The sun., 1909-06-06
A SERVANT IN INDIA.
Always . "Bey"-Ilis Chief Characterts'
tics-value Of Recommendation.

From the Pail Mall Moodxins.
They have q servant problem In India, and
II is quite a. big a. the problem we have
In England. II you are accompanied by
your wife then II is au te necessary the
mem-sahib should have her -ayah." To
endeavor to go through the East without
this chocolate coored body guard is to
stamp yourself ss either mean or else un-
tutored in ways Oriental. II you are a
resident. and 1t does not matter in how
humble q position. your bungalow Is over
run with attendants. Yon are waited on
hand and foot: but the custom means bond
age OF 4 peculiarly irritating character.
since privacy virtually is non est.
Every manservant In India is boy.
He may be 20 years Of age. bent and white
haired. but he 10 always boy" Every
waiter, every coolie. in fact everybody
native, is boy" except those who are re-
puted to be able TO read or write English
and insist upon being called "babu." After
| a little while the European contracts q dis
ease called the boy" fever. The luxury
Of being waited on hand and foot is ire
sistibe. The most insipid OF Englishnen
soon learn to yell 'B-o-o-o-y!" in that
deep and choleric tone which is so fash
ionable and which is supposed to have
been invented by the earliest members Of
John Company.
Toi the seasoned Anglo-i Indian every
boy b born liar and thief. He is accepted
as such ipso facto. To the newcomer
this attitude toward our black brother
is incomprehensible. After season in
India the new conner knows why and in
vsriabiy IL more bitter In his race partisan
ship than the older resident. do not
Wish to suggest that all boys are incorrikibly
dishonest: / have heard. usually at third
or fourth hand, Of the existence Of an hon
est boy. but have seen none.
was very innoosnt when ! engaged my
lrst boy. but then had been only twenty
hh appsNreacs. Hh white clothes and
turban wsFs spotisss. He was tall and
handsome. His OalAam was soststio. and
hs waated only twsnty-6 Ave rupees q month
II he stayed In Bombay or thirty rupees
| II he travelled,
His .chits.- Or testimonials were beauti-
'ful. 0snsrsls. Majors. Captains and oil
sorts Of high military functionsries. as
well a. . large numbsr OF travellers. had
enjoyed the ssfvicss OF Behwar, as he
was called, and eli said what sorrow It
gave them To part with him and with what
pleasure they rscommsnded him to another
wandering sshib.
For two days he was as faithful as a dog
uu tu9 Dn0IUlnu ~ tuo tbuu nc tutOIu1tu
me be wss married and had quite a lot OF
children. As II was my intention to 70 up
country, would the sahib allow poor Behwar
three months salary In advance so that
he could leave provision for his family.
A have said. Vas very innocent. and
| the boy was 20 charming, ] advanced
hun his salsry and an hour later India had
swallowed him NJ. never to be seen by me
again.
The lAIt applicant for the post was a
little Aadrasi, whose fsoe was one per.
pstuai smiie. He spote very little English,
but no was armed with . bundle OF chits
Of which No vas abnormally proud. The
Arst read ssmst8lns IKE this: The bear
Or of this b Q splsudid. n,sntsur. He Ia q
most admirable voleur. He has served
ms With Errst iaprobite. and ] sincerely
trust he VII, speedily obtain . situation
auI snfers.'