lerk at the village church at Yerandawana was about to be
married in Bombay, where his bride resided, 120 miles away. His mother
was a curious, cross-grained old woman, not yet a Christian. As he had
not much money, I suggested that there was no need to take his mother
to this distant city for the wedding, but that she could be ready to
greet the bride at their new home in the village when they returned.

But Swithun assured me that it was absolutely essential that his
mother should go with him, and that if he was married without taking
care to secure her presence, he would be for ever branded as an
undutiful son. She was not at all grateful for his kind consideration,
and made herself very disagreeable all through the wedding-day, but
the guests treated her with a good deal of respect and regard solely
on the score of her being the bride-groom's mother, and on that
account a person to be honoured.

Indian affection is quite real as far as it goes, but it does not go
very deep, so that it does not long outlive the removal of the object
of regard, either through death or any other cause. Nor will Indian
affection bear much strain. Petty complications in family life,
trivial misunderstandings between friends of long standing, or amongst
Christians some little hitch with the authorities of a mission, will
sometimes result in life-long separations or bitter animosity between
those who, for the time being, were objects of real, but shallow,
affection. But the Indian puts up with anything rather than quarrel
with his mother, and her memory remains fresh and green long after
other departed relations and friends have been lost in oblivion.

[Illustration: SWITHUN'S "NEW HOME IN THE VILLAGE."]

CHAPTER III

THE INDIAN VIEW OF NATURE AND ARCHITECTURE

Indians oblivious to scenery. The beauties of Nature.
Results of learning drawing. Hindus' offerings of flowers;
their garlands. Pictures of flowers. The new village church
attracts; impressed by its interior; schoolboys visit it.
Visitors from the Hindu college. A party from the Widows'
Home. Brahmin ladies admire the embroidery. The "religious
bath."

Almost all Indians are apparently oblivious to beautiful scenery. You
rarely see them looking at a gorgeous sunset, or hear them speak about
it. You will seldom hear them make any reference to the beauty or
otherwise of their surroundings. As they travel along the road you
will not