AFTEB A BEHTH, 
many calls are made for the appu to bring pen, ink 
and paper, such an unusual occurence that even the 
appu wonders what ’s up. By and by, they all take 
their hats and umbrellas, and go out alone, and the 
top of a letter would be seen, on close inspection, 
sticking out of their coat pockets, but no one speaks to 
another, indeed they all seem going different directions, 
but the very curious result was, that they all met at 
the post office, and they all posted a letter, and then 
they all laughed: — ‘‘What’s the use of this deceit? 
We know all about it. One’s chance is as good as 
another’s. Wffiosoever gets it don’t let us quarrel.” 
8o they retire to the Koyal, and toss up who is to 
stand “ sherry andbittervS all round.” The next morn- 
ing at breakfast, the staff officer, the hero of our 
story, was not present. This created a talk, for the 
actions of the last arrival were always more freely 
criticized than any others. The appu was called and 
questioned, and the reply was “ Up at four this morn- 
ing, and gone to Colombo by the coach.” Now this 
may seem a very simple and commonplace statement, 
but the gentleman on the staff did not seem to con- 
sider it as such; they all looked as if they had 
received some very bad news, and did not seem to 
care about any more breakfast. “Take away, boy. 
Ko curry ; bring beer.” 
The day after the next, at half -past four in the after- 
noon, the Colombo coach drew up at the Eoyal ; 
the gentleman who had so suddenly and abruptly dis- 
appeared entered the verandah ; it just seemed as if his 
associates of the day before yesterday had never stirred 
from their seats : there they all were. He does rmt creep 
round by the end verandah now, and ask the boy for 
tea in his bedroom, he steps boldly into the public room, 
mys he is tired and thirsty with the long dusty journey, 
and orders a pint of claret and some bread and cheese. 
The loungers now become very restless and trembl- 
ing, ask what the news down in Colombo was. “I 
heard nothing,” says he, “ being only a very short time 
there.” They then make bold to ask if he had heard 
anything, if anybody had been appointed to the vacant 
situation on the Seedy estate. “Oh, yes!” says he, 
“that is all settled, the place is not vacant now. I 
am the superintendent ! ” They then all come for- 
ward and shake hands with him, saying they are so 
glad to hear it (?)! And surely he will stand a dinner 
all round, or at all events something to bring luck. 
“Bring luck!” says he, “Nothing will bring luck. 
Did any one, or anything, bring luck to me ? If you 
want luck you must go and catch it as I did.” ‘'But 
how did you catch it?” they exclaim; “ we all wrote, 
we all had an equal chance.” Our lucky friend now 
