Page:Masani - Gandhi's story.pdf/65

Rh to decorate the home. He asked them to throw in their lot with the other oppressed people of India—with the starving millions. They adorned their bodies with gold and silver ornaments worth a great deal of money. Was it right for them to do this when so many of their countrymen and women went hungry and died of starvation? “Give me your ornaments,” he said, “so that with them I can buy food for the poor. Your real ornament is your character, not the jewels that you put on.”

Many women who came to listen to him took off their jewels and gave them to him. A young girl sent him her few and only valuables and she wrote, “I can not wear these jewels any more, not after what you said about the starving masses of India when you were here. Are not these jewels made out of the people's money? Use them to help some of the starving."

Once when he had finished speaking to a large gathering of people a girl of sixteen shyly walked up to him and, taking off her gold bangle from her hand, she asked him, “Will you give me your autograph for this?"

Gandhiji said “Yes” and was writing it when the girl, whose name was Kaumudi, began removing the gold bangle from her other hand. Gandhiji said to her, "You do not have to give me both. I shall give you my signature for one bangle only."

Kaumudi did not reply but silently handed him the