The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-18

month and board himself. For 5000
rupees, or 81, 500. a man Ear live like a
prince in India for a little money goes
a long way there.
The solution of this strange money
elasticity in India is found in the old
law of demand and supply. There are
thousands of natives looking for some
thing to do and the competition is so
great that wages are down to nothing.
The viceroy, besides having a salary
of 10000 rupees per month or $1,000.
has a home given him and many other
appurtenances of his household, such
as horses and grounds, then outside
equipments are furnished him. He also
finds in the palace, or government
house at Calcutta, a splendid stan OF
servants who are paid from England's
own Golfers.
used in maintaining himself and his
family in great state. He can spend it
upon dresses, upon entertainments and
in the lavish generosity which is ex-
pected of England's vlceroy.
1t is told that once a viceroy to In
dia attempted economy. Realizing that
with a house, horses n ~servants all
found he need not spend much in order
to live. he ordered provisions careful
ly and at the receptions entertained
~frugally. In his way he managed to
save more than nine-tenths of his SAL
airy. But the Indian prices became sus-
picious; they did not understand why
their ruler should cut down xpenses
and they whispered that the throne
of England was lettering and the en-
press of India was no longer powerful.
News of these whisperings reached
the palace and the viceroy, terrified
by the thought of Indian muttnv. in
vited all the prices to a great feast,
at which such a wealth of fruit. wine
and meat were served as sent all home
marvelling at the wealth and power of
the queen, under whom they were so
fortunate as to live.
Rules Hundreds.
The queer court in which this Ameri-
can girl will go to live Is conducted
almost entirely by natives; although
she takes with her a half dozen of SER
wants from her English home, yet she
must depend largely upon Indian SER
wants who understand the ways of In
dia as only natives can.
In the palace at Calcutta there is al
most an army Of servants. At the head
of them is the boy or bearer" He is
the personal trusted attendant of his
master. He 1t is who will direct the af-
fairs of the household and see to the
laying out of the money; he takes great
pride in this and loves to save a ru-
pee on every purchase.
After the boy in Importance comes
the Mohammedan cook. for a Hindoo
cannot serve as a cook OF account of
the strict rules of his religion. The
head Mohammedan cook is assisted by
the Javanese, the Chinese and the Par
sees. and there are ever so many In
dian cooks-all for the royal house
hold.
The government house supports 40
kitmagars or walters. whose only duty
is to wait on the table and keep the
silver and glass clean. As no self-re-
specting kitmagar would do more than
one thing, a separate kitmagar has to
be appointed for the serving of differ
ent meals, and a separate one for the
articles used at the different meals.
This may seem like high mutiny to the
thrifty American mind. but when ii is
recalled that no kitmagar asks more
than a rupee a day; and as many are
willing to work for a rupee a week or
even a month, n can dispel all
thoughts of extravaganza.
Her Servants.
The American girl in India will have
a detachment to wait Upon her. The
Chuppressee is the member of an In
dian household who runs errands. In
the viceroy's place there are over 100
Chuppressees, presided over by a head
Chuppressee. who is called a Zemadar.
He keeps them in order, allots their
time for eating and sleeping and is
sure that there is always a Chuppres-
see in the hall to answer the tinkling of
a bell. The Chuppressee goes and
fetches things: he carries them from
one room to another; he posts the let
ters; he brings a drink of water; he
gives messages; he is always within
call when wanted. The heat of India
makes people lazy n the ~Chuppres-
see soon becomes an absolute necessity.
As a great many of the messengers are
dispatched in different directions at the
same time ii is necessary to have a
great number of C~huppressees always
on hand.
The most useful members of the
household will be the bheestee or water
carrier, who is a strict Mohammedan.
He brings water in a great skin which
is carried across his back and he visits
the bath rooms and pours the water in
the tubs. When the bath is finished he
goes speedily to the tubs. reflls his
skin with water and, carrying Ii down,
empties ii upon the ~shrubbery, which
in this way he keeps always green n
beautiful.
To support an ordinary household re-
quires a dozen of these bheestee; and
for the government house the numher
can be imagined when one recalls that
the entire household must be supplied
with water in this way, and hat there
are more than a hundred persons i'm the
HouSt, not s~eTNdHlSB WHO require water
to drink and TO use. and water in such
quantities as Is needed in the tropics.
The dhobies can be found back Of the
palace in the river hard at work wash
ing the pieces. You can get 100 articles
washed for four rupees. but the palace
employs its own dhobies and several
hundred pieces are made clean every
day by pounding upon the tones
The Baby Queen.
The little Curzop baby will have her
English nurses, but above them will be
the Ayah. who is the head nurse Of the
court. The Ayah's business is to serve
the mistress and the baby and she looks
upon them with a devotion that is sin
cere and sometimes inconvenient. for
her revenge is sure and deep and she
does not wish that any one should hold
n nasitipn apra1 RI barG in the esteem ]