The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-04

large hotels NJ Calcutta are well ordered and ofer
! the stranger degree OF comfort and luxury
witch recalls the most distinguished establish-
ments Of Europe. The cost OF living, however
at "spence's" or "Burtons" may seem formid-
able, ranging, as 1t does, from $40 TO tl60
month but satisfactory furnished lodgings are
| always to be had by those who prefer more
modest quarters. The European part Of the city
| lies up stream, beyond the fauboures tenanted
| by tho natives and In this elegant quarter the
houses are built Ia villa style, fat rooted, and
girdled with verandas, opening toward the
streets marrow courts where the Iiindoo ser
wants lounge the whole day through. The big
| stoTks, per shed on corners OF balnstrades. and
| on every salient point VI the cornice-standing
| on one leg, and at night projecting their quaint
profles against the darkened sky-glve a gro
tesque, outian dish air to all these dwellings.
| In the houses Of Europeans the chambers are
very spacious, provided, moreover, with long
windows, and approached from a wide hall run
ming trough the building, 40 that a faint current
| OF air IL assured. According to the time OF
year, the floors are covered with rich carpets
| from Cashmere or with mats, some of the latter.
imported from Manila, being so fine. soft, and
I cool tn at IN the hot season they often used
for bed linen Tue beds protected with elab
/ crate mosquito nets, vertsble tents of India
muslin whose folds tbs servant is careful to
| htfaHRo aver the tt0tD nus rettre0. mOhuutOs,
indeed, are such = nuisance IN Calcutta that no
one ventures to light candle unless II Is shield
| ed by a glass cylinder beneath which has been
| placed vessel of water. This contnv not
only serves for . trap, but tempsrs the heat
| evolved by the burning wax, which might sensi-
| bly, ageravate the suItry atmosphere.
| In the furniture aud ornaments Of Anglo
| Indian dwellings there is a strange blending OF
| Oriental and Western taste. Beside English up
| holstery and knick-knacks OF Partisan work.
| manship, lie the products OF Chinese and Hindoo
| art, lacquered chests and tables, and reclining
chairs Of palm strips whose arms, legs, scat, ana
| back are raised or lowered, contracted or ex-
| banded. by the slightest movement Of the occu-
pant. On consoles and etaseres Of rosewood or
sandaiwood, Of tortoise shell, ivory, or mother
of-pearl, are ranged coossl Il vases and pitchers
from China and japan, uncouth idols and
| shapely statuettes, rare shells, carvings on
wood or fine brown clay, and paintings on rice,
or, to speak accurately, on bamboo, paper.
| Fans Of ali ehIpes and sizes are strewn about
the rooms. and one Of these the hand punkdh
of white silk furnished with a handle three
feet long It Is the business Of the khttmaodr, or
walter, to wave about your had. Meanwhile
| other attendants, squatting on their hams In a
| corner OF the apartment manage, by means OF
long siken cords. to keen tho Iafnlsih proper In
perpetual motion. THIS insepsrable feature OF
| the Bengal house resembles a broad folding
screen, hinged like door and pendent from
the ceiling Its frame OF paste board, bark. or
the liehtest woods, Is sheatbed In thu most deii-
cate textures, bordered with silk fringe costly
| lace BY the incessant swinging OF these pun
kahs, circulation OF air Is OF course promoted
| but stu other devices are adopted to secure a
| lower temperature. The house servants con-
struct. between tue columns OF the verandas,
l..f Pal,
to keep constantly moistened. This grateful.
fresh green wall coos. puriaes, aud perfumes
| the parchin9 atm osphere OF the street.
| The housekeeping OF well-to-do family
| sxacts an astonishing number Of servants, be-
| cause each attendant will consent to perform
! only a single function whose scope Il usually
| VERY limited. THIS division OF labor Is due less
| to the inveterate Incidence OF tho Hlndoo than
to the ordinances OF his religion. which pre-.
scribe a specific employment for each caste.
The lien alt who violates these ruios tska the
loss of hts caste, one of the heaviest calamities
which can befal him. To purify himself from
| the pollution which a single transgresson Of hts
code Involves he must undergo process OF
painful aud humiliating expiation; and there
are many offences, whether Intentionally or
ignoraDtly committed, which are not suscepti-
| BILE OF atonement
II is worth noting how many catcgories Of do
| UcstlCS hIt uttucu lnulsptuthoie III tut nOuSe-
hold OF simple writer" or subordinate funo-
tIonary In the civil service. First Is the fnoOnshce
or interpreter, whose monthly stipend ranges
from sixteen to twenty. 1--WE rupees that is from
eight 20 about twelve dollars Next We have the
sircdr or ntendant, who receives from ten to NJ
teen rupees month. Nearly a. much Is paid 10
the hdnsdindh or caterer, this name being also
applied to certain natives, usually Mohamme-
dams, who are hired by strangers as men of all
work. Then there Is a chief Ri itnutgIr or head
usher. who Is allowed ten rupees, and many
more domestcs OF the same name there are
individuals In the family. The sole function OF
the latter is that OF waiter, aud the pay Is about
eight rupees. Then come the cook, sculhon,
house sweeper, water carrier, porter, m essenger,
coachman. four paauquin bearers, a special
satellite or valet for each European member
OF the household. as well as groom for
every horse The monthly wages OF these
attendants vary from one to Ave dollars. The
swarm OF underlings is stll further augmented
by numerous female servants, for exam pie,
ayahs Qadies maids or children's nurses) and
matrany -syshs, who oil the lowest mental
Offices. In short, tbs minimum quota Of do
mestics required by a married man Of moderate
means reaches thrtv-one. An these pensioners
wear livery-a loose coat Of light stun, and over
itamuch shorter tunic of some brilliant hue,
about which strip Of muslin IL wound four
fold as Rirdle Wide brooches, cut Ike sailors
trousers, only shorter, and turban Of the same
color as the tunic, complete a somewhat strik-
Ing costume. In many houses the livery is fur
nshed to tho native servants ana IL often hap
pens that the willy khtn,dgnr has sold by mig ht-
fall the clothes assigned him In tue morning
and Is seen no more.
Even the liberal salaries obtained in the In
dian civil service would be utterly inadequate II
the sdhib were expected to give nouIishment AS
well as wages to his horde OF menias. For the
most part, Bengal attendants board themselves
and conform to the normal diet Of Hindoos
AT certain hours Of the day they congregate
around capacious bowl Of boiled rice, In whose
centre the cooks hand has scoOped hole and
hlled the cavity with the hottest curry. The
low-caste iindoos use neither spoon nor fork,
but take up with their fingers amOuthful OF rice,
which they roll dexterously into a sort of ball,
and then plunge into the pungent sauce. A jug
Of spring water, circulating from mouth to
mouth, concludes the frugal meal; whcreupon
ensues the ksenest pleasure known 10 the Ben
Ralis life. the satisfaction % amOkfug tina ua