Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/497

454 treatment. When any boy was incorrigible or refractory, Vidyasagar would drive him out. Allusion has been made before how he once drove out all the boys of the Second Class of the Syambazar Branch of the Metropolitan Institution. He was very fond of the School-boys. It is said that on one occasion, the students of his school prayed to him for a holiday on account of the Paus festival, Vidyasagar granted their prayer, and, at the same time, asked them where they would get their cakes from, since most of them had their homes in the interior of the country, a great way off Calcutta. The boys replied humorously that they would come to his (Vidyasagar's) house for cakes. He was greatly delighted at the idea, and fed all the boys sumptuously with cakes of various kinds.

Vidyasagar had another very great merit. He superintended every thing personally. He was never content to rely solely on others. He often paid surprise visit to his schools. He had no fixed day or time of paying these visits. It generally happened that while a teacher was seriously engaged in imparting instruction, Vidyasagar stepped slowly into the room and stood behind the teacher hearing his lectures, and as soon as the teacher saw him he tried to rise from his seat to receive the mighty visitor. But Vidyasagar would prevent him, saying,—'Do not rise from your seat, but go on with your duty. In trying to show me respect