In the morning there was a free fight in camp between the staff and some
of the camp lubras, the rejected, led by Jimmy's lubra--another
Nellie--declaring the Maluka had meant two different lubras each day.
Again there was much ear-splitting argument, but finally a compromise was
agreed on. Two lubras were to sit down permanently, while as many as
wished might help with the washing and watering. Then the staff and the
shadows settled down on the verandah beside me to watch while I evolved
dresses for two lubras out of next to nothing in the way of material, and
as I sewed, the Maluka, with some travellers who were "in" to help him,
set to work to evolve a garden also out of next to nothing in the way of
material.
Hopeless as it looked, oblong beds were soon marked out at each of the
four corners of the verandah, and beyond the beds a broad path was made
to run right round the House. "The wilderness shall blossom like the
rose," the Maluka said, planting seeds of a vigorous-growing flowering
bean at one of the corner posts.
The travellers were deeply interested in the servant wrestle, and when
the Staff was eventually clothed, and the rejected green with envy,
decided that the "whole difficulty was solved, bar Sam.
Pages:
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103