Morning journal and courier., 1891-03-12
FAR OFF INDIA.

Rev. pr. Pentecost Writes of His
 Missionary WOrk-Queer Features of Existence In the Tropics - Ills
 Efforts Toward Evangelizing the
 Hindoo.
 The large circle of personal friends in l New Haven and hereabouts of Rev. Dr. George F. Pentecost will be pleased to l lear from him. The following is from a | ecent letter written by Mir. Pentecost to he Brooklyn Eagle and gives among other things, his impressions of far off ndia The letter is dated Calcutta, Febru- try 4:
 The English customs of society are rather strange to us. I will endeavor to give you little idea of some of them. First of all, must tell you that the Cal cutta people (English) are very cordial and hospitable and in particular to strang- CTS. The stiffness of London life is not known, nor is the exclusiveness of English country life encountered out here. Rank, except as it is marked by position in the government, is not recognized. A duke out here would be outranked by civilian who is high up in the service, unless he chanced to be visitor. In that case he would stand on his at home footing. The Calcutta people do not call on strangers when they come to the city, either as new residents or as visitors. The law is that on coming to this city, if you wish to know and be known, you must make all the ad- vances From 12 to 3 o'clock is calling hours. You decide whom you wish to know, make out your list, enter your car riage (nobody walks out here) and start on your round. Calling at any certain house you send in your card with your salam do (give my compliments), and if the lady is at home, which she is sure to be if your card is taken in, she sends down her salam and you enter the drawingroom of g persons whom you have never seen per haps and are received. The call is formal and yet not stiff. Your hostess has never seen or perhaps even heard of you, Lut even cordially; asks you how long you have been in Calcutta; how you like it; whether you have come out to remain, or whether you are merely visitor. In that case how long are you remaining and where are you living. In fact, you are ex- pected to give an account of yourself in answer to we'll digested series of ques- tions which are put so nearly naturally that you are not at first aware that you are being cross questioned and drawn to 8 degree. A gentlemen, an acquaintance of mine, called not long ago, and, having been put through his paces in previous calls, announced to his hostess as he enter ed the drawingroom in company with an other gentleman, with whom he had call ed:
 Mrs s. am Mr. T.; I am intending to remain in Calcutta during this cold sea- son; am out here for pleasure entirely; l am thirty nine years old, married and have four children;a lawyer by profession, when at home, general vagabond when I am travelling. I am delighted to avail my self of the customs of Calcutti to make your acquaintance, and if you are gracious enough to include me among your friends during my stay I shall feel highly honored"
 He then introduced his friend and the call was continued. The lady afterward told me that "that was the most sensible and refreshing caller I have had for many years." You may be pretty sure your call will be returned, that is, if you are lady or are accompanied by your wife. You are not expected to repeat the call unless a certain event takes place. If after while you are invited to dine with any one of the various people upon whom you have called, that is the sign that you are received and your acquaintance wei comsd. If, however, you are not asked to dinner, it means that the acquaintance is not to be kept up. It does not imply, however, that you are "cut," but simply that the parties upon whom you have called have so full list of acquaintances that they cannot we'll make room for more. It is rather an awkward custom, but it has it's advantages. One is that you can at once find your place in society and settle yourself down. Where as in our western countries strangers may come to our cities and remain year, or years, even, without mortal soul ever coming to see them. They may remain total strangers for quarter of a lifetime even to their next door neighbor Here assuming that you are half way agree able and worthy yourself. During the season you are certain to meet half the society of Calcutta either at private dinners Of at the government house receptions, dinners, or evening parties; that is, if you are fortunate in getting in vited to the viceroy's or lieutenant govern ors. l have only been in this city three months and have dined and been enter tained in more houses and have made practically more acquaintances, and trust even friends, in that brief time than l have in twenty years residence in Brook lyn, outside my own parish connections.
 Among thn great social events are the various dinners, receptions, evening par ties and balls given by the viceroy and the lieutenant governor at Bengal: These re- spective posts of dignity and honor are just now held by his excellency the earl of Langsdown (viceroy), late governor general of Canada, and Sir Charles Elliott, lieu tenant governor of Bengal. The govern ment house, the residence of the viceroy, is stately pile and really very fine in it's interior; half, more than half, western in it's architecture, with very strong tend ency to the oriental, especially inside
 The various public rooms are very fne particularly the throne room, the dining room and the great ball. room on the third floor of the palace. Within two weeks after I had been in Calcutta I had the honor of being invited to dine with the viceroy and Lady Landsdown at what is called a private din her. There were, in fact, about sixty guests present. The dinner was sumptu- ously served and dispensed by as many native servants (kitmaghars) as there were guests. Before going into the diningroom the guests were all assembled in the throne room and there each in turn was presented to the viceroy and his noble wife, After the dinner the company became informal and the viceroy and his wife moved about among their guests and adapted themselves to each one in turn, all of whom they seemed to know. At about Il o'clock other guests by the score began to arrive in full dress, and all ascended to the ball room above. There the rest of the evening till the small hours was spent. As I had not been to ball for twenty-five years and had forgotten how
 to dance, I retired. Beside, it was on the eve of New Years, and I knew the Salva-
 tion army were to have watch meeting down on Bow bazar, and thinking I might be of more service there than at the dano- ing party of the viceroy, quietly slipped away; and having come prepared for the event, l stepped into my gari and there changed my evening dress coat for plain surtout and my slippers for good pair of oadinary shoes, and went to the army headquarters and spent couple of hours in the barracks with about one hundred miserable specimens of humanity who were gathered together in the army rooms. The corps here is in command of three Classics. D The captain is an English woman, grad