The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-09-05
BAL MoTLIBAI wAD1A, BOMBAY.

riage. clad in rich attire, as most OF
the rich Parsee danes are accustomed
to do. On the contrary, she spent most
of her time within the splendid soli-
tude of her great mansion in the Par
see bazaar When Lord Reay, the then
governor Of Bombay, was about TO lay
the foundation stone of her hospital.
he visited her in her house. With him
went Captain Bayley, C 1 E, who sub
rsequently supplied to the writer the fol-
lowing somewhat interesting descrip-
ton:
Bal Motlibai Wadta looked older
even than her 80 odd years called for
Her thin, olive-hued hands seemed al
most transparent. and she was support
ed from her dtvan to meet Lord Reay
by two serving women. She was out
wardly arrayed in a single piece of ma
trial, which enWrapped her from head
/ TT heel. The stuff appeared costly be-
yond my computation. 1t was of very
heavy yellow silk, which great fringes,
not of gold lace, but of solid. juggling
gold. The gown was not caught around
her waist. but fell in the Greek fashion
from her neck The muslin veil which
covers the head of the Parsee ladies
when abroad, had been laid aside with
in the confines of home, and we had an
uninterrupted view of Bal Motlibai's
deeply furrowed, but still handsome
and winning face. She spoke in Jim
dustanee to our interpreter, and her
voice had a sort of pleading tenderness
that won our hearts at once AS the
Interpreter translated her words, she
looked straight at Lord Reay. smiling
charmingly and punctuating each SEN
tence with little nod of approval l
cannot quite remember what she said,
but the delightful manner in which it
was spoken impressed US all very
deeply.
"Bai MotIibai, during the interview,
leaned on two crutcheS of bamboo
topped with gold, until Lord Reay in
sisted that she resume her seat on the
divan. Her feet were shoeless, and
around her ankles, as well as over her
wrists, we're heavy bangles OF gold set
with seed pearls and emeralds. a neck
lace of eneralds hung around her neck
She wore large tortoise shell speetacles,
which gave her a decidedly inc0ngru-
Gus appearance AS she tottered across
the room her gold fringes ratified, and
the bangles she wore clattered like the
keys of Jail warden. Her maids were
all dressed very finely, being probably
aecked out for the occasion. On our
leaving she clapped her hands, and q
serving woman entered with a small
casket This was handed to Lord Reay
and on being opened was found to con-
tain a sumptuous pearl necklace, a gift
for the governors wife"
The aged merchant princess. as the
Babu editors loved to call Bal Motlibai,
is said TO have declined the exalted
honor Of belonging to the imperial or
der of the crown of India, a coveted dis
tinction conferred upon great ladies,
native or British, who have conferred
benefits upon India. But indeed she
possesses far higher claims upon the
notice of posterity than this. She must
always remain enshrined in her sex's
memory as the greatest practical bene-
factor of the native women of India.
As long as the great Bombay female
hospital stands she will need no monu-
ment.
Meanwhile her venerated remains
have been borne by relatives and
priests to the Tower of Silence, and
there delivered over to the vultures, in
accordance with the extraordinary Gus
tom of her race.