Met him at the Bibelot once, and he was telling us how he attempted to make a fire with a couple of sticks.

It was most amusing.

He told it inimitably, but it was the story of a failure.

I remember his conclusion, his black eyes flashing as he said, 'Gentlemen, the South Sea Islander may do it, the Malay may do it, but take my word it's beyond the white man.'" "Oh, well, we've managed so far without it," she said cheerfully.

"And there's no reason why we cannot still manage without it." "But think of the coffee!" I cried.