Another figure emerges from the office-door. A fine portly-looking man, whose complexion rivals in colour the _château margaux_ he so liberally indulges in: a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles surmounts his well-formed nose, a substantial-looking umbrella is stuck beneath his arm, while in one hand is borne an open letter, and in the other, a voluminous silk handkerchief, and a gold snuff-box almost large enough to play the part of a portmanteau. “Not bad, though,” he mutters to himself, as he carefully looks out for the lapses in the stone platform which runs along the front of the post-office—“not bad, though; my last ten hogsheads brought 78s. per cwt.; and my agent tells me the sugar was not so good as the former shipment, or he should have got higher prices. I must look to what my manager is doing; he must exert himself more, or he and I must part. Ay—rain again!” and he inspects the movements of the clouds, and glances for a moment at the vane upon the church-steeple visible above the surrounding houses. “Well, let me get home first, and it may rain as long as it likes—all the better for my canes.” So saying, he gains his “top-gig,” and carefully stepping in, and placing his umbrella between his knees, he tells “John” to gather up the reins, and make haste home. This is a resident proprietor of a sugar-estate, a man with whom the world has long dealt well. Another event that makes an inroad into business-hours, is the occurrence of an auction-sale. When a gentleman or his family intends paying a visit to England, one of their first preparations is to “call an auction,” and sell off all their household furniture, carriages, and horses. Upon these occasions, they print no compendious catalogues, as is the custom in England; but an advertisement is inserted in the island weekly papers, calling the attention of individuals to the fact, that “The subscriber being about to proceed to England by the first opportunity, will dispose of all his fashionable household furniture, lately imported, consisting of, HANDSOME FRENCH POLISHED MAHOGANY SIDEBOARD, Dining, Loo, Card, and other tables, Glass, &c. Also, a few choice articles of plate and plated goods; also, an English-built Phaeton and Pair of Horses and A FLOCK OF SHEEP. Y. Z.”