Page:A General Biography of Bengal Celebrities Vol 1.djvu/107

 98 LIFE OF BABU SHYAMA CHURN 8IRKAB. the young boy then growing into manhood, had scarcely sufficient food in a day, and in order to sustain* himself, and to appease his appetite whettened by hard labour, he had to live regularly on soaked gram which he regularly took as his tiffin. Sweetmeats, of which' our school-boys are so much very fond, and for the regular supply of which they sometimes mulct their guardians, were rare things to poor Shyama Churn J In those days of so-called uncivilized state of Hindu society, such luxuries were not only beyond the reach of those who were well-to-do, but could be scarcely had in Bazars, either for love or money, unless spe- cially ordered for.' In those days of inartificial life, Hindu boys used to take their bellyful of rice, and baked rice mixed with goor or mollasses as tiffin. But such was the indigent and doleful circumstance in which Providence placed young Shyama .Churn, that even rice in sufficient quantity he could not get. In this state he remained for full six years at Krishnaghur, prosecuting his studies with the Hindu savant Babu Sreenath Lahiry. It was during this period became in contact with Babu Ram Tonoo Lahiry whose paternal dwelling house was situated close to the house of bis relative Huro Chunder Sirkar. The friendship thus contracted proved a boon to him in his after life, as we shall relate hereafter. It may not be amiss here to mention that when Shyama Churn in process of time became a rich man, he, as a mark of deep gratitude to- wards his old master, provided his son Omesh Chun- der Lahiry with a suitable employment in the Calcutta High Court, and paid regularly stated sums of money to the widow and children of his deceased tutor. He used to read day and night, never giving a moment's rest to his mind and body. His assiduity, coupled with simplicity, soon won the love of the neighbours. At night he had not the means of providing a oil- lamp for himself, and so he went to the house of the Chowdries and read in their boitukkanas. For want