Madhusudan_Das

48 Madhusudan Das :
tenderness and ever ready to allay human-suffering. "Dada" was very
hard-working and diligent. When in England, he often used to sit
at work till 2 a.m., but the next morning he was up at the usual
time and at his usual place. When asked how he managed to work
so hard and live on such little subsistence, he laughed gently and
said, "I always feel better with little food".
An octogenarian — he still worked with the energy of youth and
threw himself heart and soul into all kinds of public work, which he
considered to be a duty. If remonstrated by his daughter for over-working
himself, he replied that work was a pleasure to him. His mental abilities
were far ahead of his physical capacity, so he never lost heart.
He was a typical example of what a strong mind was capable
of performing in the field of work. Hospitality was one of his chief
characteristics. Amidst his heavy work, he would still find time to
be regularly present at meals with his guests to see for himself that
nothing was wanting.
I cannot refrain from mentioning a little incident which touched
me greatly while I was at Cuttack and became his guest for a day. In 1910
while on my way to Calcutta I halted at Cuttack for a couple of days with
a friend of mine to fulfil a promise I had given her some time previously.
Naturally I called on Mr. Das, but to my disappointment he was away, so
I left my card with the servant. Early next morning while I was still in
deep sleep, I was aroused by my friend saying, "Get up, get up, Mr. Das
has honoured me with a visit for your sake. Go and see him." I got up
hastily and heard "Dada" calling me. When we met he said, "Well, how is
it that you did not let me know that you were coming to Cuttack ? Come
now with me. I came straight here from the railway station, as soon as the
servant showed me your card. Come, we shall have our tea at home." I
was hesitating what to do, when my hostess promptly gave her
permission, and I went off with "Dada". At tea he pressed various kinds
of fruits and sweets and other eatables on me, which he had just brought
from Calcutta. "Never mind the usual breakfast," he said, "have these
now". I replied, "But 'Dada', you do not take anything yourself, how can
you press so much on others ?" Where upon he laughingly launched upon
amusing anecdotes of several persons who thought nothing of eating so
many dozens of mangoes and jack-fruits or so many seers of sweets at one
sitting. He was very witty and would thoroughly enjoy a good joke.
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