The Humour and Pathos of Anglo-Indian Life: Extracts from his brother's note-book, made by Dr. TicklemoreMayer, J. E.
General
The Humour and Pathos of Anglo-Indian Life: Extracts from his brother's note-book, made by Dr. Ticklemore
Mayer, J. E.
British -- India; India -- Social life and customs
No. VI.
MAJOR B.'S WELL-DESERVED DISCOMFITURE.
The incidents about to be narrated happened during the campaign of 1834,
undertaken against the Rajah of Koorg, whose atrocities could no longer
be tolerated. The force ordered out for this purpose was divided into
three columns: one under the command of General Waugh, a second under
someone whose name we cannot call to mind, the third under that of Sir
Patrick L., a thorough soldier, known afterwards as the hero of Koorg.
The wives and other feminine belongings of the officers on duty with
these three columns were left at Bangalore, from which station the
several divisions started for the seat of war.
The desolate and distressed condition of these poor ladies, during the
absence of their husbands, gave rise to those occurrences which the
author has here endeavoured to describe, and from which the reader, it
is hoped, will derive some amusement.
The solitary state of these fair sufferers naturally attracted the
attention and commiseration of many of those gentlemen who were not
employed on active service, and it was no less remarkable than beautiful
to mark the constant devotion of some of them. It was indeed so
remarkable that one of the ladies whose husband had not been ordered
away, and who was at the time sitting by her side at the band-stand,
observed, 'Who would not be a grass widow to get flowers and fruits from
the Laul Baugh every morning, and such unfailing attention at all times?
Surely the age of chivalry has returned.'
'I think,' Captain D. said, 'it is a pity that, with the age of
chivalry, the husbands of the grass widows have not returned also.'
'That is a pity too, no doubt,' said the lively dame; 'but in the
absence of the legitimate comforters and protectors, isn't it charming
to see how anxious most of the gentlemen present seem to be to make the
ladies feel this absence as little as possible?'
'Christian charity, Charlotte; Christian charity,' said the gentleman.
'Well,' replied the lady, 'I hope it is; but----'
'But what?' said her husband, laughing.
'Oh, nothing; only I hope they won't carry it too far. Some of them at
least seem disposed to carry their charity (if that's the word, which I
am by no means sure of) a long way.'
'If they carry it farther than they ought to do, isn't that the fault of
the ladies?' replied the marital speaker.
'William, you always take the part of the men, and it is not fair,'
returned the lady. 'Look how Major B. besieges Mrs. W.'
'Well,' returned her husband, 'if he does she can force him to raise the
siege whenever she pleases, can't she?'
'I don't see it exactly in that light,' returned the lady; 'I think
gentlemen should not endeavour to do all the mischief they can, and then
shelter themselves under the plea that ladies can, and ought, always to
take care of themselves.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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