The weekly news. [volume] (Anacostia [i.e. Washington] D.C.) 1909-19??, 1909-11-13
SERVANT PROBLEM IN
HINDUSTAN.
CHIEF CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE INDIAN DO
MESTIC.
ACCEPTED AS LIAR AND
THIEF.

They have a servant problem in
India, and it is quite as big as the
problem we have in England. If
YOU are accompanied by your wife
then it is quite necessary the mem
sahib should have her "ayab To
cndeavor to go through the East
without this chocolate-colored body
guard is to stamp yourself as either
mean or else untutored in ways
Oriental. If you are a resident,
and it does not matter in how
humble a position, your bungalow
is overrun with attendants. You
are waited on hand and foot; but
the custom means bondage Of
peculiarly irritating character,
since privacy virtually is non est.
Every man servant in India is
a "boy." Tie may be 20 years Of
age, bent and whitc-haired, but he
is always 'boy.' Every waiter,
every coolic, i'm fact everybody
native, is "boy," except those who
are reputed to be able to read or
write English and insist upon be-
ing called "babu." After a little
while the European contracts dis
ease called the "boy' fever. The
luxury of being waited on hand
and-foot is irresistible. The most
insipid of Englishmen soon learn
to yell "B-o-o-o-yN in that deep
and cholcric tone which is so
fashionable and which is supposed
TO have been invented by the
earliest members of John Com
pany.
To the seasoned Anglo-lndian
every boy is a born liar and thief.
He is accepted as such ipso facto.
To the newcomer this attitude to-
ward our "black brother is incom-
prehensiblc. After season in
India the newcomer knows why
and invariably is more bitter in his
race partisanship that the older
resident. ! do not wish to suggest
that all boys are incorrigibly dis
honest; / have heard, usually at
third or fourth hand, Of the exist
cncc of an honest boy, but ! have
seen none.
! was very innocent when / en-
gagged my first boy, but then | had
been only twenty-four hours in In
dia. / was charmed with his APP
pearance. His white clothes and
mban were spotless. He was tall
and handsome. His salaam was
ccstatic, and he wanted only
twenty-five rupees a month if he
stayed in Bombay or thirty rupees
if hc travelled.
His "chits,' or testimonials,
were beautiful. Generals, majors,
captains and all sorts Of high mill
tary functionaries, as well as a
large number of travellers, had en-
iovcd the services of Behwar, as he
was called, and all said what soI-
row it gave them to part with him
and with what pleasure they recon-
mcnded him 10 another wandering
sahib.
For two days he was as faithful
as dog. On the morning of the
third he informed me he was mar
ried and had quite a lot Of chill
dren. As il was my intention to
90 up country, would the sahib
allow poor Behwar three months
salary in advance so that he could
leave provision for his family. As
! have said, ] was very innocent
and the "boy' was so charming, /
advanced him his salary and an
hour later India had swallowed
him mp, never TO be seen by me
again.
The next applicant for the post
was a little Madrasi, whose face
was one perpetual smile. He spoke
very little English, but he was
armed with a bundle of chits, of
which he was abnomally proud.
The first read something like this:
"The bearer Of this is a splendid
menteur He is a most admirable
voleur Tie has served me with
great improbite, and I sincerely
trust he win speedily obtain d
:t..4.-.. ..,... ,.,, c.,,s 80 Dali NIL