Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/459

416 Das Nyayratna of Bhatpara, when he first opened his Tol, applied to Vidyasagar for a monthly grant-in-aid for the up-keep of his school. Vidyasagar granted him a monthly stipend of 10 rupees, which Nyayratna received from him for four years. Subsequently when he had sufficient means of his own, he declined to receive the grant any further. Besides this monthly stipend, Vidyasagar helped him in other ways also.

The charities of this benevolent Pandit did not end with the beggars and supplicants. The natural kindness of his heart moved him always to enquire into the affairs of his neighbours, and no sooner did he find any fellow-creature suffering from want and poverty, than he helped the poor sufferer with all his means, and provided for the unfortunate fellow's ease and comfort. Whenever he was out of his house, either on business or airing, he used to take with him a purseful of coins of different denominations, which he always gave away in alms to the indigent, he met on his way. It is said, that on one occasion, as he was returning home late at night, he found by the wayside a harlot loitering in the streets in that dead of night in expectation of some lewd customer. She had not been able to earn anything that evening, and had consequently, nothing to live upon the next day. Vidyasagar gave her some money and advised her to go to rest. On another occasion, he came to learn that a poor Madrasee was living