The herald., 1894-12-09
ABOUT WOMAN'S LIFE IN INDIA.
Mrs. Merrill's Paper Before the
Friday Morning Club.
A Graphic Description of Character
istics of That Country.
Clauses OF Women-The Hara
Work Dono by tho Poorer
Onss-Notos.

Ou0b-NOtoss
The December programme for tn
Friday Morning club is as follows:
December 7th--woman's Life in India-Mrl
December i4rh-soclal Settlements: The Hi
tory of Settlements-Miss Maude b. Fostel
settlement work in Los AngelesNMlss kveig
n Stoddart; Settlement Life in New York7fD
Dorothea Lummts.
December alst-Children's rcsdlng'1Mrs.
d. Hooker. ~ rs- erf
Discussion.
December 2sth- -Impressionism-Miss Hleano
The Christmas Mayazlnes-The book com
Cnristmas stories-Mrs Margaret Collier Ora
Chrfstmas pictures-Mrs H. B. Wing
Christmas verse-Mrs. VIM. A. spalding.
Christmas jokes-Miss J. A. Collier.
As announced above, Mrs. Samuel
Merrill, whose husband was consul
general to Calcutta during President
Hayes administration. gave q very in
teresting talk before the club last FRI
6Iay morning on woman's life in India.
She spoke OF the life OF retirement led
by the women OF the upper class. OF tbs
streets that are crowded with men. and
the change from ancient customs; OF
the Parsee women who are permitted to
70 out, are handsome, vivacious and
brilliantly dressed of the mixed race OF
blacks and whites, the former numerous
and despised by the whites who are
proud and lazy; of the coolies who are
delicate creatures, clad in asingle cotton
garment, staggering under heavy loads
and serving indolent men; OF the native
quarters which the speaker likened to
an ant hill swarming with life; the
streets and narrow alleys in which dogs
and naked children, cats, chickens and
goats (Which are used for milk and sacri-
fee y of the indescribsble confusion and
filth to be found there; mothers at
work with babies Rstride of their hips |;
of the scarcity OF salt for food, and of
the old women coolies who are pitiable
sights.
Mrs. Merrill described the bathing
places in the sacred Ganges. the Hima-
layae where there was little woman for
. trunk-carrier, and where women with
little children are porters OF heaviest
loads for very inadequate compensation,
and the men gamble.
The Zenana was referred to as lux
uriously furnished house built around q
court, with department up stairs over.
looking the inner court for the women ;
where they are kept invisible, knowing
nothing of outdoor life, where the
rooms are fcrlorn with barred windows
and bare hoors but where the women,
being accustomed to close quarters eeem
to be happy, and believe that their duty
IL to cook for the husband and serve
him. These women are beautiful with
dark eyes and fine features, bu: are dis
figured by chewing q nut which turns
the month to Q hideous red. The
Oldest man is head OF the house,
the sons wife 10 subordinated !;
pictures of various households followed,
some being beautifully harmonious, 9TH
ers full of discord; feasts, flowers, ETC..
celebrate the birth of q boy-a girl is
always unwelcome, and the mother of a
girl is scorned. Girl-children are mar.
ried as soon as possible, and these early
marriages are the curse of India.
There are government schools for
boys, but the work of the missionaries
10 to educate the girls.
A widows lot ia g terrible one she is
scorned and despised as the cause OF her
husbands death 10 forced to fast, and is
deprived of clothing. The higher class
widows are not 90 cruelty treated. Thou
sands of women's lives are lost in India
through lack of medical attendance.
The manner in which the white peo-
pie live was then described in detail,
with their houses, which are large and
airy, and the innumerable servants that
are all we'll trained and eager 90 serve.
The rainy season was referred to as
most unpleasant, the mould and mil
dew; four months of hot, steamy,
sticky dampness, when cholera aud
fevsrs abounde. Then follows the hot,
dry weather of four months, when &C.
tivity is possible only early in the morn
ing, the life at midday in darksned
rooms, and fans are kept going day and
night.
Reference was made to the 2 O'Clock
tifin, and the five meals each day that
are necessary to revive energy in the ex-
hausting heat; and the drives in the
cool of evening to gardens where there
is music and promenades; the calling
customs and the commendable prompt.
ness English ladies show in their leave
tekings.
The winter is the pleasantest time OF
the year in Calcutta, and the speaker
referred to the native princea, officials,
seuriets the season OF gaiety and life !;
the drawing room and its formal obliga.
tione; the high court officials add pub.
lie officials; the crown prince of Aus.
tria; different ceremonials: brilliant re-.
ceptions. whore men wear uniforms with
red coats. jingling swords and clanking
spurs. Mrs. Merrill closed with a word
description OF the rapid succession of
balls, dinners and parties during the
brief eeason, and how the princes travel
to visit the viceroy with hundred out.
riders and attendants, the cannon
salutes and the return visits OF the
viceroy in elaborate style.
A large and interested membership
was present Friday mording and the
following guests: Mrs. Emily Webster,
West Newton Mrs. Daniel Merrill, Mrs.
st. John. Mrs H. J. Griswold, Manson,
Iowa; Mrs. Mcclellan, Pasadena; Mrs.
A. Hunting. Boston Mrs. G. W. Dear.
born, Salton; Mrs. Whittier, Washing.
ton. d. G.; Mrs. Loverly. Los Angeleg,
and Miss Hattie Livengood, Seattle.
Bicycle va. Street Cars.
It IL estimated that the use OF bic
lycles saves the wheelmen of this city
about 100000 q year that would other-
visa ha noid in ntraat car foraa Ruk