I asked what they wanted. Were they willing to build new houses? And they all responded yes, as with one voice. I then promised to do the same for their villages as I had done for the other, when they fairly embraced me, and departed with protestations of love for me and the mem sahib. They had not left her out, for they had probably been well instructed before they left home, as they very politely asked, “And the looking-glasses too, mem sahib?” She responded, with a laugh, “Yes, to every house a looking-glass.” Soon we had a model house in each village, and for days I was occupied in staking out the ground for houses, alleys and yards. Before another year all the old houses had disappeared, the rubbish removed and everything was spick and span new and clean, a wonderful change compared to the filthy places formerly occupied. CHAPTER XXXIV. One evening my wife came into our rest house, from the other villages where the houses were nearly finished, and I saw that she was greatly pleased at something that had occurred. She said that the women had all come to her and almost their only question was about the looking-glasses. She asked, “Suppose there are no looking-glasses in Calcutta, then what am I to do?” Almost a wail of despair went up from the crowd. “O mem sahib, mem sahib! you must not say that, you promised and we know you won’t break your promise.” “All right,” she replied, “I will get you the glasses if I have to go to Wilayat for them,” and they were all as happy as some little girls would be at the promise of dolls from Paris. Bundles of twine, loads of pictures and boxes of looking-glasses were duly given and all were happy for many a day. The greatest aid to me in making improvements was the village committees, each composed of five men, the majority ruling. For the selection of these committees I had appointed annual election days when all the men over twenty years of age, were each allowed to cast a ballot for the man they wanted. On the morning of the election days the school teachers took their places apart and the men one by one went to them and got a ticket written, of the names they chose. These tickets were folded and the men slipped them into a closed box, a teacher checking the names of the voters in a list that had previously been made. The only collusion possible was with the teachers and they were strictly enjoined not to utter a word of suggestion but only to write the five names given to them. There was probably considerable electioneering beforehand and many an hour’s talk as they smoked their hookas, about the make-up of the new committee. There was considerable excitement over these elections and it increased year by year and made everybody feel that he was somebody, though he was only the village sweeper. There was great interest among the crowd at the close of the polls when the names of the candidates were read off and counted.