Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/287

244 occasion, when he had gone on business to the house of Kali Krishna Datta of Dattapukur, a village in the district of 24 Fergannas, a poor Brahman orphan appeared before him, and, with tears in his eyes, narrated his sad story. Vidyasagar was so much touched at the tale of distress, that he wept like a child. He then took the poor boy with him to his own residence, and provided for his education. At this time, nearly one hundred persons were daily fed by him, both in Calcutta and at Birsingha.

We have said, that Vidyasagar never sent away a beggar without giving him or her some alms. The reader has already seen how fondly devoted he was to his mother. When a beggar appeared before him, and said that he was motherless, the very thought of the loss of mother drew tears from Vidyasagar's eyes, and he was sure to give the mendicant something more than he expected. On one occasion, it so happened that a beggar came to him, and represented falsely that he was motherless, under instructions of a neighbouring grocer. Vidyasagar came to know that his statement was untrue, and that he had, in reality, his mother living. He did not, however, send the beggar away, but gave him some alms, and advised him not to tell lies again. In fact, many poor persons thus deceived him with false representations that they were motherless, and drew out from his purse, money more than they expected.