A Lady of England 94

A Lady of England 94

TO MISS ‘LEILA’ HAMILTON.

 

‘_Feb. 4, 1885._

 

‘The interesting Confirmation took place on Saturday, ... after

which we partook of the Holy Communion. I think Herbert said

that there were 41 Communicants. We never had so many before in

our chapel. The dear, saintly Bishop left on Tuesday morning.’

 

TO MRS. HAMILTON.

 

‘_March 28, 1885._

 

‘You should have seen Ellie and me down on the floor to-day,

pinning down the dusters for the chess-board. It so happens

that there is an unusual influx of Native Christian visitors

at present--R. R., his winsome lady and two daughters, J.’s

mother, and S., a fledged bird, and these with the numerous

Singhas and the Native Pastor will make quite a gathering. I

rather expect to play badly; but the great thing is to be

quick and dashing, and to move as many pieces as possible;

and not to be disturbed by the bursts of laughter likely to

follow any check given or piece taken. Would you not like to be

present,--near me?

 

‘Well, as I rather expected, I was beaten, though I had the

best of the game at first. I never heard such noisy pieces

of chess as the dear brown boys were, when they were first

marshalled on the board, and had to don their crowns, regal or

mural, their mitres and their horses’ heads. Our Afghan hero,

C. C., was a knight, and enjoyed himself very much. I think

that there was only one piece, or at most two, that was not

moved.’

 

* * * * *

 

‘_April 23, 1885._--My nephew Herbert ... is absent again on

Mission work. He has heard that there is a spirit of earnest

inquiry amongst a number of poor low-caste village folk, I

think about ten or eleven miles from Batala. He has gone to

look personally into the matter; and if he finds that these

lowly peasants are really seeking after God, we will try to

make some arrangement for their instruction. Herbert will see

if it be advisable for an English lady and Native Bible-woman

to go for a short time, and to fix some suitable agent (Native)

to reside amongst the poor people, and start a school. Of

course, this involves expense; but if corn at last be springing

up, it must not be neglected. It is such a comfort to have one,

wise, good, and active, like dear Herbert, to look after such

matters....

 

‘If you happen to meet with dear Mrs. W----, please tell her

that her Cross gleams in my room every night. Her pretty straw

basket is so _much_ admired in the zenanas....

 

‘Our Church-building is growing rapidly under Herbert’s

auspices. The “Mission Plough” too surprises me by its

growth. I hear that there are 105 boys there now. But we have

not a sufficiently strong staff of teachers. The Inspector

(Government) was pleased with the school, but said that we

should have a stronger staff. We know that too.’

 

* * * * *

 

‘_May 8._--I saw Miss B. a few days ago. She saw you in London,

and thought that we resembled each other. “But I hope that my

sister looks much younger than I do,” said I. “Does she look

twenty years younger?” To my satisfaction, Miss B. agreed that

you did. So my Laura keeps her looks, though not feeling so

strong as I should wish her to do.’

 

* * * * *

 

‘_June 22, 1885._ ... I must amuse ---- with the following

_perfectly authentic_ anecdote. There was a nice young couple,

as nice as Fred and Maud perhaps, and they had a nice little

baby. One day the inexperienced Mamma banged the baby’s head.

Accidents _will_ happen, you know, in the best-regulated

families. The young mother was conscientious; she felt that she

ought to confess the banging to the father of the child. With

tearful eyes she went to her husband, and owned that she had

banged her baby’s head. Then the husband, gaining courage from

the brave woman’s truthfulness, confessed that _he had done the

very same_! he had banged the baby’s head, but had not liked to

own it. The baby does not appear to have been the worse for the

two bangs; perhaps they were on opposite sides of the little

head, and counteracted each other. Still--fathers and mothers

had better not try the experiment of how much banging a baby

will bear. Don’t you think so, darling?’

 

* * * * *

 

‘_July 13._--I was interested in hearing what was said to

E. by the lad last baptized.... “I have nearly got through my

temptations,” said he. Of course, I cannot give his exact

words, which were in Urdu; but their drift. The lad thought

that forty days of temptation succeed a convert’s Baptism, and

said, “I have only eleven left.” ... “But do you think that you

will never be tempted afterwards?” asked E. Poor B. did not

think that, but he thought that the first forty days were the

worst; and perhaps he is right.’

 

* * * * *

 

‘_Nov. 13, 1885._--I think that it will amuse you and my dear

god-daughter, if I tell you of my first attempt regularly to

make a marriage, and what were the consequences thereof.

 

‘I had been told by the experienced Native Christian, whom I

will call M., the proper way to carry on a negotiation. He told

me long ago that a “Buzurg” (elder) should ask the parents for

the maid. There being a union which we Missionaries thought

suitable and desirable, ... I, the most buzurg of all our circle,

at the desire of the fine young suitor,--whom I will call

B.,--went in my duli to M.’s house, to ask his lovely daughter

in marriage for my client. I managed to have both parents

present, and sent the maiden away. It would have been a great

breach of etiquette for her to have heard me.

 

‘I felt that I was doing all in proper Oriental style. The

parents listened; we talked over the advantages of the union;

and M. and his wife were to give me their reply on the

following day.

 

‘But Orientals take their time. I heard nothing on the

following day; so on the third I sent my salaam to M. and

desired to see him. He came, smiled, was highly agreeable, said

that _he_ was willing, but must consult his brother, etc.

 

‘_I_ thought that some one else should be consulted; namely,

the young lady. I was going to Amritsar ... so I resolved to

have a private interview with the maiden, whose future was to

be decided upon. The lovely--let’s call her X.--had returned

to ----; so there I sought her, and had a _tête-à-tête_. I

wanted to know whether _she_ cared for B., whom she had had

many opportunities of seeing from her childhood.... We had almost

taken it for granted that X. must care for him.

 

‘Hitherto all had gone pretty smoothly. I had even thought what

presents I should give, and the Weitbrechts and I had talked

over the day for the wedding. But an unexpected obstacle arose.

X. could make no objection to B.; I do not think that she has a

thought for any other suitor; but she does not want to marry at

all! “I want to read,” she said. “I wish to remain _like you_!”

 

‘This opened our eyes to a peril in the infant Church, of

which you probably never would dream. Ellie and I set to

counting up young maidens who are of a suitable age to become

brides,--well-educated, nice girls,--and came to the conclusion

that a kind of fashion is setting in _not to marry_. The Native

delights in imitating the European. The girls see that most

female Missionaries, whom they love and honour, are unmarried.

They enjoy freedom.... Christian women are at a premium. _Widows_

are eagerly sought as Bible-women....

 

‘Of course, I would never wish X. to marry one she does not

care for. I have told her father that the matter is at an end.

But _he_ looks grave enough, and sees the peril to our Infant

Church as clearly as we do. If our nice maidens scorn to marry,

where are our fine, well-educated men to find Christian wives?

How are girls--except in very rare cases--to work in zenanas

without the care of a husband? It would be thought improper,

hardly safe.

 

‘“The consequences are” that I have written a little book

in honour of the holy estate of Matrimony; which--the new

book--has had Ellie’s approval, and I am sending it to Herbert

for his. What we want in India are good wives and mothers. No

science or literature can make up for the lack of such.’

 

It was in the summer of this year that Miss Tucker mentioned in

one letter a curious little scene at the railway station. She had

gone there to meet a friend, who failed to arrive. Two young Native

Christians happening to be present, and also a young English officer

of her acquaintance, she brought them together with a kind of half

introduction. When she had left the station, the officer began talking to

the two, asking lightly why they had left their own religion for another.

‘It’s all the same,’ he said. ‘Muhammadans, Hindus, Christians, all

know that there is One God.’ This far from brilliant remark received an

answer which it well deserved. ‘If so,’ one of the Indians replied, ‘what

difference is there between you, us, and the Devil?’ The train moved on,

carrying the speaker away; and no more could be said. But more might have

weakened the force of the retort.

 

A few slight memoranda, contributed by two Native Christians, come next.

The first are sent by Dr. I. U. Nasir, formerly one of the boys in the

Baring High School, already quoted in an earlier chapter. He speaks

of himself as an adopted ‘son’ of Miss Tucker’s, not, like others a

‘nephew.’ The second set of extracts, which I give last, not because

they are of inferior interest, but because I wish to accentuate one

suggestion, by letting it end the chapter, are from the Rev. Mian Sadiq,

at one time Indian clergyman in Amritsar, and later the same in Batala.

 

 

I.

 

‘Of all the India’s sons, especially those with whom she had

to deal at Batala, it was my privilege to be called her “son.”

She was an “Aunt” to a good many Missionaries, but only did she

allow me to call her “Mother”; and she did love me as a true

mother....

 

‘The one thing most noticeable about her was that she was so

self-denying and humble, considerate for others’ feelings, and

tender-hearted. She would tend the sick with such motherly

care; and if the disease was a dangerous one, or infectious,

she would insist on sitting by the bedside, and not allow

others to run the risk of contracting the disease. On one

occasion a poor, dirty convert was suffering from fever, and

had no clothes. Miss Tucker gave him her bedding for the night,

and spent the winter night herself sitting before a fire. Above

all she hated “I’s.” I remember only one occasion when she

desired us to do something for her. She had regular morning

and evening walks in the fields; but getting a little tired

sometimes of waiting till the Church bell sounded, she wished

a small terrace to be raised, just sufficient to seat her. A

small rude platform was raised for her by the side of a babūl

tree. She may have selected that particular spot, because it

gave a very picturesque view of the “stately palace,” with the

“tank with lilies blowing” in the foreground,--now turned into

an artificial canal.