The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1888-07-20
A Home I'm India.
Culver for May.

- NtoffeA " hRJ
A mud paved court, open TO the
sky-that glorious sun-illumined sky
OF India, that gives poetry to every
thing, but enclosed with walls and
surrounded by u sort of arcade or
veranda. Within it three or four
mountaineering the loose trousers oil
Mussulman women and colored sarees
like the Hindus-and several young
girls. They were not handsome, being
rather OF the thick-lipped Nubian
type; but several OF them, and es-
pecially the elder woman, who teaches
in the little school, looked intelligent,
and they received us with courtesy
and apparent pleasure. The children
from outside were not present, q
circumstance for which the elder
woman a~pologized; but she brought
forward her OWL children to be ex-
amined, and they acquitted them
selves with credit, reading fluently
from an Indian primer and answering
all the questions my friend put to
them.
This family, poor as their surround-
ings seemed to be. enjoys q moderate
prosperity. Comfort, as we under
stand 1T, is unknown III Indian homes.
Our next visit was to be to q
Hindu family of the poorer class.
Our scramble over rubbish heaps and
drains recommended, and landed us
at the foot OF q breakneck flight of
stairs which. when we had assembled,
we came upon the funniest little cor
ner OF the world in which it has aver
been my lot to find myself. 1t was
part of a house, but what part it was
one found it difficult to make out.
To me it seemed like q balcony or
ledge, hung on the side of the house.
On n side, guarded by q high par
apet, it was open to the sky. and
looked down on q large, bare court;
while on the other side was q range
of untidy looking cupboards and cells.
In this curious nest q little flock OF
women, young and old, with @ few
children were gathered together.
They received us with the utmost
courtesy-a grace that never deserts
the Hindu at home-set for Us the
wicker stools that are kept for visit
ors, and drawing their sarees around
them, squatted around us after their
fashion. One and another, in the
meantime, were pouring out little
calculations of welcome, which my
friend, who is q fluent speaker of Hin
dostani, answered smilingly. Present.
ly there came out from asmall enclos-
ure. which was more like q bathing
machine than anything else l can
think OF, o young and very pretty
woman, with q small baby in her
arms. The little creature. who ap-
peared to be the latest arrival in the
crowded nest, was handed round,
kissed, praised and commented upon,
while the young mother stood by
smiling. | learned, upon inquiry, that
she was eighteen years OF age, and
that this was her fourth child.
The baby having received the fitting
amount OF attention, O. bright little
girl, with eyes as brilliant as stars,
was brought forward to read her les
son. She was only seven years old,
and her readiness, intelligence and
pretty. winsome manner made her
one of the most bewitching little crea-
lures | had ever beheld, while | must
say that no English child OF her years
could surpassed her in knowledge.
Other little ones, who were not so
brilliant, follollowed, and then the
women took their turn, spelling out
Of the Indian primmer patiently.