There is always plenty of work if one is inclined for it. I was always
busy. My wife once remarked to a neighbor that if Mr. Japhet had no work
he would invent some. I could never understand why any one having common
sense, any strength or energy should be idle. I took great pleasure in
setting people to work. I was not always successful, who is? Charity is
often more hurtful than otherwise, unless the recipients be in ill
health or incapable of labor. It degrades the one who receives it,
lowers his manhood, deprives him of that self respect so necessary in
every vocation of life.
My duty and pleasure was especially to help Eurasians, those of my own
unfortunate caste or race. I knew them so well, for was I not one of
them, yet so highly favored? From the time I had met my unfortunate
schoolmates repulsed from many a door of the mercantile Christian
gentleman in Calcutta, I felt a special yearning towards this class. My
experience at that time was a life lesson to me. From that time never a
poor wanderer came to me searching for work or food but I thought of
what I might have been but for that dear friend of my childhood.
Further, it seemed to me that I was in a measure his steward, having in
trust his wealth to use for him. I never forgot his often saying, “Now
Charles, let us go to our religious service in feeding God’s poor.” He
never talked about religion and I never knew from his lips what his
creed was. His life was a creed in itself, and it might be put in these
words: “Be good yourself and do good to others.” What more can man do or
God require? This little simple creed seemed to permeate his whole
being, his thoughts, his soul, all his actions. I recall now his intense
earnestness, his tearful eyes, and the prayerful expression of his face
when he gave out the money or the food. He did this with such devotion
as if it was a sacred religious act in the presence of God, and was it
not? I have said something of this before but it will bear repeating
again and again. Was not this truly following Jesus? Canon Farrar says:
“Religion does not mean elaborate theologies, it does not mean
membership in this or that organization, it does not depend on orthodoxy
in matters of opinion respecting which Christians differ, but it means a
good heart and a good life.”
Jesus never made a creed or said anything but what the simplest mind
could understand. He went about doing good, giving his life for our
imitation, following which we may become pure in heart and see God, his
Father and our Father. Mr. Percy was a follower of Jesus. Often when I
was about to turn some one away without relief, the question would come,
“What would Mr. Percy do if he were here?” The answer at once came, a
gift was bestowed and I enjoyed many a blessing in this sacrament of
giving.
I think we may often be too careful in our charity as if we knew
everything and bore the whole responsibility. Some never give because
they were once “taken in” by some unworthy one. This is simply an excuse
for their own selfishness and stinginess. Better be deceived half the
time, than fail to help the real deserving, the other half. It is our
duty to give with the best discretion and then leave the responsibility
with God. Surely He will regard us as having done our duty to the best
of our ability. The world has no use for a man who never helps another.
He is only a useless part of humanity and the sooner he dies and is put
out of sight the better. Let him go, who cares? The man who has no poor
or distressed to mourn over his death has failed in life, a sad failure.
I remember of reading an incident that, somewhat hardened as I am,
brought tears to my eyes. A little girl, the daughter of a poor woman,
going up to the coffin of her mother took hold of one of the cold hands
saying: “This hand never struck me.” It was a simple childish saying and
I don’t know why it should have affected me so.
What better epitaph could one have than that made by a crowd of poor
around a coffin pointing to the lifeless hands saying, “Those hands were
always ready to help us.”
“Not he that repeateth the name, but he that doeth the will,” is worth
remembering. “As long as thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak
well of thee” is a worldly maxim, but a heavenly one might be added:
“When thou doest well unto others then God will regard thee with favor.”
But I am moralizing again.
As I said, all during my life I had been giving assistance especially to
the Eurasians, but these favors were desultory, scattered like the floss
from the ripe pods of the semul tree, blown no one knows whither. The
angel above, no doubt has a record of them, and I in the consciousness
in having tried to do good, and so far it was well, but I wanted to see
some tangible results.
There was a large number of these people in the station. Only a few of
them had employment. The rest were like sheep without a shepherd, or
rather, to use a truer expression, they were like mongrel pariah dogs,
owned by no one and kicked by every one, and like such dogs getting a
living by picking up any stray bones they could find. They were not
inside anywhere. At the sports, races or any festivity they hung around
the outskirts. If they went to church they were seated in the tail end
of it and got only the drippings of the sanctuary. Only a few ever went
to church. They felt they were not wanted even in the so-called House of
God. Is it any wonder that they lost all ambition, all energy, lacking
faith in everything good and noble, despised and cursed their own abject
condition and helplessness? Tell a boy constantly that he is going to
the dogs or devil and the chances are that he will make your words
become true. The devil comes when he hears his name often called. The
seeds of ill once planted will grow and come to maturity no one knows
when, where or how. These people slunk away to their dens, where they
lived in idleness and squalor and became acclimatized to evil. Not all
of them I am glad to say, but too many of them I am sorry to admit. Some
of them indulged in vice of the most degrading kind. Their worst enemy
was the cheap liquor, provided for them by a benevolent Government, and
every one who has visited this class of people in their huts, not
houses, knows what the curse of drunkenness is to them.
To remedy this condition of idleness I got together a number of this
class, and after talking over the situation, suggested that we start a
factory of some sort in which only Eurasians would be employed. The idea
was accepted at once. It was made a joint stock company with the shares
so small that any one could get an interest in it. One proviso was that
when any one wished to buy a share, the one having the largest number
would be obliged to sell his extra shares at their first cost, and so
on, until no one would own more than one share if there were buyers. The
object of this was to get as many as possible to have a personal
interest in the factory. All the stockholders were to vote according to
the number of shares they held, for the officers and direction of the
business. There were no paid directors to meet whenever they chose for
the sole purpose of getting their fees, nor any agents to get a
commission on the product without doing anything. We had a long
discussion on this latter topic, and it was repeatedly iterated that the
great curse of every business in India, is the agents or middlemen, who,
with the directors, take the largest share of the profits. We would have
none of them. We would sell our goods at low prices direct to the
purchaser and consumer.
The project was soon successful. Every workman soon had a share or
shares, as it was considered an honor to be a shareholder. There was to
be a meeting once a month, or oftener, if the manager or any ten
shareholders deemed it necessary, when each shareholder had a right to
give his opinion and a vote was taken, the majority to rule. At these
monthly meetings it was customary to have a lecture or discussion on
something connected with the business. One was given on the proper use
of tools, another on machinery, one on the saving of material. The
speaker on this latter topic referred to Samuel Blodgett, called the
“Successful Merchant.” This gentleman, who knew every part of his
business, from cellar to garret, was one day watching a boy do up a
package. When it was finished he said: “My boy, do you know that if
every one in the house doing up a parcel should use as much paper and
twine as you do, it would almost ruin us?” Then he untied the package,
and made a much neater one with half the paper and half the twine.
Turning to a clerk he asked how many packages they sent out a year. He
then computed the waste of paper and twine, amounting to quite a sum.
“There, my boy, you see what a waste there would be, so don’t let such a
mistake occur again.” Then the lecturer urged the workmen to be very
careful in saving every bit of wood, iron or any material, and then
appealed to them that if each only wasted a quarter of an ana a day
during the year, it would be a great loss to all, giving the amount. The
speaker on tools and their use, went into all the details, showing the
value of a good implement over a poor one, and the benefit of keeping it
in the best condition. Another talked on the value of time, of being
punctual, and showed the loss there would be if any were late or
indolent or had to run around the shop looking for tools.
These lectures had a very beneficial effect. Besides, there were others
on subjects not immediately connected with the business, such as health,
temperance, morals. In brief, the project ceased to be an experiment, as
the business became a means of livelihood to many, and better still,
made them men.
This business was exactly in line with my theory. That in order to
reform men, to lift them up from a level with the brutes, you must first
give them a means of earning a living, give them enough food to eat,
clothes to wear, and a decent place to live in. Until this is done, what
is the use to talk to them about their souls, or preach to them about
sin, or unfold to them the glories of Heaven, when they are sunken in
the mire of earth up to their necks, and cannot get out of it? Why teach
them how to fit themselves for Heaven, and not how to live on earth
unmindful that the latter comes first? “Why fence the field when the
oxen are within devouring the corn?” Man is first an animal, and what he
needs first is food. Feed him, and then preach to him, if you choose.
Poverty destroys honor and self respect, and so long as a man is
tortured by cold and hunger, he cannot be reached by moral forces. The
best way to prepare mankind for a home in Heaven, is to make it decently
comfortable for them on earth. Says a distinguished writer, “Give to a
man the right over my subsistence and he has power over my whole being.”
Our success in this matter was all we could expect. Still there was
something wanting. Outside of the business the men were left to
themselves each to wander in his own way.
At times I had invited them all to my house with their families, and my
wife joined me heartily in entertaining them, but this was not quite
satisfactory. There was naturally restraint. There was no place of
public resort for them. I could sympathize with them, for I had been
excluded from the club, yet had my pleasant home, my garden, my books,
and far above all, my wife. We could have our daily drives, and often
pleasant company, but where could these people go? I had resources
enough and it has always been in my nature to be independent, for I had
rather sit down on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than to be
crowded on a velvet cushion.
One night, as I lay awake or half dreaming, my guiding angel gave me a
suggestion. Years agone, the magistrate of the station, my paternal
relative, though I was not aware of the connection at the time, had
forbidden me to proceed with a building I had commenced. From that time
this ground had been unused except as a pasture for my cows. The
suggestion was, why not use this ground on which to erect a hall or
building of some kind where the Eurasians could resort? I was willing to
devote the ground, but the building, who was to erect it?
At our chota hazri the next morning I had no sooner mentioned the
suggestion than my wife exclaimed: “The very thing! Let’s do it at
once!” If it might be allowed me to use the words of a great man, I
would quote the remark of Edmund Burke about his wife, and apply it to
mine: “She discovers the right and wrong of things, not by reasoning but
by sagacity.” She never opposed any good proposal of mine, and when she
differed from me, it was with such a sweet reasonableness and loving
persuasion that I took real pleasure in yielding to her suggestions.
Never once did I have to ask like the Scotchman, “Wha’s to wear thae
breeks, the day, you or me?” Carlyle says: “The English are torpid, the
Scotch harsh, and the Irish affectionate.”
My wife was the latter, and if she ever guided me, it was through her
affections, but this is beside the story.
My next thought was to see Mr. Jasper, not only to get his opinion, for
I had determined on my plan, but more to hear myself talk on the
subject, and to judge from his manner on hearing me, if the thing was
feasible and best. There is something in hearing one’s self talk over
his own plans, but I must check myself, or I shall be dreaming again.
He heard me all through very calmly, and replied:
“Yes, it is a good scheme, but can you carry it out?”
“Will you help?” I asked quickly in my enthusiasm. He did not reply at
once, but sat silently, looking towards me or away beyond me, for some
moments, and then said, “You have asked me a very important question.
You know how I feel towards you, Mr. Japhet.”
“Yes,” I replied, “I know and wish to say that there is not a man living
whom I respect more for his good judgment and kindliness of heart
towards me than I do you.”
I said this because it was the truth, and I wished him to know it, not
that I intended to bait him with any sugared words. Had he declined to
help me even with a rupee, I would have said what I did.
He continued, “You know me too well to take offense at what I am going
to say. You know the Eurasians, what they are?”
“Don’t I know?” I exclaimed. “Am I not one of them to my sorrow and
shame?”
Without regarding my remark he said, “The natives are bad enough in
every way, just what their ancestors and circumstances have made them.
They are born deceivers and liars. They are capable liars, and can tell
a lie with a semblance of truth in it, and then to protect the first
will thatch it with another, and so on indefinitely as they build their
roofs, one thatch upon another. The Europeans are not noted for lying.
They will stave off everything they don’t like to admit, with a bluff,
or a ‘mind your own business.’ They are licentious. I think this is
their greatest and worst vice in India, if not at home.”
“Do I not know this?” I asked. “Do I not carry the proof of this in my
face every hour I live?”
Said he, “To come to the point. The Eurasians, not all of them, but
many, have all the vices and scarcely any of the virtues of both races.
They will tell lies of the weakest, flimsiest kind, with not the shadow
of a leg to support them. They make promises and break them without any
hesitation whatever. They are indolent and indifferent, without any of
the stamina of manhood. They are weak-minded, soft-hearted and careless.
They are lacking in courage and manly character, destitute of ambition,
easily offended, and will throw up a position because some little thing
does not please them, when they know it to be almost impossible for them
to get another situation. When one leaves his place, if unmarried, he is
most likely to take some little silly young fool for a wife to starve
with him. And then they breed like rabbits, as is the case all over the
world; the poorer a people, the more children they have. I have seen so
many of them, and you know I have assisted them; yet they have so often
abused my favors and kindness, that I sometimes question if they are
worth saving.”
I interrupted, “This is a very severe indictment, yet I cannot help
admitting that there is much truth in it, for have I not also had
experience with them? But who made them such as they are? Are they not
the effect of a sufficient cause? Am I to blame for what my father, a
Christian gentleman, made me, an Eurasian? Are not these poor people
made what they are by no fault of their own, and to be pitied rather
than cursed and shunned? Do they not of all people in India need
sympathy and help? Would it not be the will of God that we should give
them assistance and lift them out of the pit into which they have been
cast?”
“Yes, yes, Japhet, you are right, and I am pleased to hear you talk as
you do. Your reference to God reminds me of a story. A street urchin who
had just lost his mother was sitting on the kerb-stone, sobbing as if
his heart would break. He began to pray to God for help, when one of his
chums sneered at his praying. He retorted out of his sobs, “What is God
for if not to help a feller when he needs Him most?” So I suppose if we
are to do the will of God we should assist those who need our help the
most, and I don’t know of any people who need our help more than the
Eurasians. Mind you, I don’t promise anything, but will think it over,
and will let you know to-morrow if I can do anything.”
I took my departure, believing in my soul as surely as I expected the
sun to rise the next morning, that he would help me. He was that kind of
a man, though he had given a very poor opinion of some of the Eurasians,
yet I knew that not one of them ever went to him in distress without
receiving help of some kind.
The rest of the day and night my head was full of plans and schemes. I
could think of nothing else. And my wife was as excited as I was. Why
should I not give way to my enthusiasm? Why should one made of flesh and
blood, with feelings, appear like a man carved out of wood or stone?
Early the next morning a chuprassi brought a note from Mr. Jasper. It
said: “My dear Japhet: I like your scheme, and will do this—double every
rupee you expend from other sources, until it is fully carried out. I
am, &c.”
As I read this I sprang to my feet with a bound, and my wife, who had
been looking over my shoulder, fairly danced. I know that tears of
gladness came into my eyes, not only for the princely munificence of his
offer, but for the magnanimous character of the man I then esteemed as
my best and truest friend. I like to give way to my joys, as I have too
often had to yield to my sorrows.
I replied to the note in unbounded thanks, expressing a hope that he
might never have occasion to regret his magnificent proposal.
The ground was already provided, and now half of the expense was
secured, so the project was assured of success. I at once drew up a
sketch for a building, the foundation to be four feet above the ground,
so as to be no down-in-the-mud affair; a large carriage way in front, an
entrance hall, a library and lecture hall to be separated by purdahs,
curtains, to be used as one room in case of necessity, a billiard and
smoking room, and a refectory.
My wife, looking on, remarked, “That is all very well for you men, but
where do we women come in? Have you forgotten us? I have some money to
invest in this enterprise, as well as an interest in looking after the
rights of the women.”
I might say here that she had considerable money, over which she had
entire control, and with which I never interfered except to advise her
about it when she asked me, which she often did. I believe in the equal
rights of a woman with a man; that she should have an absolute control
over her own property, and an equal share with her husband in all wealth
acquired after marriage. They both should be equal partners in the
marital firm.
“Certainly, my dear,” said I, “the women must have their rights and
privileges, and to show our appreciation of them we will place them over
us, give them the story above, where they can look down on us, for this
is only the ground plan.” And she was satisfied.
My next move was to draw up a prospectus, or a statement of what was
proposed, and the necessity for it. I made no mention of Mr. Jasper’s
offer, or what my wife and I would do. I wished to get every Eurasian in
the station to have an interest and share in the affair. I had no idea
of leaving any one out, no matter how poor they were, even if they could
only subscribe a rupee. I do not believe in one or two, or a few,
bearing all the burdens for the many. Besides, it was not so much for
the money as a personal interest, to develop the manhood of even the
poorest, and make them feel that when they came among us that they had a
right there.
I started out with the paper to get subscriptions. The first I went to
was the personal assistant to the Commissioner of the Division. I knew
he resented being classed as an Eurasian, and kept aloof from them,
claiming that he was of French descent, but if he was not a dusky son of
the sun then his color lied. Everybody knew that his grandmother was as
puckhi a native woman as ever sat cross-legged and ate dhal bhat with
her fingers. He never associated with Europeans, and had only two
intimates of a like grade as himself. He declined very abruptly, as he
had no interest in the matter. He held himself very lofty and reserved,
as if he had been made chief toe-nail cutter by appointment to the
Viceroy. I did not waste any time on him or upon his two friends, who
made the same excuse. I was rather glad of their refusal, and only went
to them to prevent their saying afterward that I had not applied to
them. They were very important personages in their own estimation. Their
money was not needed, and their manhood had no basis on which to
develop.
Among all the others I had great success.
The plan was settled and the building commenced and pushed on as fast as
possible. I wanted everybody to see that we meant business. All seemed
to acquiesce in feeling that I should manage the affair. In fact I never
had a thought about this but went ahead. Then my engineering education
came into use. I assumed the whole responsibility, and whether the
subscriptions were few or many, I concluded that my wife and I, if
required, would balance every rupee of Mr. Jasper’s with one of ours.
What I wanted most from the subscribers was their personal interest.
As the building progressed it became quite an object of attraction.
Every morning and evening, numbers would come to see how their building
was going on. Not the least interested was Mr. Jasper, for he seemed to
be always there, watching and anxious with pleasure. He greatly admired
the plans, and gave many valuable suggestions. He had great taste and
pleasure in gardening, and one day proposed to lay out and prepare the
grounds. I suggested that he keep an account of the expense, to be
deducted from his subscription. “No,” said he, “you go on with your
work; do not mind me. This is my affair entirely.” I did not object, as
I was not willing to deprive him of the pleasure this would afford him.
It was not long before the building was finished. It was a work of art,
and would have been the pride of any station or city. It was as
substantial as lime, brick, stone and iron could make it, with the
finest of wood work and marble floors. The grounds were very ample, and
by the time the building was completed they had been, through Mr.
Jasper’s efficient supervision, converted into a park, with flower
gardens.
In the meantime we had a number of meetings of all the subscribers at my
house, and various suggestions received as to the furnishing. The upper
apartments were left entirely to the women, with my wife in lead. There
sprang up a great rivalry between the sexes as to which should have the
best furnished rooms, and various were the questions asked of us men
about our plans. My wife put on her sweetest smiles when interrogating
me, but I was dumb except to say that we would not interfere with their
arrangements, and she would reply, “If you think you will get ahead of
us you are very much mistaken.” And I knew we would be.
I had frequently observed our non-subscribing Eurasian fellows driving
by on the road and looking at our work with a good deal of interest. One
morning the one of French descent came to me where I was superintending
some work, and greeting with a good morning, said, “After all, Mr.
Japhet, I don’t know but what I ought to help you in this.” I cut him
short by replying, “Thank you very much, but we have now got all the
money we need, and so do not care for any more subscriptions.” He seemed
quite taken back by the reply, and began praising the building, but as I
was very busy he soon left. I took a perhaps wicked pleasure in giving
him this rebuff, more so, that he had received me with such haughtiness
on my going to him.
Several had expressed their pleasure that this man and his two friends
had declined to subscribe, as from their position as head clerks they
imitated their English examples, and had presumed to be of a higher
class than the other Eurasians in the station; that had they come in
they would have had a great deal to say. They never ceased to regret the
attitude they had taken after seeing our success, and were probably very
much chagrined that we could get along without their advice or money.
They never came to us, except by special invitation to some of our
entertainments, and then were only invited to see what a pleasant place,
and the enjoyable times we had. This may not have been the best of
motives, but let those who are without fault in such matters, hurl
stones at us.
In an up country station, where everybody’s business is known, and
inquired into by everybody else, such a building as ours, two-storied,
when there was not another of this height in the station, a very large
puckha one too, with large, ornamental grounds around it, could not fail
to excite attention.
The station club-house, frequented by all the civil and military swells
and their families, was a low down, mud-walled, tawdry affair, with a
dingy, thatched grass roof, the building having been erected during
years by additions, so was without form or comeliness, becoming more
disreputable in appearance in proportion as our building grew in size
and beauty. Through some of my acquaintances in the club, I learned that
our enterprise was a subject of daily talk at their evening gatherings.
They had discovered that it was to be for an Eurasian club, as they put
it, though we had not yet named our infant. One, who lived in a
two-roomed, cheap bungalow asked, “What do the half castes want with
such a building as that? It is a blanked sight too good for them!”
Another remarked, “Why did the Collector allow them to put up such a
building just opposite to ours?” Then one replied, “It is no matter,
they will not be able to keep it, and then we’ll get it for ourselves,
as it would just suit us.” One made a remark that hit me home. “That
Japhet is the leader in it, and it seems to me that he is putting on a
good deal of side.” “Why the devil shouldn’t he, when he has got the
money to do it with?” asked an impecunious sub, whom I had favored with
several accommodations.
This, and much more, was the line of their daily conversation, but
little to our credit, taking their words at their full meaning, but
greatly to their discredit, judging from the motives of the speakers.