The Red Cloud chief., 1896-08-21

n dtSky, white-robed ayall Ia!
brought a tray with tea, toast and frniI
to the bedside and pulled up the white
net curtains that protect the slcepei
from the b%loodthirsty mosquito and
no" waits to assist at her mistress
toilc' 1t is 6 o'clock and time 10 be.
gin the day. Unused to the services oil
n maid at home. the girl experiences Z,
sense or luxury in having her stock
ingS put on for her-Cven though one t.
sure to be inside out. She also begins
to realize a sense of her own impor-
lance, for in India she Is distinctly "A
parsonage. and women are probably
at a higher premium there thar in any
other civilized country. The arrival of
a new spin" (as the unmarried girl Is
colloquially termed is the cause of
much excitement in an Indian station.
and everybody Is on the alert to see
the latest addition to feminine society.
The day usually begins with a visit
to the badminton courts and there the
girl VIII run the gauntlet of criticism
from a large portion of her neighbors.
Tor 1t Is a favOrite meeting place. The
ladies eagerly scan every detail of her
dress; being fresh from home she
must, OF course. have the newest fash
ions, and later on they will ask for
Diorses, etc, as patterns. There are
also plenty OF candidates Of the oppo-
site sex eager to teach her badmln,on
n eyeryone's racket is at her dis
p0slI. At . o'clock IL is too hot for
further play and they drive home for
bath n breakfast. The bath. with
us water cooled in large earthenware
Jars. Is delightfully."- refreshing and tho
Tin mug wherewith to bale il over ones
person Is a distinct novelty. Breakfast,
Is a meal of many courses. commencing
with porridge and ending with fruit.
After breakfast the housekeeping has
10 he seen to and this seems an easy
matter to the girl accustomed to that
duty at home. for it simply consists Of
giving orders to the numerous servants
ana dealing out the timed "Europe"
stores. Then there are flowers 10 be
arranged and AT IL o'clock callers be-
gin TO arrive. The servant in the We
randa inquiries If the mem sahib be
at home and brings up a pile of
cards on a salver. Carriage follows
carriage in quick succession. for every
body In the station Is anxious 10 mako
the new arrivals acquaintance. Only
the governors wife and the generals
no not come, for 1t will be the girls |
duty to leave cards upon these impor-
tant p~ersonages. The bachelors OF the
station arrive In groups of twos and
threes. thereby lending each other their
moral support should they feel nervous,
put they are all eager to meet and con
verse on current topics with the "spin. e"
They inquire whether she dances or is
fond OF riding. and II the answer be
nirmative beg for a place on her card
at the first ball and put their ponies at |
her disposal. BY 2 o'clock thin, a rep
etition of breakfast, Is ready, and after
his meal people retire to their rooms
to read and a siesta Is generally in
dulged in.
After tea everybody goes ont. They
drive to the band-stand. where the regi-
mental band plays; there Is lawn ten
mis- for the energetic, or garden parties |
at the club or messhousc, and the new
arrival will be struck by the all-pov-
Vading air OF luxury. Servants are I'm
constant attendance, the carriages are
filled with comfortable cushions and
every tennis player has a small dark
boy Mt his elbow ready to hand him
balls. At S o'clock dinner takes placc
and when there are no dances or even
ing entertainments everyone goes TO
bed early.
Certainly the daughter in India has a
really good time. Invitations to dances.
dinners N entertainments come ras-
Idly for acceptance and II she can sing
or act she will be In great demand.
Everywhere the prepondcrancc of men
strikes her and they vie with zach other
In providing her with amusements At
the races and shooting matches they
ask her to nominate them, when, IL
her nominee wins, she will receive tho
prize. The constant bale and dances
are rendered gay by innumerable uni
forms, and the large proportion of men
makes that hardy perennial, the wall
flower, an impossibility, and every girl
with the ~faintest idea of dancing has
her card filled to the twentieth extra.
Before h hot season, with its scorch-
ing winds, makes an exodus to the hills
general, she will have had several pro-
posals TO exchange her position of
daughter for that OF wife, for though
spins on their first season are plenti-
ful, those in their second are rarer, and
those in their third are hardly to be
met with. Marriage is n thriving in
stitutlon in India, in spite of the van
tshing rupee.
Although the life of a girl in India is
frequently a round Of pleasures and lit
tie else, 1t need not be so, and though
there be not much In housekeeping to
occupy her energies, there Is a vast