El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-09-10

ank G. Carpenter.l
they have larger social clubs, more
fun and less Stiffness
India Marriage Market.
There are two social seasons in In
dia-one in the summer, when every
one who is any one goes to the high
lands, and especially Simla, and the
other in the winter, when the center of
all is Calcutta. The latter season is
so lively that it even attracts debu-
tantes and post-debutantes of Great
Britain. There is an influx of young
maids and old maids, several hundred
well bred girls coming annually to
stay with their friends or at the ho-
tells
These girls have good letters of in
PRODUCTION, and they angle for nus
bands. I am told that about fifty sue
coed in their fishing. The others go
back, and the Calcutta beaux speak
of them as returned empties." At the
first of each season list of this in
vading army of Amazons is made up
by the social detectives. Each girl is
assayed, and her pedigree and record,
including the amount of dot she will
bring, are set down in cold type The
list is secretly passed around to the
bachelors of the army and civil socie-
They tell me that marriage is an ex-
pensive luxury in India and especially
so in the cities. House rents in Cal
cutta are high, an establishment of
ten or twelve rooms in a good location
costing about $500 per month. A fash
1onable wife will need plenty for enter
tanning, and she will have to have her
long summer vacation in the Himalayan
resorts, including, perhaps, Simla,
where social demands are about as
great as at Calcutta On the other
hand, she may be of a sporting tenden-
cy, in which case the outfit costs a
great DEAL although camping out is de-
lightful.
Housekeeping Matters.
Keeping house in India seems cheap
until you understand the conditions
Servants charge almost nothing in
comparison with their class in the
United States. One can get good cooks
for SO per month and house men for
less. The trouble is that the English
man has to hire dozen servants in In
dia where he has one at home. The
caste regulations are such that each
man will only do one kind of work
The man who washes the dishes will
not make the beds, and he who makes
the beds will not sweep or carry the
water The cook will not act as soul
lion, and so it goes on If you keen
horses you must have a groom to each
horse, and to every two horses a man
to cut grass for them. Every child has
its own nurse, and the result is that
you need many servants. The servants
are nearly all men, the women acting
only as ladies' maids and sometimes
as nurses With the other sex the same
rules prevail; the maid who waits
upon your wife will not wait upon
you, and your own body servant must
run your errands.
AS to food, it is high, when the qutl-
ity is considered Animal meats are
invariably poor, but the fowls are ex-
cellent and the eggs occasionally fresh,
although not larger than the big white
alleys with which we play marbles in
boyhood.
The Everlasting Squeeze.
One of the big items of expense in
India is the oriental squeeze which
one must pay upon all he buys 1t is
the same in Japan. China and in all
parts of the orient. Your servants
have a rake-off on your purchases
and they make more out of such things
than their salaries. If you order a cab
your servant wants his commission and
If the cabman takes you to a native
merchant he expects to get his per-
centage on what you purchase. In rid
ing through the city you will frequent
~ have men jump to the step of your
carriage, and offer to guide you where
you can get certain things Such men
do not ask money of you, but the mer-
chant knows that he must pay them
and he makes your price accordingly.
The cook has a commission on all
the vegetables and meats that come
into the house. and the waiter has his
squeeze off the jam and the hostlers
feed fat on your grass, corn and oats.
1t is the same with the butler. He
gets his rake-off from every native
who calls upon you, and if not bribed
the latter may cool his heels and you
will not get his card.
1t is the same with the Hinuoo of
ficials, although the British try TO
prevent it. I am told that even the
judges are bribed and that you can buy
witnesses who will testify to anything
under the sun. This custom, however,
is not confined to Hindustan. Squeez-
ing and bribery are brel in the bones
of these orientals, AMI from Turkey to
Toxic the native official has lis
greedy hand open, although it may be
held behind the back when the white
man is present.
In this connection I talked the 9TH
er day with a British commissioned of
education of one of the most impor-
tant Indian provinces. Said he:
Il know that every petition I see
has had to pay toll to my native clerks.
have tried to stop it, but found it
impossible Every contract that comes
through native hands is accompanied
with bribery and my very ,.oorkeeper
makes money off me. When a native
and asks to see the commits
sioner, the doorkeeper will say that
the sahib is busy. The native knows
what he means and he will drop eight
annas or a rupee into his hand. lie is
then introduced TO the chief clerk and
IL his business is of sufficient impor-
lance he may have to pay rupees
more before he goes farther If he
does not offer TO pay he w,n probably
be told to call around tomorrow, and
1t may be days before he ca get to my
office. This is so in nearly all cases.
We know it, but cannot prevent it,"
Some Calling Customs.
Returning to the social features of
India, the calling hours are different
from those of other parts Of the world.
If you want to see a frieni you must
come from II o'clock in the morning o