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Show of a clear lake, called by the natives a""tank." There were about a thousan boo he shelves, (\w-llurd of the volumes in Bengali, the rest in th English language. All of the books showed the effects of the damp, mould climate. There was a m-del loured portrait of Mahatma Gandhi on th wall of the library, and in el was proudly show two antique stone carvings, one representing the other Stiza o ro of Gandhiji and the two stone images were the prized possessions of th library, and no doubt e Asweleft the hbrary Ixmldmg and its treasures, I could see, in the nea ce, a great gatheringof people, row upon row; the men and boy every person sat upright, with dignity and decorum, not a sound disturbe the quict peace of the gathering.A teak-wood table and three massive chair had been placed before the assemblage of more than four hundred Indians T wasimmediately avare of what had been meant by "the meeting"! I wa led to the centre chair sat Mr. Rao and the old schoolmaster. After a formal mh'oduct\un Ispokt to the uuagcxs, though fewin e crowd understoo Eng e schoolmaster then spoke at lengl inBengali, and then Vo Raowas callcd upon otell o journeysin India ‘While all of the people in the audience were Mr. Rac's own countrymen, h spoke to them in English, as his native tongue was Telugu, their languag Bcngan-as far removed as the two poles. Toward the end o " the meeting ung man cam forward and handed me a note; the envelope read "From &leauth The note, written upon local handmade paper, bore thi ‘message: "Dr. Hunter: We cannot address you, as we are poor, our voice i feeble,it cannotreachiin far America. But today you blessus with thisblessing that we may be helpers, fellow creatures of the Right against the Wrong. Digital image © 2005 MarriottLibrary Universit of Utah, All rihts reserved |