The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-04

child wife. Their ne!ghborS were raven
. ing beasts, whose bowls at night often
sent terror to the heart of the little mad
I am. But Ananta had sought seclusion
with a noble purpose. In earlier years
/ he had sometimes with his teacher visit
, ed palace where he had heard the fair
mistress reciting SanscTit poems. His
wonder at and admiration of such learn
ing in a woman grew into a determine
ton to teach his wife the Royal
Festivals wife had been taught. Oppo-
sition by his parents to scheme con-
trary to the customs of India led him to
take his bride and seek the jungle, where
daily, without hindrance, he could train
her as he chose. In after years she in
turn became the teacher of their chill
dren- The renown of Ananta as a man
of profound learning and holy living
drew many pilgrims and students to the
humble forest home. For these open
house" was kept, and the cares of the
mother were many, so many that her
only time for instructing Ramabai, the
youngest, was while the morning dawn
ed. Ramabai carries with her the MEM
DRY of the mothers kiss and loving
words by which she reused her, and of
repeating after her again and again the
Hindu classics, while waking birds twit-
tered their morning songs. AT twelve
years of age she had committed to men,
DRY eighteen thousand verses from the
Puranas.'
The keeping of open house for many
years at last brought the family into
debt, and poverty followed. Then came
the terrible famine that swep. over the
Madras presidency. In his old age. blind
and infirm, the learned Anata starts
ouS with wife and children, the youngest
then only nine years old, 40 go or a pill
grimage. Adversely has come to him,
he thinks. from offended gods; they must
be prop,tiated; so they wander to sacred
rivers end tanks, and PROSTATE them
selves before stone and metal images,
striving to free themselves from sin and
curse.
At last all their resources have gone,
they have. eaten their last grain of rice,
nothing but death by starvation is before
thssn- The disgrace OF il is more than
they can bear. and they go to the forest
TO die together
When the father died, as there was no
one else TO carry the dead the son tied
the body in his dhoti and carried it alone
over two miles to the place of burial.
When the mother died Ramabai and her
brother bore the remains three miles to
the burning CHAT. Ramabai, being low OF
stature, bearing the burden on her head
When the elder sister had also died of
starvation, Ramabai and her brother
continued their wanderings. Often they
were without food for days. Sometimes
a handful of wild berries. swallowing the
hard stones, together with their coarse
skim" They walked barefoot in the hot
sun. without umbrellas; in the chilly
nights they lay down on the road side,
covering themselves with sand, or under !
The arches of bridges Thus they trav-
,lled TO the northern boundary OF India,
ana back TO the east as far as Calcutta.
And in all her wanderings she was ac-
Iuir!nG knowledge and became learned in
IIarathi. Kanarise. Hindustani and Ben
gall She was also observing the home
ife of high-caste Hindus, and there grew
n her breast the noble resolve, Ito de-
-ote her life. to the redemption of her
Unfortunate sisters" helpless victims of
he baseness and cruelty of tron-bound
-ilstom and of heartless man
At Calcutta honor and happiness await
a our heroine. The Pandits OF the city +.
lad heard of her learning and OF her
heightened views and calling her before
hem after an examination, publicly
ave her the distinguished title of Sar-
svatf" goddess of wisdom. Later she .
vas happily married TO graduate or
ie Calcutta University. Bipin MedhaVl.
% them there was born a daughter 81
esived and welcome they called her
Panorama (TIeart's Joy) Blessed pro-
isioa for her comforting was the niue
ne Within a few months after her
firth cholera snatched the husband from
he loving wife. and previously death
ad removed the faithful brother. Be
old her now an orphan, without brother
2 sister, and written a widow. not at all
moving the way IN which the Heavenly !
ather. as yet q stranger to her, was {
aiding her.
During the later years OF pilgrimage ;
Ne had often lectured on the desirable /
ess Of education for women. maintain
* that the Shastras. midas sacred {
1oks enjoined their instruction {
Do you know that every fifth woman f
India is q widow, and that there are i