Year: 1871

hoHldNCS LII hehl LIIes


The Sind News has been furnished
with the subjoined translation of let
ter published in a Poonah venacula1
paper: ."In q village in the villah O
Bidh resided highly respectable Brah
! min, with his family. The Brahmii
belonged TO the class called Reform
ers' He had a servant, also a Brah-
min, and he frequently tried to insti
into the mind of his menial the new
doctrines he himself had become in
spired with. Among them was the re.
marriage of widows, and he endeavor
ed to induce the menial to take unto
himself as wife woman who had tas t.
ed of the sweets of married life. The
servant at last yielded to his masters
wishes, and one day formed the wise
resolution of wedding a widow. The
master, of course, was delighted tc
hear Of the wise resolve come to by
his servant, and suggested to tho lat
ter the propriety of making known his
intentions publicly, In such q way as
to have it believed that there had been
no persuasion used, and that the man
was actuated by his own feelings and
opinions.


It must be observed here that there
was a ljoisoo between the servant and
his mistress, and that she had been
frequently importuning him to elope
with her, so they might all the more
easily indulge in their Illicit amours,
without fear of detection. The SER
want deemed this a favorable opportu-
nifty of which to avail himself to enable
him to obtain by fair what he might
otherwise be driven to the necessity
of securing by foul means, no sooner
conceived than resolved, the scheme
was put into operation, and the ser
want, having obtained loan of money
from his master, made the necessary
preparations for his nuptials. The
mistress Of the house was desired by
her iege lord to choose widow as a
helpmate for the servant from among
her numerous acquaintance in the
village; this mission was altogether
congenial to her wishes, and she ap-
peared to busy herself about the affair
by absenting herself frequently from
her home. At last she reported that a
partner had been found, but that the
intended wife did not wish her parents
to be in the secret, and the celebration
of the marriage was therefore fixed for
q certain night on which there was no
moonlight, according to Hindu custom.


The auspicious day arrived, and the
night came on, when the master, and
servant, the Brahmin, who was to tie
other treformers,' assembled at the
place appointed; the bride made her
appearance in due time, covered from
head to foot, much in the manner OF
Epurdha- ladies' the marriage cere-
mony was proceeded with, and the
happy couple in due course united in
the bonds of wedlock. Prior to the
ceremony being concluded the Brahmin
asked the master whether he had any
objections to offer to the marriage, and
whether, if any difficulty should arise
in relation to it, he would render his
assistance. He answered emphatically
i'll the negative to the first question,
and in the affirmative to the second.
The meeting dispersed, hearty con-
gratulations having been bestowed on
the married couple. Reports were cir
culated far and wide of the event, and
the reforming Brahmin, the master of
the servant who had been 'spliced,' re-
paired to his home, proud IN the con-
seiousness of his having achieved q
triumph over orthodox Hinduism.


Finding his wife not at her post, he
consoled himself with the idea that
she had remained with the newly mar
ried couple. On the following morn
ing the bubble burst, and with it depart
ed the happiness of the unsuspeeting
Brahmin, who in his zeal to promote
the cause of Hindu widow re-marriage
sacrificed his own domestic felicity
The bride' widow of the previous night
turned out to be his own wife, and the
woman whose name had been falsely
made use of as being that of the wo
man to whom the servant was on the
eve of afianced, was In a state of the
utmost CONSERVATION when she, stric
orthodox Brahminee, found to what {
base use her name had been prostitut
ed. Her parents lodged complain
against the Brahmin for defamation
and the Brahmin, in his turn, charged
his servant with cheating and bigamy
Here was pretty kettle of fish to fry
Both complaints were filed in tht
Mamlutdar's court.


That functionary, being ereformer' a.
well, made no ado about throwing ou
the charge efwdefamation. The charge
of bigamy against the servant wa'
disposed of in this wise: The servan
pleaded that according to the doctrine
instilled into him by his master, no
only was Hindu widow allowed t.
marry, but also married woman, i
she took particular fancy to anothe5
man. Certain portions of the Ved0'
had been pointed out by his master to
him when the re-marriage question hap
pene5 to be discussed between them
The line of defense adopted satisfied
the Mamlutdar, who was as we'll &C
quainted with the Vod0s as was the
complainant in the case. The charge
was dismissed, the complainant being
referred TO the civil courts for the con
Identification of his marriage expense


PRESIDENT ANGEL, who leaves tht