SALT-FISH DINNER. 
have been in existence at all, &c. You will, all at 
once, reply, “It would not, or at least anything 
like the same extent.” Now, if this is admitted, 
which it must be, just take another step of inquiry and 
ask yourself, or, any other practical man, wdiere 
would the Tamil cooly have been at this day without 
rice and curry ? If you had no rice, or not enough 
to give him, he would never have come to your 
estate ; it is very doubtful even if you or I would 
have had any estate at all. Leave out the question 
of pay and rupees altogether; much as the cooly 
loves them, he loves his rice better, therein shewing 
a point of wisdom and discernment, which had some 
ejf his betters in position, but not in common-sense, 
adopted they might have been alive at this day. 
But enough : we have all heard sad stories of the 
end or some, who starved and stinted themselves in 
food, to save money, and it is to be hoped, for their 
own sakes, there are none such now. 
In carrying on the conversation with the boy on 
the subject of the anticipated dinner you might say 
you knew perfectly well before you asked that 
there was only curry — and rice, but your object 
in asking was simply to know what curry it was. 
And tbu> it happened that the curious planter got 
into tlie s.>stem of asking, not what was for dinner, 
Init plump and plain to the point at once, “Boy, 
what curiy is there to-day?” and the answer would 
be: “ySat-tish.” “ Salt-tish ! Now have you not 
been told over and over again, that I am quite sick 
and tired of that salt-lisli ? Why for the last fort- 
night there has been positively nothing else. Get 
something else. ” But the boy gravely assures master 
that nothing else can be got. “ Bazar-man got no- 
thing else, got no nothing” — which assertion admits of 
no further "dispute. Passing the bazar next day your 
attention is caught by the sight of a fine large pumpkin 
displayed to view in its front verandah. Rashly and 
without considei atioii, without asking the price, you 
hail the bazar-man, who is sitting behind the pump- 
kin, not on his hind legs, but on' his cross legs, 
which IS just something of the same sort of curious 
Xjosition, only apparently much more uncomfort- 
able, notwichstanding which he is most comfortable, 
so comfortable as not to take any more of notice 
of your hail, otherwise than to give you a fixed stare 
and put some green betel leaf into his mouth. Think- 
ing he does not hear you, you repeat the hail in 
louder and harsher tones of voice, upon which he turn* 
partially round and spits into a curious-looking brass 
box, standing close by his side, and again resumes 
ft fixed stone-like gaze. Very likely he considers you 
