A Lady of England 56

A Lady of England 56

 ‘_Feb. 7._--Perhaps you will be glad to hear that all our

attempts to find a companion for me at Batala have failed.

Poor ---- must go back to England; it was a mistake ever to

have sent out so delicate a lady. Miss ---- with whom I was

in treaty, is going home too. Mrs. ---- has been secured for

another station.... Perhaps I have been too ready to say to

myself, “There is no place on earth where I can be so useful

as at Batala.” I must come down a little, which is wholesome.

But I have not any sense of defeat; no, thank God,--every visit

to Batala, it seems as if fresh ground had been gained. The

waves retreat again and again, while the tide is advancing.... I

believe that a far better spirit, a spirit of kindness towards

us, a lessening of prejudice, a most encouraging readiness to

listen, is now spreading in Batala.[72] Maulvi Z. felt the

difference. B--n feels the difference. I believe that there

will be _real_ regret at our leaving Batala. Dear B--n!... I had

brought for B--n’s children two gay little coverlets.... B--n

took them and wrapped them round the plump little girls as

chaddahs. I think that he was quite pleased....

 

‘Oh, did I tell you--I told somebody--about my other Brahmin;

the elderly man who prays by the side of our tank? I have

repeatedly spoken to him in my indifferent Panjabi; and I

spoke to my nephew, R. Bateman, about him, when he was here

for two days. So on one of the mornings I see my nephew seated

beside my Brahmin close to the tank, with only a handkerchief

round his delicate head. His old Auntie soon supplied him with

an umbrella. R. Bateman gave me afterwards an account of the

Brahmin’s strange view of religion. One can hardly imagine a

mind in which the whole visible creation is regarded as God.

The Brahmin had no idea of _sin_; he had _never seen it_, he

said,--as if it were a thing like a stone or a tree!

 

‘I saw the poor fellow by the tank yesterday morning, and went

out and spoke to him. I invited him to come to morning prayers.

Rather to my surprise, the dear man really did come. He must

be a wondrously meek Brahmin; for he seated himself on the

floor amongst the servants, labourers, etc., apparently quite

forgetful of the tremendous difference between their castes and

his own. Mr. Beutel makes morning family prayers almost like

a regular service. He not only reads the Bible, but expounds.

I had asked him, for my Brahmin’s sake, to make his address

as Punjabish as possible; so he stuck in Punjabi words where

he could. My Brahmin looked very attentive. He has a sort of

childlike readiness to listen, looking full at you when you

speak; and his face quite brightening as if with pleasure when

you talk of a Saviour. It must be all so strangely new to him!

I wonder if he will come again....

 

‘To-day I went to two new houses,--I have such a number to go

to! When I sang of the Saviour’s invitation, to a Hindu, not

only did she seem to listen attentively, but I saw her wiping

moist eyes.

 

‘Margaret and E. Clay intend coming here the day after

to-morrow for two days.... I must not dwell on parting with

Margaret.[73] I rejoice in the happiness which I hope she will

enjoy. She has worked long and very hard.... No doubt there are

some wise and merciful reasons for sending me away from Batala.’

 

* * * * *

 

‘BATALA, _Feb. 14_.--Another curious phase in my strange,

strange life! I told you or dear Leila of the idea of the

Boys’ Orphanage being brought here. That idea was knocked on

the head; but another is taking such shape that it is likely

enough that I shall find myself, not exactly planted in, but on

the top of--and underneath also--_another_ boys’ school! The

Rev. F. Baring, the Bishop of Durham’s son, has fallen in love

with Batala, and has set his heart on buying this house from

Government, for a Boarding-school for Christian Native Boys.

 

‘We have no wish, however, to lose our hold of our beautiful

palace as a station for the Zenana Mission; so it is likely

that, if Mr. Baring succeed in buying Anarkalli, he will allow

our Mission to rent from him, on easy terms, that part of the

house which we now occupy (by we I mean myself), with the

addition of the drawing-room and part at least of the grand

dining-room. Dear, good Babu Singha and his wife and family

will probably live in another part of the palace, he being

Under-Superintendent of the School!!

 

‘Here’s a brown and white Happy Family for you! Natives and

Europeans can hardly chum together; yet it would be absurd

to have _three_ cooks for us. The present idea is for Mr.

Baring and me to chum, _till_ I am joined by any young lady.

Mr. Baring ... is quite happy with me, because of my venerable

age, which I have found such an advantage in India. He asked

me to-day to have him as a nephew! How rich I am in these

dharm-nephews,--to say nothing of the real ones! Now I have

_five_; one of them being my Afghan, and the others four of

the most valuable clergymen in the Panjab Mission.[74] Henry,

my Afghan boy,[75] you must know. He is the youngest of all my

dharm-nephews.

 

‘Now, what does my sweet Laura say to my plans--and my family?

I like you to know all my nephews.... I have more nieces even

than nephews; but you have had enough of my dharm-family for

the present. Mr. Clark wanted me to take him in too. If he had

asked to be a _brother_, I should have welcomed him; but I

really could not have as a nephew one to whom we look up as a

head-pastor, a kind of bishop! I don’t think that my nephews

should be more than forty years old.’

 

* * * * *

 

‘AMRITSAR, _Feb. 23, 1878_.--Here I am again in dear old

Amritsar.... I know that you will be curious to hear how the

Batala school plan progresses. Well, we are waiting to hear

what our saintly new Bishop says to it. In a matter of such

importance it is right to wait for the advice of such an

Apostolic man.... I wait passively. There is plenty of work for

me at Amritsar, more than I can do at all properly....

 

‘You see, Laura darling, there are quantities of Aunts in

England; but an old Auntie is a rare bird in India, and

therefore in request. I am like a hen with such a large brood!

 

‘Dearest Margaret will be much missed. Many, many, both English

and Natives, love her.... The Native Christians have quietly

subscribed for a shawl for her Mother, as a token of their

grateful love. I think the Natives very affectionate. People

talk of their being ungrateful; but those who talk so have

perhaps never _earned_ their gratitude. If you love them, they

love you! They are very sensitive, both to kindness and to

unkindness....’

 

TO MISS ‘LEILA’ HAMILTON.

 

‘_March 4, 1878._

 

’ ... Missionary work can be just as truly done in England as

in India; but only a few of the dear workers _can_--without

forsaking other duties--come out so far as the Panjab. Those

who come here should be strong also, physically as well as

mentally suited for the peculiar work and trying climate....

 

‘There are plenty of poor in Amritsar, as well as Batala. I

went to Mrs. Clark’s yesterday, at the large Mission House.

In her garden were quantities of poor folk; between three

and four hundred, counting children. A Catechist preached to

them first; and then a great number of chapatties, a kind of

thick flat cake, of very simple make, with a small quantity

of dal,[76] was handed round and distributed. Adults had two

chapatties each; children one. Mr. Clark had had a Brahmin to

cook, for Hindu beggars would not otherwise have liked the

food, and Muhammadans do not object to a Brahmin’s cooking.

Station-people subscribe to help in the distribution of this

food....

 

‘Mr. Clark and my new nephew, Mr. Baring, have gone to Lahore

to see our new Bishop.[77] He is known to be such a saint,

that thanksgivings have been offered again and again for his

appointment.’

 

TO MRS. J. BOSWELL.

 

‘_March 4, 1878._

 

‘Is poor, dear ---- going to remain in the same house, so full

to her of sad memories? People feel so differently on this

subject. Some cling to the spot where they have loved and

sorrowed,--others fly from it. I should never like to cross

the threshold of No. 3 again. I am rather pleased that it has

another number now. There is _no_ 3 Upper Portland Place now.’

 

TO MRS. HAMILTON.

 

‘_March 8._--I can fancy the request to have my letters

directed to Batala has excited a little curiosity. It really

seems likely that our comical arrangement will be carried out;

and that I and my nephew will find ourselves chumming together

in the midst of a Boys’ School!!

 

‘The Panjab is eager to have a boys’ school for young Christian

Native gentlemen. The Bishop approves. Our boys are to pay

Rs.5 a month. This may cover food expenses, but of course not

the expense of first-class teaching. Batala is to have this,

the nucleus of a future Panjabi Eton or Harrow (if it please

God to prosper it), the training-place for our clergymen,

lawyers, and merchants. I am _not_ to be Matron. I am the sole

representative--European--of our Ladies’ Zenana Society; but it

would be strange if I lived in the same building with the dear

boys, and took no interest in them. It is probable enough that

I shall find myself playing at Oxford or Cambridge, or giving a

music-lesson to young Panjabis. A comical idea suggests itself.

I have a large family of new Nephews and Nieces in India. Am I

to have a whole troop of brown Grandnephews in perspective!!!

Don’t fancy them ugly savages. Many will probably be winsome

enough,--bright, attractive, and courteous.

 

‘Good Babu Singha and his excellent wife will probably be in

the house, but not chum with Europeans....

 

‘Only imagine my darling Laura dreaming of coming to Egypt to

meet me!! But I doubt her being up to such a journey; and mine

would be about as formidable a one. But the dream is one of

“old,” not “young Love”!’