When the Thirsty Eartly Ceases To Soak Up the Rain "Rainy to foggy weather in our valley and along the coast i the south. "Very weather with Intermittent drigale.
Normal and, une steady pressure, "Probabilities, 4.30. esterday:—Cloudy weather, Intermittent rain or fog over our 6.30 a.m, Brought back to conseil onsness by boy stumbling over table in effort to provide early morning tea, Kicked pillow off bed to re-ister disgust, Approximately dry tapet found underneath absconded pillow.
Tam. No stockings to wear, amah having cheerfully hung up three days predso ones 8 genuine alarm.
7.80 um, Breakfast. in between decisions to open or to shut the window, Toast "rubbery,"—milk "turned," honey diluted, sugar showing more powers of cohesion than a Chinese army, persistent fly which in time is allowed to have his way with the sugar Sam, Morning paper arrives very late, print beginning to merge into the general limpness; read complete account by depressing critic of state of altairs in China, and agree wholeheartedly.
8.10 a.m. Messmate, for a change, very. suspicious of servants, "Do you know," she vouchsafes, sleepily, wouldn't be surprised if....my toothbrash....shall we Keep "this cupboard 1 Grows still further suspicious of.weath haven't any shoes to wear, conclusively.
"phe dove found no place for the sole of her foot," I reply out of the steamship "advertisement "page, 1 "Don't -be facetious." 2 "i'm not; I'm only quoting the Flood.", "Well, that's even worse on a day ike this."
Morning paper surrendered to the inevitable demands of the hour.
8.20 am. Miss prospective lift to through inability to harry.
ind unmistakable signs of mil-on one pair of shoes and the gramophone.
8.30 a.m, Sun beginning to come out.
8.35 a.m. Mighty downpour, Take a ricsha to office, Sight an quaintance who had started out to walk to office at 8.20; looks annoyed at the attempt to disrupt his convictions. Leave him to his efforts.
9 a.m, Begin the day. Endeavour to keep permanent record of the number of casual comments upon filthy downpour, which is only the beginning of worse, although beginning late this year. Knowledge that this compilation must be left to the leisured class of humanity grows by 42 noon. Rain has changed its direction, pelting, instead of left to right, from right to left.
12.30 p.m, Make a complete change into comparatively dry garments before tiffin, and barely avoid a display of temper over cold bouillon at the start.
2 pin-6 pin. Rain continues. 'Some comment overheard regi the "saturation point of humanity.'
6.30 pin. Picked up a book entitled "The Deluge" to peruse, until the situation became too marked. Picked up another entitled The Bridge of San Luis Rey," equally depressing, because the bridge broke in the middle and made one wonder which would be worse, to be in Shanghai or to have been crossing the bridge. Introspection repented of, when the matshed covering something belonging to the servants gave way and caused a frightful rumpus at the back of beyond.
7.30 p.m. Telephone message to convey information that there would probably be no band concert at Jessfield, and suggesting that shelter be sought under a cinema.
41 pin, Rain stopped. Decision taken to walk home; regretted later
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.