Heavenknowswhatdayitis，butIamashamed，allthemoreasyourletterfromBournemouthofallplaces-pooroldBournemouth！-istohand，andcontainsastatementofpleasureinmyletterswhichIwishIcouldhaverewardedwithalongone。Whathasgoneon？Avastofaffairs，ofamingled，strenuous，inconclusive，desultorycharacter；muchwasteoftime，muchridingtoandfro，andlittletransactedoratleastperacted。
Letmegiveyouareviewofthepresentstateofourlivestock-Sixboysinthebush；sixsoulsaboutthehouse。
Talolo，thecook，returnsagainto-day，afteranabsencewhichhascostmeabouttwelvehoursofriding，andIsupposeeighthours’solemnsittingincouncil。’IamsorryindeedfortheChiefJusticeofSamoa，’Isaid；’itismorethanI
amfitfortobeChiefJusticeofVailima。’-Lauiloissteward。Boththeseareexcellentservants；wegavealuncheonpartywhenweburiedtheSamoanbones，andIassureyouallwasingoodstyle，yetweneverinterfered。Thefoodwasgood，thewineanddisheswentroundasbymechanism-
Steward’sassistantandwashmanArrick，aNewHebrideeblackboy，hiredfromtheGermanfirm；notsouglyasmost，butnotprettyneither；notsodullashissortare，butnotquiteaCrichton。Whenhecamefirst，heatesomuchofourgoodfoodthathegotaprominentbelly。Kitchenassistant，TomasThomasinEnglish，aFijiman，verytallandhandsome，movinglikeamarionettewithsuddenbounds，androllinghiseyeswithsuddeneffort-Washerwomanandprecentor，Helen，Tomas’swife。Thisisourweakpoint；weareashamedofHelen；thecook-houseblushesforher；theymurmurthereatherpresence。Sheseemsallright；sheisnotabad-looking，strappingwench，seemschaste，isindustrious，hasanexcellenttasteinhymns-youshouldhaveheardherreadonealoudtheotherday，shemarkedtherhythmwithsomuchgloating，dissentersentiment。Whatiswrong，then？saysyou。Lowinyourear-anddon’tletthepapersgetholdofit-sheisofnofamily。None，theysay；literallyacommonwoman。Ofcourse，wehaveout-islanders，whoMAYbevilleins；butwegivethemthebenefitofthedoubt，whichisimpossiblewithHelenofVailima；ourblot，ourpittedspeck。