CURRY AND RICE. 
of its branches. But who was the host ! Who was the 
silly fellow who ran away from his own bungalow, to 
get rid of a “sneak.” Why, he was just Mr. Green, 
who has been mentioned in a previous chapter. But 
he is not green now. Would n’t he soon dress up 
Mr. Skulk now ! We all pay for experience ; they say 
“he is the best schoolmaster,” but the fees are heavy. 
Say ! what is the use of saying v/hat people say ! The 
fact has been proved by 
P. D, Millie. 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
Curry and Rice. 
Some of our planting friends may peevishly exclaim : 
“Shut up. Don’t commence. We are sick, heart and 
stomach, of the subject. It recalls no happy or pleas- 
ant memories, but quite the contrary.” But we won’t 
shut up, and will commence, not a few passing re- 
marks, but a wbole chapter, at the very least on the 
three worOs of oui- subject. Why is this standard 
article of diet called curry and rim ? Wliy is the 
curry put before the rice : just as if the expression 
was meant t > infer that curry was the ps incipal diet, 
and rice the secondary, that rice was eaten to curry, 
and not as it is, curry fco rice.* Perhaps few of our 
readers have thought of this idea. Thiiik of it, and 
you will pronounce it right, and the next time you 
ask the boy what there is for dinner, and his reply is, 
“ Curry and rice,” correct Dim, and give oi-ders chat, 
in future, when speaking on this very important sub- 
ject, he is to speak of it as rice and curry, and not 
curry and rice. “ Important subject indeed !” you may 
reply, “where’s the importance of a nasty dish of rico 
and a plateful of oily-looking stuff called curry ?” 
Not so fast ; don’t go off in a fizz. We ^rant it is 
of no importance to you, none in the sli^ditest ; by 
all means make your meals off that very nice mutton 
and beef, which we have no manner of doubt is in 
your larder, it may be even, in fact we suspect it, 
cold fowl, ham, and (not or) tongue. 
You may recollect, in a chapter published some time 
ago, a remark was made, asking where, or in what position 
would the planting interest have been, at this present 
day, without the Tamil cooly. Would the interest 
* The natives give the priority to their staff of life, ' 
saying “rice and curry,” or they go still further and say- 
simply “rice.” — E d. 
w 
