BOLTING FROM A BOLTER. 
'and comfortable, I will keep everything right, let 
me alone for that; just the very thing. How' lucky 
1 did not leave last week, as at one time was my 
intention ; and by the bye, as I am a stranger ; here, 
people do not know me, and of course have no 
“credit, just leave out your pass-books at the store, 
keepers : and bazar I will manage for myself perfectly 
well knov/ quite well about all these little domestic 
matters. No fear of me,” &c. and so on he rattled. 
The host’s temper was now up, his patience exhausted, 
but he said never a word. He packs up a box of clothes, 
and sends’ a cooly off with it, desiring him to await 
his arrival at Gampola. He send for the kanganies, 
and orders them no coolies are to be supplied to the 
visitor for any purpose whatever ; he orders his servant 
that when present house supplies are done, which they 
will likely be to-morrow, nothing more was to be ordered, 
and on bis peril was he to kill any of those fowls or 
chickens. That the visitor may remain as long as he 
likes, but he thinks it will not be very long, when he 
tinds nothing to eat but bad curry ( ‘ ^ e sure and make 
it as bad as possible”) and rice, and nothing to drink 
but water. He even locked up all the pipes and 
tobacco, and, as his visitor was a great smoker, and 
always smoked his host’s tobaco, this was the cleverest 
hit of all. What would he do ! 
The very next morning, early, before his visitor 
was up, our host was off. Bolted, from his own 
bungalow, as the very last dodge, to get rid of a 
bolter. Now, when when we think over this little 
incident, it was rather a weak and silly determina- 
tion to arrive at, so to become a bolter himself, in 
order to get rid of a bolter : because, while putting 
the host to much inconvenience and expense, it is no 
way answered the purpose, for what cared the bolter 
for his host, it was the hospitality, and, if he got 
the latter without the former, perhaps it suited him 
all the better Our worthy host had just put himself 
to a great deal of very unnecessary trouble and expense, 
and had he promptly and decidedly adopted the same 
course of proceeding at first, which he was afterwards 
obliged to take, it would have been better for both 
parties, In a day or two, Mr. Skulk sat down to a 
very simple dinner, curry and rice, and the curry 
was very bad. On questioning the boy, the answer 
was, ‘‘Master ’s away, no coconuts, no ghee, no nothing. ” 
The plate was pushed aside, and the order given. 
“Bring beer.” There was none. “Very well, some 
brandy, sherry, anything will do. ” The reply was 
“ No nothing, only water,” and, as he spoke, the water 
rgleed out of the goglet, as the the boy poured it 
the nigu tumbler, and as he went out of the door, 
