Madhusudan_Das

His Life and Achievements: 89
asked me to get accommodation for them in the railway. I told my
father about this and he reserved a compartment for us. Passengers
stood on the footboards and on the roof and compartments were packed
overfull. We were 30 in one compartment. On arrival at the Sonepur
station, I was told by the Manager of the Refreshment Room, that
my father had ordered lunch for us and it was ready. We saw all
the exhibits and bought a lot of useful and useless things. Then we
came to the Bungalow where my father was staying and found a lovely
tea and refreshments ready for us. Though very tired with the long
drive in the crowd we did not forget to do full justice to the tea.
It was full moon and we crossed the Ganges by steamer, arriving home
at midnight fully exhausted but enjoyed ourselves greatly.
(e) Entertainments.
Being the daughter of the first Minister I had to entertain every
week with tea parties, dinner parties, purdah parties and others. I fully
enjoyed getting up these parties. They were a great success and quite
a new thing in the station. My friends also asked me to help them
with their parties and I did so readily. In these parties I was made
the hostess as the mistress of the house was orthodox and in Purdah
and so she would not come out before the public.
(f) Durbar at Govt. House.
I shall here narrate an incident from which you will find that
I never take an insult lying down no matter how high the personage
is who offers it. If I am treated well I do all to help, but if unjustly
treated I retaliate. I know it is a failing in my nature but I cannot
help it. Three Governor's wives treated me badly and I kept away
from them. There was a Durbar in the Government House where I
went with my father. The Minister's car arrived under the main portico
which is meant for high Government officials and for ministers. My
father handed me over to the Private Secretary to show me my seat.
He took me by the main marble staircase to the Balcony and I took
my seat there. The Commissioner's wife came and sat by me. The
ladies were all around us. The Governor's wife sat at a little distance
from us with her friends. After the function was over, as we were
getting down by the same staircase, I was told by the Commissioner's
wife that the Governor's wife was coming towards us. We waited for
her to come and I looked at her with a smile. But she was furious,