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Show 8 issues. I well realized that, had I been politically minded, the Mahatm would never have consented to see me; it was hi: nterest, and his knowledg of my interest, in papermaking that broke down the barrier and opened th way for the visit I entered the door and there was Mahatma Gandhi. He lay o th p on forehead there was a white clulh, held with safety-pin. Five or six of his disciples, both men and women, all Indians bu one, reclined about him. One member of this devoted group vrote dow every word their prophet spoke. The doen\ay was low, and when I entere T hadto stoop. Mr. Gandhi looked up at me and said in a clear, soft voice in cultured English: "You are very tall, Dr. Hunmr, you must stoop to ente my poor home." He held his B before his face, in the manner of th East, and then he extended his hand and I kneeled and took his hand i e. Gandhii spoke only of Indian papermaking. He scemed to deligh especially in the idea that the handmade papermakers of his country macerated their pulp entirely by man's own physical exertion, while in the Occident the material was reduced to usable fibre by power-driven machines He was pleased with the progress that had been made with papermaking a one of the village industries, and intimated that it was a craft almost a important as weaving; people could get along without paper, but coul they exist without clothing? T remained in Mr. Gandhi's presence only few minutes, as I could see that talking was fatiguing to him; he had see no mm stranger s el s return from Calcutta. Again he extended his thin hand to me, T touched it and then I backed out of the low doorwa of hxs humble home. T had mdead come in contact with a truly "Grea Soul for this is the meani day we departed from Wmma, M. Khodke, the instructor of th school, came to the station with us, and we discussed Indian papermakin intil the arrival of the night train that was to take us to Bombay, a distanc Digital image© 2005 Marriott Library University of Utah, All rihts reserved |