, when in a different portion of the globe, Mr. 
Pulpem has discovered that the doors of his cisterns 
have been left open !- On the other hand, we will 
suppose Mr. Pulpem, after the events of the day, or 
days, as above described, proceeding to his bungalow, 
very down in the month, and disgusted with himself 
— and generally not in a very happy or self-satisfied 
state of mind. He finds the overland mail has come 
in and in a letter, either directly from the P. D. or 
more likely thi’ough the Colombo agency, is informed 
that his “screw” is increased another fifty pounds. 
He sort of feels overwhelmed, as if he did not de- 
serve it, he is thankful and grateful. “Well ; but if 
they only knew ?” Well, what about it if they did ? 
It was not your fault ; you did your best and 
met the difficulties, and, if you had not, it 
w^ould have been far worse. Lucky for the proprietor 
that you are the man you are, and not only fit 
to cope with difficulties, but quite capable of over- 
coming them . Never forget the maxim, that difficulties 
disappear when promptly and boldly met. Difficulty 
is a great coward and bully. Give in to him, acknow- 
ledge his power and supremacy, and you are done 
