Saturday, July ll.—A ship seen passing between the islands.
Tuesday, July l4.—We have had a holiday to-day, as the men were thatching the school roof. A cry of "Sail, ho!" brought them down post-haste from the work. A steamer was thought to be in sight, but it proved to be a barque, and did not come this way.
On Sunday evening Mrs. Repetto came in alone. Her husband was at Mr. Keytel's; but she said she was not going to forsake old friends. She generally talks very amusingly. This time she informed us "Mr. Keytel was a cunning rat," which she intended as a compliment to his discernment. She loves to talk about her children, and told an amusing story of one of her little boys. On going to the pig-sty she found a dead little pig. She felt sure that the children had had something to do with it. So, marshalling them in front of her, she picked out the guiltiest-looking face and charged its owner with the deed. With difficulty she drew out the confession that he had gone to look at the little pigs, and as he was shutting the door one of them got caught in and was killed. He did not know what to do, so he picked it up and laid it down by the old mother as if it were asleep.
Thursday, July l6.—We have just returned from another lantern entertainment, at which were shown some interesting slides from photographs Mr. Keytel had taken when in Europe. He is giving these entertainments weekly.
Friday, July l7.—Mr. Keytel has lent me a most excellent recipe-book, one of the best I have seen. I think the following recipe is delightful—
"A Black Man's Recipe to dress Rice.
"Wash him well, much wash in cold water, the rice flour make him stick. Water boil all ready very fast. Throw him in, rice can't burn, water shake him too much. Boil 1 1/4 hours or little more, rub one rice in thumb and finger; if all rub away him quite done. Put rice in colander, hot water run away. Pour cup of cold water on him, put back rice in saucepan, keep him covered near the fire, then rice all ready. Eat him up!"
The dogs have again begun to kill the geese. They killed two a night or two ago, and seven last night, five of them belonging to Martha Green. We wonder the people do not shut up their dogs at night, and especially now during the lambing season. We are glad to notice they are driving the sheep more quietly this year, and keeping the dogs more at heel.
Yesterday Mrs. Henry Green came to tea; she still rarely leaves the house. We carried her off to see the lantern views; on the whole she seems in better spirits.
Saturday, July l8.—Last night we had Charlotte, Lily, and Ruth Swain into supper. Charlotte resembles a Swede in appearance. Lily, the second, is a good-looking girl with rather a long, pensive face. Ruth is very dark but has a fine face. She is backward in learning and very diffident. All three are very capable girls; they cut out and make their own clothes, and can turn their hand to most things in the house or on the land.