A Lady of England 55

A Lady of England 55

‘A light material of a rather dark grey colour, nicely made up

with a tunic bodice and belt, would be very useful to her. But

what would she say to me, if she thought I had written this?

Another thing is a _feather_ pillow. Such a thing is not to be

had in India; and her dear head is, I am sure, often tired. We

put our only one into her gari just now, hoping she would not

notice it. Off went her coach, and we were so pleased to think

it was with her, but she found it out before reaching the end

of the Avenue, and sent it back. If you could send one with a

coloured cover, it could do either on bed or sofa; and I think

it might be well to put her name on it in indelible ink, for

she is so very likely to give away such a desirable thing....’

 

* * * * *

 

C. M. T. TO MRS. E----.

 

‘BATALA, _Nov. 15, 1877_.

 

‘Where do you think the gay Mission Miss Sahiba has been

to-day? Never consider mine a monotonous life! Why, I have been

to a fair, a _mela_, as they call it here. I had never thought

of a lady’s going to a heathen fair; but two of our Mission

ladies are here for ten days, to conduct examinations in the

schools. Our valuable Miss Wauton said that she would like to

go to the mela. Of course, I would not let her go without a

lady companion; so we both accompanied Mr. Beutel in his light

covered cart, plunging over ruts in the kachcha road in fine

style.

 

‘It was a pretty sight. The weather was delicious. Numbers of

people in their picturesque costumes were threading their way

to the village of A----, white being the prevailing colour of

the men’s costumes, gay red that of the women’s, with a fair

sprinkling of green, a touch of yellow and blue, and here and

there a grand display of glittering gold. But we did not go

just to look at the folk, or to buy fairings either. Emily and

I went armed with books and pictures, to try and sow a little

good seed amongst the women, whilst Mr. Beutel and the two

Catechists preached to the men.

 

‘Mr. Beutel found a shady place for us, and Emily and I tried

to gather women around us. The men were curious, and wanted to

see and hear also. We could not secure an exclusively feminine

audience. It was a Hindu mela; and not many Muhammadans

seemed to be present, which made matters easier for us.... No

one objected to hearing as much about the Blessed Saviour as

we could tell them. Emily speaks Punjabi famously; I have only

about a thimble-full of it; so I chiefly listened to Emily, and

held the umbrella to shield her from the sun.

 

‘It was interesting to look at the faces, when Emily, with

admirable fluency, told the story of the Prodigal Son. At this

time her audience seemed to be principally Sikh men. They

crouched upon the ground around us, and listened with hearty

interest. Nowhere, either from men or women, did we meet with

any rudeness; nor did any one seem vexed with our describing

what our Lord had done for us....

 

‘The way in which Batala is opening out is marvellous. I go

from Zenana to Zenana, and have not by any means finished

paying all my _first_ visits!! Our Bible-woman thinks that

about _thirty_ Zenanas are open to her. I doubt that nearly

so many are open in the large mother-stations of Amritsar or

Lahore. We ought to have two or three clever, active, strong

Miss Sahibas here, instead of one elderly lady, who is slow at

both learning and teaching.

 

‘The two ladies from Amritsar are delighted with Batala. To-day

is, I think, the anniversary of my arrival in India; so I have

entered upon my third year! My Missionary life has, on the

whole, been a very happy one....’

 

TO MRS. HAMILTON.

 

‘_Dec. 13, 1877._--The overland mail was particularly long in

arriving this time. I hoped that it would bring me something

particularly nice; and what should come to-day but your

dear loving letter, and the first halves of your munificent

contribution to our schools! How very kind and liberal my

Laura is! I had been speaking to Mr. Beutel but yesterday of

those two village schools, which would--from the lowness of

funds--have been dropped, but for your last handsome gift. I

was asking Mr. Beutel how far your Rs.55 would carry them on.

He replied--till past the beginning of March. Beyond that there

was no provision for them at all.

 

‘How delighted Mr. Beutel will be, on his return from Amritsar,

to hear that a bountiful supply has come in! I think it

better to apply your gift to the village schools, than to the

girls’ schools in Batala. The latter, I think, excite more

interest, and are not so likely to be in want of funds. These

poor village schools--since for retrenchment sake they were

cast off--are like waifs and strays. Government does not care

for village schools; the School Society cannot afford to

keep up half the desirable number. Mr. Beutel often receives

applications for new village schools, and is so much interested

in them that he and our Catechist have one between them....

 

‘We are to have a grand tamasha here at Christmas-time. Mr.

Beutel is going to gather, not only the boys of our Batala

Mission School, but boys from village schools. Of course, this

is not merely to give enjoyment, though the enjoyment will

probably be great, but to bring more forcibly before the lads

the tidings of great gladness. We are a little puzzled about

the poor little girls; as their cruel and absurd pardah rules

prevent the possibility of gathering them all together, even in

the Bible-woman’s house.’

 

The beginning of 1878 found Miss Tucker at Batala; and though once more

for a short time her work there was to be broken through, the spring of

this same year, as explained earlier, would see an end of the difficulty

which had attended her permanent residence in the place. The letter

to her sister, written on January 5th, is all through a particularly

characteristic one. A large amount will bear quotation.

 

‘The warm dress which you have so very kindly procured for me

has not yet arrived; but I should not wonder if it were here

on Monday or Tuesday.... We have been guessing of what colour

it will be. Mrs. J. and I both fixed upon grey, Mrs. Beutel

purple, and Mr. Beutel brown. Perhaps after all it will turn

out to be blue. I hope that I may have it in time to wear at

B.’s baptism, which I do hope may take place to-morrow week, if

some clergyman will only come from Amritsar. To this baptism I

look forward with joyful interest. B.’s white dress is probably

ready now. We like converts to wear pure white at baptism. I

intend to give J., the Bible-woman, a new skirt to wear on the

occasion; and I should like to wear something perfectly fresh

too....

 

‘I was in a Zenana to-day, which it is always a mental effort

to visit; but it is very interesting. Instead of talking to the

women there, I am certain to have one or two men, descendants

of the famous Guru Nanak, who engross the conversation with me

almost entirely.

 

‘The religion of the fine old fellow who is the principal

talker is a regular puzzle. He talks Panjabi; so you may

imagine how very difficult it is for me to understand him; and

he _wants to make me understand_. I do my best to do so. This

is what I gather of his views. S. is _not_ a Muhammadan; he

says that he is a Hindu; though by his birth he ought to be a

Sikh. He reverences Guru Nanak,[71] very properly, but thinks

that Guru Nanak has given religious tenets such as I am certain

that he never did. We have no reason to suppose that the

excellent Guru had ever heard of our Saviour. But S. propounds

doctrines that are amazing from the lips of a _Hindu_. He

believes in the one true God. He believes that a time of great

war and trouble will come; and that then Isa Masih (Jesus

Christ) will come like a flash of lightning, and become the

Ishar (Divine Lord) of all the Earth.

 

‘I had taken a Gurmukhi Testament with me. Neither of the men

seemed disposed to read it. I thought that perhaps neither

of them _could_; so I opened it myself, and chose a pretty

easy place. I had never read the Gurmukhi character in a

Zenana before. My old Sikh--for I cannot help considering him

one--listened very attentively, correcting my pronunciation

now and then. I did not venture to read much. Then he took

the Testament himself, and began to read it in regular Sikh

fashion, in a kind of measured chant, as if it were poetry. It

was clear that he _could_ read; so I left the precious Volume

as a loan in that house. May God bless it!...’

 

* * * * *

 

‘_Jan. 9, 1878._--Hurrah! the box has come! It is in process of

being opened.

 

‘Was I not a real witch? Did I not guess a grey dress? What an

elegant, ladylike, quiet costume! And so warm and comfortable!...

When I opened my tempting box, I thought of the dear fingers

which had been employed in putting it up! How very, very

kind you have been! So many, many thanks! And what loves of

cushions! You have remembered my weakness for cushions. Soft,

warm, and so pretty!... I am obliged to go to Amritsar, just for

a few days, as Mr. Clark and Margaret cannot come here; and we

must have a serious, prayerful discussion about what is really

very important, and too complicated for letters.... I see my

_own_ path clearly. I intend, please God, to stick by Batala.

My friends will not hear of my staying alone.... May God guide

us! Batala should NOT be abandoned.’

 

* * * * *

 

‘_Jan. 23._--I have come back from Amritsar, with nothing

settled, except that the Beutels are to go to Amritsar about

the middle of March. The Batala affairs have been much talked

over.... I earnestly hope that I may not have a third time to

retreat from Batala, for lack of a companion. We are beating

about for one, but it seems a hard thing to find, we are

so undermanned. Every one seems to acknowledge the great

importance of Batala....

 

‘As for its being unhealthy, I regard it as _more_ healthy than

either Amritsar or Lahore. The tank is a lovely tank, with no

bad smell; and when it is very full I can _see_ the current of

water flowing in on one side and out at the other. Fishes live

and jump about in it; and birds delight in its bright waters.

I have a better chance of keeping well through the hot weather

here than at the bungalow at Amritsar. This house is far better

built, with thick walls, lofty rooms, etc. But none of my

Missionary friends at Amritsar will listen to my staying here

alone. So I must just wait, and see what is God’s Will. He can

send me a companion, if He sees right to do so.’