Lend a Hand (Volume 5, PT. 1) (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1890. Excerpt: ... INTELLIGENCE. THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE SHARADA SADANA, BOMBAY. BY SARAH D. HAMLIN. I Had been spending a week in the Deccan, at a village three hundred miles away, for the prevailing influenza had caught me, and the best way to escape the clutches of "La Grippe" seemed to be to run away from it. On my return, after traveling all night, I arrived at seven o'clock in the morning to find unexpected joy manifested by the young widows of the Sharada Sadana, as they crowded about me, one taking my satchel, another my umbrella, several seizing hold of my hands, while little Shanta, whom I call " my baby," clung to my dress. Even the servants, as I passed them, greeted me with great delight. I wondered what it meant, and supposed it was their natural gladness at my return, as several had been in tears at my departure a week before. Ramabai met me at the door of her room. "Oh I am so glad you have come," she said; "we were so afraid that something might happen to prevent your coming. The girls have prepared a celebration in honor of the first anniversary of the school, with which I have had nothing to do, and of which I am supposed to know nothing, and we wanted you." The house is so arranged that there is no difficulty in changing the large school-room into a reception-room, and make it very pretty with rugs and chairs and tables. Here, at four o'clock, the guests began to assemble. They were mostly Hindu ladies, resplendent in nose-rings, Cashmere shawls, and gold ornaments. They came in lightly, their little, bare feet making no noise on our floor of gachchi, or cement, and they took the seats arranged around the walls, sometimes showing how uncomfortable their position was by drawing their feet upon the seat, and their knees to their chins. One of our guests was a young gentleman of...