I was such a simple innocent that it never once entered my head that I had been refused because I was an Eurasian. This reference of the boys opened my eyes, and I concluded to make some calls to see if what they said was really true. I was out again the next day. I did not care so much now for a situation as I did to know the effect of the color of my face. I had a roll of government notes in my pocket, and could draw for more when needed, so could face the kulies and babus without having that utterly forsaken walk and look of a beggar. As I entered one of the prominent offices I could not help thinking of what Mr. Percy would say, “Charles, be a man, in your looks and in every step you take,” and so I uprightly faced the grand panjandrum. I bowed politely, and said, “I am seeking a situation. I don’t care so much about the wages, as I wish to learn the business.” Looking me all over, as if I was some specimen from the zoo, he remarked, “I don’t think you would suit us.” “Will you be so kind as to tell me the reason?” I inquired, with as much suavity as I could command. I think my manner fetched him, for he said, “Take a seat, will you?” the first time a chair had been offered me in all my rounds. He replied, “Well, really, you know, I don’t like to say; for myself I think you would suit us, but, now, ahem! I hope you will take no offense, but the fact is, I am really sorry to say it, but my partners are opposed to having any Eurasians.” “What reason have they?” I calmly inquired, that is, outwardly calm, but inwardly very uncalm. Said he, “Really, I don’t know, and can’t say; you will have to ask them, and I think they are both very busy, as it is mail day.” What a lot of lies mail day is responsible for! He then began to fumble his papers, as if to say that my time was up, so I bowed and left, feeling in my soul that he was a liar, and at the entrance door I inquired of a babu about the partners, and he said that they had not come to the office that day. But why prolong the story? I made out a list of the firms on whom I had called. There were all sorts of excuses, but the majority objected to employing Eurasians. One thing astonished me, that so many of them had wicked partners. Perhaps they were only imaginary dummies or office devils, to whom they could attribute all their sins. And most of these men were Christians in their way. One morning I found an article in one of the daily papers that fitted so well with what the boys had said and with what I felt, that I cut out this paragraph. I was rather glad that they had not seen the paper, as I had furnished them with tickets-of-leave; or they might have been tempted to curse their fathers, which is bad business when it can be avoided.