Page:Advice to the Indian Aristocracy.djvu/121

83 Then for want of children he most unconcernedly alienated by gift several villages and many large pieces of land in this Zamindari to his people* Once he was a very capable ruler and administrator and acquired four new estates. But being childless, as said above, he gave the newly acquired estates away to his different relatives, I knew very well another Zamindar, who, being under a mistaken impression in regard to the absolute ownership of his estate, greatly involved it in debt. Once a well-wisher of his approached the Zamindar when he was in a good humour and told him that the estate would be totally ruined, if he should continue to borrow money in the manner he had already done. Thereupon the foolish master replied thus:—"As long as I live there will be no lack of meals and clothes for me." Another Zamindar in connection with titles and honours said : "I would