When I mentioned my grievance in the drawing-room to the gentlemen, I only got laughed at for my pains, and I was asked what else I expected?
To this question used to be added sundry anecdotes of earlier colonial life, intended to reconcile me to the manners of these later days.

I remember particularly a legend of a man cook, who was said to have walked into the sitting-room of the station where the master was practising tunes on an accordion, and exclaimed, "Now, look here, boss, if you don't leave off that there noise, which perwents me gettin' a wink o' sleep, I'll clear out o' this, sharp, to-morrow mornin'.

So now yer know," and with that remark he returned to his bunk.
At last I was goaded to declare I felt sure that the men only behaved in that way from crass ignorance, and that if they knew how much my feelings were hurt, they would alter their manners directly.

This opinion was received with such incredulity that I felt roused to declare I should try the experiment next Sunday afternoon.

The only warning which at all daunted me was the assurance that I should affront my congregation and scare them away.