The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-10-13
CALCUTTA.

/
iehnable attraction Of Calcutta re-
celvcd "A fiattering tribute the other
DAY from "a number OF British soldiers
on leave from Mesopotamia. These
men had been brought hack by thou.
sands To India for a few weeks re-
spite from the weary business OF the
war. and AZ the government wished
them To have as good n time az poss.
BILE during their holiday, II gave them
the choice of several places To go. They
could 40 Co one OF three or four hill
stations. ar To Calcutta. Now. Calcutta
In May. for instance. is. Well. the very
opposite Of the North Pole 80 far as
climate In concerned; while the average
hill station. In climate. surroundings.
and In most other respects, recalls the
charm and coolness OF the west. The
average plains-dwellcr in Indin would
vote. without the slightest hesitation.
for one Of the hill stations. On the
contrary. many. IL not most. OF the
soldiers on leave chose Calcutta, and
stoutly maintained. against all coners.
| that their choice was the right one.
So far ~ the Tommy" Is concerned.
the charm OF Calcutta doubtless lies In
It's metropolitan largeness and variety.
II is. by universal consent. the most
European city In the East. It's shop
ping and residential quarters are al.
mittedly not Indain at all. They are
simply Glasgow and Dundee dumped
down on the banks OF the Hughii. Il
has clubs. picture palaces, restaurants.
electric trans. a geological garden. and
one of the finest botanical gardens I'm
the world. Its bazaars and slums.
however. AFFORD a glimpse of the East,
and 10 does its polyglot population,
which speaks fifty languages. There
IL more material comfort in Calcutta
than In any other center in India, and
the recent war demand for coal, lutte.
and other things. have added enormous.
ly to its already vast wealth. These
and other factors doubtless helped to
attract the Tommy" fresh from the
hardships OF the Mesopotamian cam
paign. especially as he had good
deal OF money to spend at the time.
but Calcutta has its aesthetic values.
The very fatness of its terrain adds
to the expansivcness of its sky and
this ample canvas Is covered every eve
ming by the setting sun with the most
gorgeous compositions In blue. green.
purple, and gold. These nocturnes are
especially brilliant during the mon.
soon. when the air Is heavily laden
with moisture. Then. too. Calcutta and
It's vicinage are always green. That is
the first of It's features to strike n
visitor from northern India, where. dur.
ing eight or nine months of the year.
the landscape never varies from a dirty
Drown Calcutta abounds in umbra.
geous and Towering trees, which con.
vert even its slums into boulevards.
ana IN Its great madam. or grassy plain
extending for several miles to the south |
oi the city. IL has a playground of up. |
surpassed magnificence The scenery |
round about combines the charm of !
inc conventional Bengal landscape, with
its rice fields and its palm trees, with |
ghmpses OF country that might be
somewhere in Norfolk or Essex The
Royal Golf Club Of Calcutta has seized !
its opportunity. and has carved o,,t . |
course IN the midst of the jungle which |
NS 'N'"iS Il part OF lnQla at all
The climate of Calcutta has been Nm.
justly aspersed. For seven or eipb,
months in the year it is undoubtedly
NOT OUT II never attains to the temper |
atures recorded in some upcountry sta. |
ions, From November to February.
March. however. II has been allowed bv
more than one authority. to possess the
hnest climate in the world. Then the
mornings and the evenings have the
crisp freshness of an English spring.
winch Just stops short of the freezing
point. The days are dry and bright. |
oa.neo oa IN mellow sunlight. and all too |
snort. The perfection of the Indian |
cold weather explains why so many
wealthy retired Anglo.Indians prefer
leading q migratory existence 20 set. /,
Ting down in the old Country" Rv
spending the summer in England, and |
- ,ne w, winter IN India, they come as near |
10 the enjoyment of 4 fiawless climate
Is II Is humanity possible IN 10