in these matters? The Naik soon comes to feel that if justice were
done to merit, he would be a Havildar. After he has attained that
proud distinction, he retires to "husband out life's taper at its
close" in the same old hut, amidst the same conglomerate of
relations, but nephews and nieces, and grandchildren have taken the
place of uncles and aunts and parents. The buffalo and the pariah
dog are apparently the same. Then the whole range of official
machinery is put in motion to reward his long and faithful services,
and the Governor in Council grants him the maximum pension of four
rupees a month, subject to the approval of the Viceroy, and he spends
his few remaining days in gratitude to the Sircar. But one thing
rankles in his mind. Babajee, not nearly so good-looking a fellow as
himself, rose to be a Jemadar.

Ambition has, however, another more golden career for an enterprising
and ingenious Chupprassee; for is he not the portal through which the
humble petitioner may have access to the Collector, whose smile is
prosperity and his frown destruction? And must not the hinges of the
portal be oiled that they may open smoothly? Therefore, the
inimitable Sir Ali Baba made a point of dismissing a Chupprassee
whenever he began to grow fat, and he was wise, but in applying the
rule you must have regard to the man's rank. The belt of an ordinary
peon may range from twenty to thirty inches according to length of
service, promotion to a Naik's position will add about three inches,
a Havildar will run to thirty-six or thirty-seven, and a Jemadar must
have something crabbed in his disposition if he does not attain to
forty-two inches. These are normal measurements,--they consistent
with strict integrity as understood in the East. By the blessing of
good temper and an easy life they may be slightly exceeded, but the
itching palm brings on a kind of dropsy easily recognisable to the