The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-11-02

MISS ubli VIC @iait w tht' th'
only furniture consists Of two small pillows
10 rest against, and one or two bags con
tanning hymn-bOoks, translations into brdu
or Gurmakee OF various parallels, or The
Sermon on the Mount, and pictures where
with to illustrate the lessons 10 be gwen.
But Miss Tucker, true TO the principle so
often elucidated IN her books, that no lie
can be useful one unless II Is iirst healthy
one, conscientiously takes her morning walk
Of about three quarters OF mile. well
guarded from the heat Of the suns rays by
a thicklv wadded white umbrella, before
she thinks Of having recourse 10 her doll. Ii
is only when the city walls are reached that
she gets in, and Is then rapidly borne
through the narrow, tOrtuOus streets, 20 the
first on her mornings visiting list. On the
morning about 10 be described, the first
house is that Of bheestie, or water-carrier,
and, although bheesties as class give less
trouble, and do their work better than any
other of the numerous ministrants To daily
human wants in Iudia, still this particular
bheestie's zenana is not one which Is pre-
pared TO receive Miss fuckers teachings
with unquestiOning submission. The usual
question, whether the folk have leisure or
not TO receive her, is answered I'm the afirm-
alive before entering even on the threshold
of their home and forthwith Miss Tucker Is
ushered into tiny room, some ten feet by
five feet. and invited 20 sit down on the only
apology for furniture. charpOy or native
bed, made of string and bamboo. HeT at-
dience consists at first solely OF two, who
squat at her feet 10 listen 10 her. n picture
Illustrative Of some scene in the life Of Christ
is shown and explained and their attention
is gained for few minutes. by this time
the news has spread TO the Zenanas close at
hand, and a few other women stroll up 10
look and listen. Amongst these Is one who
is evidently prepared for argument, and at
the first opportunity she proclaims In a.
coarse, loud voice, that MahOmet Is the
only true prophet, and that it is no use any
Mem Sahib coming to try TO make them bb-
lleye the contrary. She is answered by en-
courasing looks and words from the crowd
around, and Miss Tucker is obliged TO alter
her tactics. Her gentle voice IN protest is
lost i'm the yOcferOus tones OF her opponent,
and so. after various mild attempts 10 secure
hearing, and continue the lesson she had
intended giving, she puts aside the picture
and begins a bhagdOn-that Is. Scriptural
truths in short Verses-whlch are sung 10
the mOnOtOnOus tunes which alone appear
acceptable to the native mind. The singing
stops the hubbub for a few minutes, but as
soon as it is over the argument is on the
point of being again begun, and so Miss
Tucker, with kindly words and salaams, re-
tires, hoping that at some future day she
will have less rebelliOus audience.
| The second house yisited-that OF young
married woman, who, until recently, had
| been the head teacher in Nlussulman girls
| schOOl-is in every way "A contrast 10 the
first. In this the audience are neither IL
nOrant nor aggressive, but follow with de-
| light all the new pictures shown or tue
| fresh information eXpOunded. They are eNl-
| IDENTIFY well acquainted with all the events
| of Christ's life, and so Miss Tucker leaves
them one or two short parallels, translated
| into Urdu, which they may read and keep.
At the next house there Is not such an in
| telligent. though certainly very willing
audience. who like 10 hear Miss Tucker
sing and talk to them, though perhaps ih y
have no very strong feelings for either their
own or the Christian religion. Many
amongst them are children who follow her
| f.Om Zenana TO Zenana, always Interested
in whatever fresh pictures or books are
| SHOWN.
The cOrdiality Of the reception accorded
varies greatly in some parts Of the city. In
one or two ii was evident, a very reluctant
assent was given, and perhaps would not
have been given at all that particular morn
| ing. except for the fact that stranger was
| with Miss Tucker. In only one Zenana was
an emphatic mo" given, and in that, il
must be confessed, the women were eX-
tremely and unnecessarily vehement and
rude. In all the other cases, either 81. l.,
D. f." was really welcome, for her own
sake, or curiosity 10 see the stranger and
examine her dress and ornaments OF any,
carried the "open. Sesame" to their Sc
cusiOn. \ stranger is always the occasion
for numberless questiOns-is she married. oI
is she a Miss Sahib; if she be married, what
is her husband, and where is he: Then fol
low inQuisitiye glances at her hands. bel
dress and her face, a running common
tary being kept up the whole time on bel
looks. the probable price Of her dress, anC
the beauty of her rings, or Of her wriste
| watch-a watch on the wrist perhaps bein-
the greatest curiosity. not only 10 womei
secluded in Zenenas, but TO all manne
of natives in the district.
On the whole. when the mornings wOrl
is over, and the last zenana has been yisi
ted. one feels that Miss Tucker has bu
little to show for her missionary efforts
. that the people may or may not ever again
think Of what she has told them. But thii
only makes her work, and the wonderful
perseverance in it the more admirable
She does not 20 among the converted, e
| whom it is easy 10 talk, and whose minds
are opened, but, on the contrary. directs AL
her energies to breaking down the barriers
i'm the darkest and most superstitious
minds-nO easy task certainly anywhere
but an especially difficult task in India
where a native. even though he or she really
but an especially difficult task in India.
where "A native, even though he or she really
does believe in Christ, yet needs months,
| and even longer. of earnest announcement
before the final step which Is 10 cut him
: forever from his family, can be taken. The
insults, the crueties heaped upon a con-
vert are so terrible and so swift that this Is
no wonder. In several cases, personally
known 10 "a. l.. q. E.," attempts have been
made Though only one or two have succeed
ed either to poison or destroy the intellect
Of newly made converts, Immediately after
their baptism. and, unless well protected or
removed from their relatives, converts may
well be parlOned their reluctance IN declar-
| ing themselves Christians. The Zenanas
above described. as visited with Miss
Tucker. were all MahOmmedan, the reason
being that the public baptism Of Brahmin,
"A few days before, had aroused such strong
4 feelings amOnst Brahmins and liind1os, that
il would neither have been possible nor
prudent TO enter any Of their houses People
OF all castles. however, are on Miss fuckers
visiting list. which is neatly kept in the
book tor the purpose, with the dates at
| which they were visited Inscribed opposite
each name.
Many missionaries in India spend much
Of their time in the distant villages in the
different districts but "a. l.. o. T." finds
villages Of live or six miles away. quite as
much as her strength will permit her 10
visit. These she Systematically visits in the
cooler months Of the year, being carried TO
and fro in her doll.
After returning home from visiting her
| people, however, her energy is by no means
exhausted, for she may find inquirers ready
| TO have some Of their doubts on religion
solved, or "A class Of boys awaiting her for a
history lesson. The history is made very
real TO them. If they are in the stuart
period, the boys are always asked which
side they would have taken. Sometimes
the majority are ROundheads, sometimes
again Royalists; but, whichever they are,
they carry on a correspondence with "a. l..
| o. T., As if written two centuries ago, de-
failing the various items of news, both Par
liamentary and warlike-a task that they
take the greatest pleasure in.
Visits from old Batala boys, now out in
the world, or from those just about to start
on their career, or even from the smaller
children, who have just come TO the Barring
| lssr, Oh. 4 ..sl.. Ill Ill