‘‘VEEY FINE PUMPKIN,” 
are not a customer, not likely you are coming to drii^e 
a hard bargain about the price of any or sundry 
articles spread out in the front of him. You are very 
likely only wanting to ask him some question as to 
coolies selling rice, or changing rice at his bazar for 
an equivalent in something else. He is not going to 
take any notice or trouble at all about such ex- 
cessively impertinent curiosity in your part. But what 
a change suddenly comes over the wholo of his in- 
different dreamy deportment when you shout, ‘‘ What 
is the price of that pumpkin?” *He is all alive now, 
in fact he actually suddenly jumps up : an act which 
your simple question by no means called for. Relays 
hold of the pumpkin, turns it over, and tells you, 
what you don’t need to be told, wbat you ;u’e very 
well aware of: ‘‘Very fine pumpkin, sir. ” 'Ihiiiking he 
may possibly have not understood yon. llie ques- 
tion is repeated, and the prompt i”eply “No more 
pumpkins in any of the other bazars.” You admit 
the fact, know it perfectly well, but — what is the price 
of it? The reply again is: “ Hoads very bad, plenty 
of rain ; no coolies to carry anything.” You lose 
patience, and move on. Before you have moved far, 
a voice reaches you, “ Master can have for two rupees.” 
You stop if you are not very far gone, perhaps retirfti, 
and offer him a shilling. He scouts the very idea-** 
no, no, he wdll cut into slices, and sell it to the coolies 
at a few coppers per slice, and make far more than 
the two rupees ; it was only because master was master 
that he would '"ell it to him at such, to himself, a losing 
rate. If you feel inclined to carry on the game, you 
may probably eventually get the article for sixpence 
or a shilling ; if not you move off, and the hazar- 
man lapses into a statue until the next customer turns 
up or makes an inquiry- But the memory of the 
pumpkin haunts you, and the subject is mentioned to 
the boy who says he can manage the bazar-man, 
not only can, but will. So the boy girds up his loins, 
adjusts his turban, and takes his departure for the 
bazar, where he remains all day, and towanls evening 
makes his appearance in the verandah of the bungalow, 
and triumphantly lays down at the foot of one of the 
posts one-half of the pumpkin. “Ah,” thinks the 
master, “ half a loaf is better than no bread, but, 
but, what have you paid for it ?” “ Cheap, very cheap,” 
is the answer, “just one-half what master was asked, 
just one rupee.” “Well,” says master, “but as you 
have only got the half for half the price of the w hole, 
can’t you see that you have not procured it any 
cheaper, that it is just the same price as was de- 
manded from myself?” “No, no,^’ says the boy, 
** master say two rupees, now only one.” “ Well” replies 
