1.08.00. Book 8: Lotus Buds (1909)
LOTUS BUDS
LOTUS BUDS BY AMY WILSON-CARMICHAEL Keswick Missionary C.E.Z.M.S.
AUTHOR OF "THINGS AS THEY ARE"; "OVERWEIGHTS OF JOY";
"THE BEGINNING OF A STORY," ETC. WITH FIFTY HALF-TONE ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOS SPECIALLY TAKEN FOR THIS WORK MORGAN AND SCOTT LD.
12 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS LONDON MCMXII Copyright, Morgan & Scott Ld., 1909 FIRST EDITION, Quarto (Fifty Photogravure Illustrations) 2,000 Nov., 1909 EDITION DE LUXE (Fifty Photogravures on Japon Vellum)250 Nov., 1909 OCTAVO EDITION (Fifty Half-tone Engravings)5,250 July, 1912 TO THOSE WHO CARE Dohnavur, Tinnevelly District,
South India Christmas, 1909.
Each for himself, we live our lives apart, Heirs of an age that turns us all to stone;
Yet ever Nature, thrust from out the heart, Comes back to claim her own.
Still we have something left of that fair seed God gave for birthright; still the sound of tears Hurts us, and children in their helpless need Still call to listening ears.
Owen Seaman. From "In a Good Cause."
FOREWORD TO THE
PRESENT EDITION WHEN first "Things as they are" trod the untrodden way, it walked as a small child walks when for the first time it ventures forth upon young, uncertain feet. It has to walk; it does not know why: it only knows there is no choice about it. But there is an eager looking for an outstretched hand, and an instant gratefulness always, for even a finger. A whole hand given without reserve is something never forgotten.
It was only a child after all, and it had not anticipated having to find its way alone among strangers. It had thought of nothing further than a very short walk among familiar faces. If it had understood beforehand how far it would have[viii] to walk, I doubt if it would have had the courage to start; for it was not naturally brave. But once on its way it could not turn back; and thanks to those kindly outstretched hands, it grew a little less afraid, and it went on.
Then another small wayfarer followed. It also was very easily discouraged; an unfriendly push would have knocked it over at once. But nobody seemed to want to push so unpretentious a thing, so it gained courage and went on. And now a more grown-up looking traveller (though indeed its looks belie it) has started on its way; more diffident, if the truth must be told, than even its predecessors. For it thought within itself—Perhaps there will be no welcoming hands held out this time; hands may grow tired of such kind offices. But it has not been so. And now the sense of gratefulness cannot longer be repressed.
All of which means that I want to thank sincerely those kings of the Book World—Reviewers—and those dwellers in that world who are my[ix] Readers, for their insight and the sympathy to which I owe so much.
Once I read of a soldier who wrote a letter home from the midst of a battle, on a crumpled piece of paper laid upon a cannon ball. His home people he knew would overlook the appearance of the paper and the lack of various things expected in a letter written in a quiet room upon a study table. And he knew he could trust them not to bring too fine a criticism to bear upon the unstudied words hot from the battle’s heart.
I have thought sometimes that these books were not unlike that soldier’s letter; and those who read them seem to me very like his home people, for they have been so generous in the kindness of their welcome.
Amy Wilson-Carmichael.
Dohnavur, Tinnevelly District
S. India.
Feb. 19, 1912. THE WRITER TO THE READER THE photographs (except two) were taken by Mr. Penn, of Ootacamund, whose work is known to all who care to possess good photographs of the South Indian hills. The babies were a new experience to him, and something of a trial, I fear, after the mountains, which can be trusted to sit still. The book has been written for lovers of children. Those who find such young life tiresome will find the story dull, and the kindest thing it can ask of them is not to read it at all.
CONTENTS CHAPTERPAGE I. LOTUS BUDS
II. OPPOSITES
III. THE SCAMP
IV. THE PHOTOGRAPHS
V. TARA AND EVU
VI. PRINCIPALITIES, POWERS, RULERS
VII. HOW THE CHILDREN COME
VIII. OTHERS IX. OLD DÉVAI
X. FAILURES?
XI. GOD HEARD: GOD ANSWERED
XII. TO WHAT PURPOSE?
XIII. A STORY OF COMFORT
XIV. PICKLES AND PUCK
XV. THE HOWLER
XVI. THE NEYOOR NURSERY
XVII. IN THE COMPOUND AND NEAR IT
XVIII. FROM THE TEMPLE OF THE ROCK
XIX. YOSÉPU
[xiv]XX. THE MENAGERIE
XXI. MORE ANIMALS
XXII. THE PARROT HOUSE
XXIII. THE BEAR GARDEN XXIV. THE ACCALS XXV. THE LITTLE ACCALS XXVI. THE GLORY OF THE USUAL XXVII. THE SECRET TRAFFIC XXVIII. BLUE BOOK EVIDENCE XXIX. "VERY COMMON IN THOSE PARTS"
XXX. ON THE SIDE OF THE OPPRESSORS THERE WAS POWER XXXI. AND THERE WAS NONE TO SAVE XXXII. THE POWER BEHIND THE WORK XXXIII. IF THIS WERE ALL
XXXIV. "TO CONTINUE THE SUCCESSION"
XXXV. WHAT IF SHE MISSES HER CHANCE?
XXXVI. "THY SWEET ORIGINAL JOY"
ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE THE GREAT ROCKFrontispiece LOTUS FLOWERS3 "GOD’S FIRE"8 "AIYO! DID YOU THINK I WOULD HAVE DONE IT?"12 CHELLALU WATCHING THE PICTURE-CATCHER18 "OH, IT’S A JOKE!"20 "THAT THING AGAIN!"25 PYÂRIE AND VINEETHA26 "DISGUSTING!"28 "LOOK AT THE POSE!"30 TARA33 STURDY AND STOLID, AND LITTLE VEERA63 PEBBLES66 LATHA (FIREFLY) BLOWING BUBBLES72 SEELA, MALA, AND NULLINIE105 THE COTTAGE NURSERY108 "PICKLES" AND HER FRIENDS115 THE DOHNAVUR COUNTRY IN FLOOD124 PAKIUM AND NAVEENA126 ON THE ROAD TO NEYOOR131 ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NAGERCOIL132 THE NEYOOR NURSERY136 [xvi]THE OLD NURSERY (THE "ROOM OF JOY")143 THE COURTYARD144 A COMING-DAY FEAST146 THE RED LAKE148 AT THE DOOR OF THE TEMPLE150 THE WATER CARRIERS161 THE BELOVED TINGALU164 TWO VIEWS OF LIFE171 MORE ANIMALS: DEPRESSED185 TUBBING188 RED LAKE, AND HILL AS SEEN FROM THE TARAHA NURSERY193 CHILDREN WADING196 CHILDREN WADING197 ESLI, AND LITTLE KOHILA198 PREETHA AWARE OF A FOE200 JULLANIE AMONG THE GRASSES203 ARULAI AND RUKMA, WITH NAVEENA210 PONNAMAL, PREETHA, AND TARA215 SELLAMUTTU AND SUSEELA216 SUHINIE, AND HER BABY, SUNUNDA218 THREE CONVERT WORKERS: SUNDOSHIE, SUHINIE, AND JEYANIE220 SEWING-CLASS IN THE COURTYARD222 THREE LITTLE ACCALS229 PREENA AND PREEYA230 AFTER HER BOTTLE237 NORTH LAKE AND HILLS238 FROM THE ROCK, DOHNAVUR338 THE PLACE OF BAPTISM340