JUNGLE TAILORS, SERVANTS AND COURTS, 
pot stood on the floor beside him, also one of our 
cups from which he occasionally took a sip. Bread 
and butter in large quantity stood on the kitchen 
table, although the boy informed us at last breakfast 
time that both bread and butter were all done, so 
he had baked a roti as none could be got until 
the provision coolie came from Gampola. Our wrath 
was gradually rising, but worse was still to appear : 
the tailor stopped his work, rolled up his thread and 
needles, and we were just thinking of retiring in 
case he might come out and catch master at this not 
very dignified occupation, when our attention was 
further arrested. He was evidently geing to have 
some supper, and opens a dirty looking box, from which 
he takes an opened tin of preserved salmon — ours no 
doubt,, as tailors don’t eat tinned salmon at tv\o and six- 
pence a pound — and eats it up very heartily. The hand 
again returns to the dirty box, from which he draws 
forth an open tin of sardines, with which his supper was 
completed, part of a stock no doubt which we bad in the 
sideboard ; after this he finishes his coffee, puts his hand 
into the dirty box again, and pulls out a fine No. 2 
Manila cheroot. Yfe had an open box standing 
below the couch in the sitting-room, and had just 
been mentally remarking — we must have been smoking 
a great deal too much, the stock seemed so much 
reduced — and bad given up their use, keeping them as 
a luxury for visitors, or an occasional one for Sundays, 
and here was this fellow smoking them in the kitchen 
at one o’clock in the morning ! 
It is an old saying that ‘‘ Listeners never hear any 
good of themselves,’’ and we may add^ that secret spying 
is very apt to destroy a man’s peace of mind, or at 
all events his night’s rest. In after life we neither 
spied nor pryed into any kitchen customs or hospi- 
talities, thinking it far better to suffer some trifling 
loss and imposition than positively to see these 
irregularities, for if you watched them slyly, you could 
not openly accuse them, plainly letting them know 
that you had done so, and thus appear to your own 
servants in a very undignified position — altogether 
unworthy of the master. In proof of which another 
kitchen anecdote may be mentioned. Returning home 
unexpectedly and late one night, an unusual noise 
and stir was heard in the kitchen, so, instead of boldly 
entering the bungalow and calling out for a light, we 
quietly peeped in behind the kitchen door, which 
stood partially ajar, and perceived a sight which 
certainly never was intended for the eye of master.” 
The ‘ ‘ boy was dressed for the occasion, in our coat, 
trousers, and sun hat, with an umbrella under his arm, 
walking up and down the kitchen mimicking master” 
