’ , . CONDUCTOES AND THEIE WIYES. 
better men have done, we think the subject, over, and say 
or rather repeat. How long have you had this wife ? 
A long time sir,” ■ says be, a very long tinae- nearly 
two months.” We reply, this is not a sufficient time 
to judge, wait for another month and after the lapse 
of three, or three and a half, we will question him 
further on his domestic felicity, and in order not to 
forget, make a memo, in advance, in our Diary. 
But as this discussion upon wives has little to do 
with the subject of your visit, what are your prac- 
tical qualifications, as a conductor? He replies, can 
speak Tamil Sinhalese, read and write English,;^ and 
** do up” the check roU. All very necessary abilities, 
we reply, but still, any common clerk can do that, 
are 'you aware now, that the office of conductor is not 
such an easy and simple one, as is often supposed by 
your class of people? Y« u seem to think without any 
exception, that nothing else is expected, or required 
from them, Now the post is a very important one in 
this way. A conductor has a very trying position, 
because while he must endeavour to find favour wdth 
the coolies, so also, must he try to please the mastef. 
The coolies endeavour to do as little work as possible 
for the greatest amount of possible pay. While the 
master's interest is quite the reverse. He must get 
as much work as possible out of the men, at a fair 
rate of pay, and as much as possible keep down, any 
strikes fora rise,” In fact just *^a fair day's work 
for a fair day's pay.” While the coolie, if he had 
his will would go in for no work at all, and for a 
very high rate of pay. Now what we consider one 
of the most necessary qualifications in a conductor, 
is to reconcile and modify these contending interests, 
so as to please and do jusTee to both parties, It re- 
quires a good deal of tact and management, which 
is very often little thought of. Now, do you consider 
you possess this tact, so as to manage and adjust with 
satisfaction to both parties, two conflicting interests ? 
The man twisted and untwisted the hat in his hand, 
and said *sYes sir, can calculate interest, ^'^Confl^ick 
interest” can do, ^'but master must give me a Ready 
Reckoner.— Now we are always very careful not to 
laugh in tbe presence of natives, but we are mortal, 
and what mortal could repress a smile at this absurd 
mistake ; the conductor sees the smile, and is quite 
ignorant 'of its cause* He says, ready reckoner buita 
cheap, can get for two shillings or less, all estates 
supply them, but if master not like, master buy one, 
and stop it off my pay.-— We again take' some- 
trouble in explaining the meaning of conflicting in- 
terests, and after a good deal of general small 
talk on various matters, the conductor is engaged, and 
installed in office* ■ A few weeks after this ’ events 
