in their own social or business arrangements.

Even although most Indians look forward to meal-time with a good deal
of relish, they cause their womenkind much inconvenience by the
irregular way in which they come home to meals. Not only has the wife
the trouble of trying to keep the dinner hot and ready for an
indefinite time, but as she never eats until her husband has been fed,
she has to fast until he returns.

In the parable of the Marriage Feast and the Great Supper, we read of
servants going to tell the guests, who (it should be noticed) had
already been invited, that they were to come, "for all things are now
ready." This is what actually takes place in connection with most
Indian feasts. The invitation is for a certain hour. But the chance of
the meal being ready at that time is very remote. Hence it is usual to
tell the more distinguished guests, living within reach, that someone
will come and call them when everything is really ready. And the
summons is expressed almost in the exact words of the parable.

The few people who happen to arrive at the hour mentioned in their
invitation are not disturbed at having to wait for their meal for a
period which may extend even to hours. It is to be feared that English
guests invited to a dinner-party at seven, and having to wait till
nine-thirty before the dinner-bell rang, would not be in a very
agreeable frame of mind by the time they sat down to table.

CHAPTER VIII

INDIAN POVERTY

Indian squalor. The Indian's house; how he takes his meals;
no home life; physical results. Contrast of the Brahmin
doctor's home; his little sons. But without a religion. The
Hindu contractor; his visit to the Church; his pathetic
position.

Whether the sometimes so-called "simplicity" of Indian native life is
really a thing to be desired, is a question which it may be well to
ask. It is, undoubtedly, a right general principle that each person's
life should be kept as homely and simple as circumstances will allow.
There is, however, a distinction between simplicity and the squalor of
sordid poverty.

A poor Indian lives as he does chiefly because he cannot help himself,
and partly, perhaps, because he has no other ideal. But it is at best
an unlovely and cramping form of existence. Though he can sustain life
on a remarkably small wage, he is nearly always hungry, and has so
little stamina that he easily succumbs under serious sickness. He
wear