Page:Indira and Other Stories.pdf/64

 Radharani's mother sold her jewels and other movable property, and instituted an appeal before the Hon'ble Privy Council in London. But there was nothing left for the maintenance of mother and daughter. The widow found a precarious asylum in a small cottage on the family estate and endeavoured to earn her living by manual labour. She was unable to set aside a dower for her daughter's marriage.

To add to their misfortunes, the mother fell ill, and was no longer able to work for her living. The pair were in danger of starvation. The mother was too ill to need much food, the child often fasted because there was nothing to eat. On the day of the Car Festival the mother's disease reached a critical stage: medicines and nourishment were necessary. But how was the child to procure them?

With tearful eyes Radharani gathered some jungle flowers and wove them into garlands, thinking to sell them at the fair, which was an incident of the Car Festival. She hoped by this means to get a few pice wherewith to