Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/110

Rh distrest. He was a lover of mankind. His small heart was the seat of unbounded love and kindness. The slightest mention of affliction and suffering was sure to awaken his universal benevolence. Even at this early age, whenever he saw, or heard of, any fellow-creature in distress, he ran forward with eagerness with a helping hand. He had not much means at his command, but still he spent his last pice in succouring the poor and afflicted. What remained after his charities, he spent in a little tiffin after the school hours. When there were others present at his tiffin, he was sure to divide it with them. If he saw a poor man with ragged clothes, and happened not to have sufficient funds at his disposal at the time, he would borrow the required money from the porter of the College, and give the poor man a new piece of cloth. Whenever any of his school-fellows fell ill, Isvar Chandra was always at his bedside, attending and nursing him with great care and affection. If anybody had a contagious disease, and no one dared approach him, Isvar Chandra at all hazards was sure to attend his sick-bed, and nurse him gladly and fearlessly.

Whenever young Isvar Chandra visited his native village Birsingha, he, first of all, went to his former teacher, Kalikanta Chattopadhyay, and paid him his best respects. He then called at the houses of all his neighbours, one after the other, and enquired after their health and affairs. When