St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-04-23
VOLUME 43---NUMBER 223O.

| food from her hands. Besides, she
spoke Arabic, while the prince spoke
only English and the languages of In
dia. But the suit was pressed, her con-
fidence was strengthened, an engage
ment was formed, and the time for the
marriage fixed.
While Duleep pursued his way to
India, the missionaries set themselves
to polishing "little Bamba; )" and a
wonderfully apt pupil she proved to
be.
She put on English dress, sat daily at
DR.. Lansing's table, learning the use of
the knife and fork, made great prof.
cheney in the language; and by the
time the prince returned she was pre-
pared to astonish and delight him with
the ladylike manners which she had
acquired.
They were married at the mission
house by DR.. Lansing, and in connec-
ton with the event, Duleep Singh gave
his wife a rich dowry in money and es-
tates, and a casket of jewels which an
empress might covet. At the same
time, as a kind of thank offering, he
gave the mission contribution of S.
UOO; what is more, he has repeated
this offering on each anniversary of his
marriage, now for Is years, making
total OF $4,000. 'LOng live Duleep
Singh and his little Bamba!n ~ is doubt
less the heartfelt prayer of that mission.
At the time that we met the prince and
ms wife they were paying a visit in
Care; in fact, spending the winter
there, and the boat was purchased for
hunting trip on the Upper Nile.
we often saw him in the streets of
CAIRO, mounted on fine charger, and
having falcon perched upon bis wrist
But the last time that we saw him. the
| picture presented was very instruct
i've one. 1t was on the Sabbath. We
were on board our Nile boat at Boulak
(the Nile port of Cairo), and Duleep's
| boat was near us,
We saw lady approach the river on
a richly saddled donkey, and soon dis
covered it was Bamba. She had come
from the morning service at the Mis-
sion, and was returning to the boat.
Her husband received her on board
with every appearance of courtesy and
deep affection. He ran down below for
an easy chair, which he placed under
an awning on the deck, and having
seated his wife, he stood before hei
(think of this in an Indian nabob, whose
early heather training had led him tC
think of woman as only the hum blest
servant of her husband )-he stood be.
fore her, talking in an animated and
pleasant manner, as if it were his chic
| Joy to entertain her. In our memory
that picture stands out distinctly after
fifteen years. The prince, in his French
coat and fez cap, curling the whiffs ot
his cigarette above his head, the pleas
Ell and happy little wife in her easy
chair, the slant lateen sail of the Nile
boat, the tawny river banks, with here
and there water-carrier crowned with
her earthen pitcher, the few palm trees
III the distance, and far to the west the
great Pyramids standing against the
lurid sky. 1t was a striking and purely
Oriental scene; Oriental in all except
the courtesy shown to woman.
Ten years passed away, and we stood
beside the tomb of Ronieet Singh, at
Lahore. Under superb dome of mar
BILE was broad tablet on which stood
twelve urns said to contain the ashes
of the Maha Rajah and his eleven
wives. According to the accounts given,
the funeral pile had been made of cost
ly sandal-wood. Around the dead BODY
the wives were seated, while attend
ants covered the whole company with
jungle grass, saturated with inflamma-
ble fluids. The fire was applied, and
in few minutes the whole pile was
one blackened and charred mass. We
turned away almost sickened by the
very monuments of such scene.
And the mind fondly turned away to
the contrast of that other scene on the
Nile boat. This was dark and cruel
heathenism that revealed the light
and love of Christianity. Here, wives
were mere fuel for a husbands pvre
there the one chosen wife was the snb
ject of tender care.
And yet these two husbands were
only one generation apart. 1t was the
Gospel that had wrought the Change.
Very naturally we inquired about
Duleep Singh and Bamba, as we came
through Egypt month later.
Dr. Lansing had paid them a visit at |
their country house in England but
few months before, and he showed in |
an album, their recent photographs,
with those of their four beautiful chill |
dren. He was enthusiastic in his praise |
OF Bamba, who with her abundant
wealth lives to do good.
She visits the poor, dispensing her
charities and always couples them with
instruction and prayer. Thus
a child of Foreign Missions comes to
feed and teach the poor of Christian
land. The bread cast upon the waters
is found after many days.
The Presbyterian Mission at Futteh- |
ghur also receives an ample return for
the good seed of its early influence.
Twelve of its day schools, at 800 each.
have been supported by him for many
years.