Connected with
it is the philanthropic Lahiri Mahasaya Mission.--see ranchi.jpg]
One day my father arrived in Ranchi to bestow a paternal blessing,
long withheld because I had hurt him by refusing his offer of a
position with the Bengal-Nagpur Railway.
"Son," he said, "I am now reconciled to your choice in life. It gives
me joy to see you amidst these happy, eager youngsters; you belong
here rather than with the lifeless figures of railroad timetables."
He waved toward a group of a dozen little ones who were tagging at
my heels. "I had only eight children," he observed with twinkling
eyes, "but I can feel for you!"
With a large fruit orchard and twenty-five fertile acres at our
disposal, the students, teachers, and myself enjoyed many happy
hours of outdoor labor in these ideal surroundings. We had many pets,
including a young deer who was fairly idolized by the children. I
too loved the fawn so much that I allowed it to sleep in my room.
At the light of dawn, the little creature would toddle over to my
bed for a morning caress.
One day I fed the pet earlier than usual, as I had to attend to
some business in the town of Ranchi. Although I cautioned the boys
not to feed the fawn until my return, one of them was disobedient,
and gave the baby deer a large quantity of milk. When I came back
in the evening, sad news greeted me: "The little fawn is nearly
dead, through over feeding."
In tears, I placed the apparently lifeless pet on my lap.
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