the visit m A SILVERSMITH, AHB 
ITS RESULTS. 
jshoulder by the kangani, and told off, to hole. Some 
may sayg we quite understand this drift of talking 
.nt, in the instances given, but what has this to do 
with the ? This is a private affair altogether, 
with which the master has nothing to do. All yery true, 
nothing directly, but every thing indirectly. For what 
is the use of a silversmith, without silver, as a metal, 
to work upon, and the man who is eixpected to pro- 
vide the metal in the shape of rupees, is,, of course, 
master, for who else could it be. And thus it was, that 
the clink of the silversmith’s hammer in the lines, was 
always the sure precursor of a clink out of your money 
bag, in the form of advances. But that was a matter 
for your own decision on hehalf of the estate, although 
it pestered and annoyed you, it did not come out of 
your own pocket. But woe to that pocket, supposing 
your boy had a wife and children, if some day, 
suddenly, the clink of the hammer was 
heard to proceed out of the kitchen verandah ! Master 
might be sitting in his verandah after working hours 
when a Tamil girl would approach up to one of the 
posts, behind which she would stand, and of course say 
nothing, until she was not only asked, but pressed to 
speak. After a good deal of coaxing, the reply would 
be, Tattan vandaradu'^ (The silversmith is come): 
not ^^varadu^^ (coming) but “ vandaradu^^ (is come); 
all doubt about the matter at an end, he is come. 
You might give a nod of assent, you knew this, but 
what is it you want ? The girl would then spead out 
at full length, her bare arms, free from all ornament 
of any sort, with one hand she would slowly stroke 
the other arm from the shoulder downwards, and say 
“ Kappu ” (armlets). If you are still in doubt, and 
press for further information, after a good deal of 
twisting of fingers., scraping of toes, the short word, 
Rud (rupees) will be uttered. Should you feel 
generously disposed to make an advance, and offer ten 
rupees, it will be rejected with disdaing, what sort of 
bracelet will ten rupees make ! “ Ohi master 
knows nothing about women’s ornaments ; tbe very least 
sum that will do, is thirty rupees for one bracelet, 
and as one is shabby, she must have a pair, and sixty 
rupees to melt down and make them, also twenty 
more, to pay the silversmith for his work 
altogether eighty rupees, or eight pounds. ” Now, 
when it is considered that the average balance 
of monthly pay due to the woman, would probably be, 
at the very most six shillings, here was a rather 
startling request, a demand for a sum as advance of 
wages, which would require more than two years’ bala.nce 
due to refund, leaving nothing at all for other personal 
