That Cook Boy!

WE have heard many cook-boy stories, most of them good. But this is the best yet. It is told by Mr. J. D.

Simpson, retiring manager of Bulolo Gold Dredging Limited, New Guinea, against Mrs. J. R. Keenan, and Mrs. Keenan’s cook-boy. At the time of the incident, Mr. Keenan was ADO Finschhafen and part of his duties consisted of playing host to any Europeans who passed through the station. In this he was ably assisted by Mrs. Keenan, who, although new to the Territory, was a natural pioneer and fell easily into the job of coping with post-war problems of im

promptu hostessing.

On this occasion a BGD party arriving unexpectedly, shortly before lunch, was presented to Mrs. Keenan by her ADO husband with the request that she find them a meal. (She said that she did not know quite how, but would do her best.

With the help of the cook-boy a meal was produced at short notice and the party and the Keenans sat down to eat it. There then appeared in the harbour a small boat and a trader and soon there was another guest for luncheon.

Unfortunately all the food was already being consumed so Mrs. Keenan took the cook-boy aside and said, in effect, “You know as much about this as I do. Do the best you can for the new master.”

To the European hostess this probably was a fine problem in social gymnastics, best solved, perhaps, by killing another tin, but to the simple and realistic mind of the native cook-boy there was a simple solution. He went to the table, swiftly removed three plates from three sur prised guests, took them to a side table, cut off a meticulous fourth from each sausage, divided off a fourth of the vege tables, put it all on a fourth plate and triumphantly returned three plates to the three original guests and took the fourth to the trader. Cook-boy then went com placently back to the kitchen.

Mr. Simpson says he saw it happen.

Mrs. Keenan says that she doesn’t re member—but under the circumstances it most likely did.