A SUPERINTENDENT OE THE OLDEN DAYS. 
why will you believe it, now, when on board ship, in 
the exercise of my calling, I never could stand seeing 
anything wasted, especially liquor? So, when clearing, 
away after the passengers had left the dinner table, I 
used always to drink off all that was left in the bottles, 
if they had been previously pretty well drained. Not 
only this, but all the full, half, and quarter glass 
fulls, left on the cabin table, not from the love of 
it, but just that it should not be lost ; in fact, this 
was often a very disagreeable duty ! for claret, sherry, 
port, champagne, had to be tossed off, one after the 
other, so that they had neither taste nor flavour. 
Besides, left bottles and glasses were steward’s per- 
quisites, and whoever has the heart and courage to 
refuse a perquisite ? Why, properly speaking, a per- 
quisite is just part and parcel of one’s pay, and if 
one ought not to refuse, or not neglect using a per- 
quisite, just on the same reasoning why should one 
not only not use, but actually, as you suggested, 
throw away and waste a present, after not only 
accepting of it, but returning cordial thanks to the 
donor. No, no, never refuse a perquisite or a pre- 
sent,” And so on he talked, just the old story, 
always a ready excuse for any action which one 
has a mind to commit, where fixed principle is 
wanting. Still the neighbour did not lose hope of him, 
if he stuck to his word ; kanganies are not the hands 
i o be always bringing presents every day, and a like 
circumstance might not happen again for a very long 
time, probably not at all, for the next day Kenneth’s 
better angel being in the ascendant, he roundly rated 
the kanganies *about their audacity “ in sending 
into his bouse, by means of the boy, bottles of such 
wretched poisonous stuff which had made him very 
ill, and if they ever ventured upon this trick any 
more, he would pay them the value of their pre- 
sent in a way they little expected.” 
This little deliverance somewhat surprised the 
kanganies, but it had the effect of greatly increasing 
their respect for the master, which for some time 
had been very considerably on tbe decrease. It spread 
all over the estate : it was all wrong what they 
had been saying. Master was not a ‘‘ Koode-caren.” 
Now here was a chance for Mr. Kenneth. His em« 
ployer, as yet, did not believe in what he had 
been told of his failing. His neighbour had proved 
a neighbour indeed, and nothing would ever be re- 
vealed through him, the very coolies and kanganis, 
on the estate, were prompt and ready to change their 
opinion in fact — had changed it. All was in favour 
of Kenneth and his reformation, if he would or 
rather could, only persevere. Mr. Kenneth had to go 
to Kandy on some estate matters, at least fancied he 
