CHAPTER XXXVL 
A WOCJLP.BE ESTATE PROPHIETOE OF THE 
OLDEH TIME. 
Mr Jeremy Dicldler bad resided for a long time in 
one of tbe Indian Presidencies ; what he had been doing, 
had done, or iiitended to do, is neither here nor there, 
as relating to this brief sketch, or incident in his life. 
Mr Diddler had been a long time out, had saved 
a good deal of cash, and often thongh-t abont retiring 
to tbe old country, but always put it off, until he 
had made a “little more.” Bnt the more he saved, 
tue less satisfied he became ; it was such a very slow 
way of making money, by saving. Just the old story : 
when he had saved a little more than he had, he would 
retire, and when the “ little more ” was added to his 
gains, why, it would be folly to retire just now, just 
when there was a rare chance of adding another “little 
more ” to the general stock ; indeed, exactly a parallel 
case with the Ceylon coffee planter who is going 
home “next year,” when it comes, for no sooner is the 
old year out than “next year” ceases to be “next 
year,” so that next year in reality is further off than 
ever ; and just so it was with Mr Diddler, "when the 
“little more” was obtained, there was always another 
little fellow at its back, just coming into bud, and 
which would produce fruit — “ ne^^t year.” Mr. Diddler 
was sitting in his oJp&ce reading some letters, which 
had just come ip ; one in particular seemed to occupy 
all his attention, for he at times laid it down and 
took up a pen, with which he made a great number 
of calculations, until a whole sheet of paper was quite 
filled up with figures. These calculations seemed to 
please and satisfy him. Yes, thinks he, my friend in 
Ceylon is quite right, always providing the Ifs and 
Buts don’t interfere, I don’t like them, thought Mr 
Diddler, there are p.o Jfs and Bitts in a deposit 
receipt from the bank, or in Cursetjee’s bond for ten 
thousand poqnds at ten per cent ; no Ifs and Buts 
attached to that two thousand rupees, which are paid 
as regularly, on the third of every month, as the day 
comes round. Now, the calculations that pleased and 
satisfied Mr. Diddler were these : — 800 acres of forest, 
fit for growing coffee, at 5/- per acre=£200 ; opening- 
up three hundred acres at £20, six thousand — say, to 
be sure, all expenses, ten thousand ; then, the second 
crop, not taking into account the first at all, 300. acres 
at 8 cwts, 2,40Q cwts at l2Us. =£14,400, while the expenses 
on this, to be liberal, would be £7,400, leaving a 
clear profit of £7,000 per annum. Our friend went 
over the figures again, very carefully, but instead of 
reducing his estimate found his calculations had been 
on the safe side, and far under the mark. Mr Diddler 
then rose up, went to a press that stood behind the 
d@or of his office, took out a bottle of soda water, laid 
