One evening a young woman came in on her way from a shop where she was employed. She was meanly clad, but evidently making the best use of what she had. Her wages were sixteen rupees a month, out of which she had to pay rent, purchase food and clothing. She was obliged to be in the shop from eight in the morning till seven in the evening, with a little rest for a scanty tiffin at noon. All the girls were obliged to stand on their feet the whole time in the shop. If they sat down or leaned against the tables they were fined. She seemed to be in great distress, and had come to my hostess for sympathy. She said that it had been a terrible hard day. She became tired, and her feet ached so that she had to remove her shoes, and stand on the marble floor to cool her feet. The European clerks had annoyed her by calling her “Eurasian,” and they often called the girls “half castes,” “niggers,” “sooars” and such like names. The assistant manager had found fault with her clothes; that she looked too slovenly to be seen. Summoning up courage she went to the manager, and asked him if he couldn’t increase her wages a little. He asked what she was receiving, and then said it was considerable, and with a bland smile he asked, insinuatingly: “Haven’t you some young gentleman friend who could help you out a little?” As she told this she fell to sobbing.
After a little my hostess said: “Mary, what did you tell him?”
She answered with much hesitation: “At first I could not comprehend what he meant, and then I was so shocked that I seemed stunned, and turned and left him without a word. Had I resented what he said, he would have dismissed me at once, and then what would I do? How I wish I could end this cursed life, I am tired of it!” She fell to weeping again, and no wonder.
And this bland, smiling, Christian Mephistopheles, manager and part owner of the big shop, was a member of the church and an official, and probably often resting his hands on his fat paunch, talked about the fearful unchastity and lack of honesty among the rising generation. I don’t believe in a place of hell, but I think there ought to be a fiery pen where such sleek hypocrites could have a good roasting. But he will get all he deserves, else there is no use in having a just God or any faith in justice.
I could fill a book with such stories of want, temptation and wretchedness, but of what use? There must be a screw, or many of them, loose in this inhuman social arrangement of life, or else I am a fool.
The first mistake, or rather crime, was in begetting this hybrid race to be scorned and accursed as long as they live. The next crime is that the Government and Europeans do not assist them, and the next is that the better class of Eurasians do not look after these despised unfortunates of their own race or caste. They in their pride try to appear what they are not, and try to conceal the pit from whence they were digged. They may powder as much as they please, but there is not chalk enough in the world to conceal or remove the pigment in their skins. They may put on style, live in wealth and luxury, and in their egotistical imbecility ape the Europeans in everything; yet they will remain Eurasians still, as I am one.
If these more favored ones would stand up for their rights and let Government and everybody know that they had some pride and manhood left; would organize, defend and help their unfortunate people, there would soon be a change. The voluble babus have their representatives in the legislative councils, and nearly every other tribe, no matter how obscure, except the Eurasian. These get nothing, because they have not the courage to demand anything.
In self-vindication I must say that I assisted the poor girl of whom I have spoken by leaving some money with my hostess for her. I only mention this to show that my practice corresponds with my theory. I have always contributed with an open hand to assist Eurasians, as I considered that they had a claim on me, or rather that it was my privilege to assist them as far as I could; yet I prefer rather to leave the recording of such things with the angel who keeps these kind of accounts.
I had heard enough of evil, want and wretchedness to make me long again for my quiet home, so I quickly hied myself thither.
An afterthought. It might be said that I am somewhat of a “kicker.” I admit it. I always kick at the disagreeable, against imposition, wrong-doing, hypocrisy, and if my mouth was filled with bitterness and curses, they would not be sufficient to show my utter abhorrence of lust and licentiousness, especially among what is termed “society,” by people who style themselves Christians, ladies and gentlemen, for the reason that I was accursed in my birth and have been accursed all my life by the sin and crime of a Christian gentleman. Aside from this, I think I am acknowledged to be one of the mildest and most kind-hearted of men.