Page:On the Coromandel Coast.djvu/171

 a very small sum. For a yet smaller sum a man may drink himself blind. It is some consolation in reading espistles of this kind to know that the 'starving' and 'famishing' little ones are more likely to be crying for cheap native sweetmeats than for food.

The habit of begging is contracted in earliest infancy, and every incident reasonable or unreasonable is made an occasion for it. An able-bodied man employed as a writer or booking-clerk by a native shopkeeper was expecting a domestic event shortly in the bosom of his family. He appeared with an insinuating smile and pleaded for a rupee to pay the hire of a gharry to take his wife to hospital. He was given four annas and told to send her in a bullock-cart, her usual mode of travelling when unable to walk. He accepted the sum gratefully, pocketed it, and his wife walked to the hospital which was not far from her house. A day or two later he came to announce the birth of the child. He finished with an earnest request for half a rupee to buy some milk for the new arrival. The hospital did all that was necessary for its inmates ; neither mother nor child needed anything. This was pointed out to Lloyd, who was further informed that the baby would not need cows' milk yet awhile. After a lecture on the reprehensible practice of begging he was sent away. A third time his importunate voice was heard in the verandah. This time he begged for a little money, just a little money to buy the baby some clothes.

'When your wife comes out of hospital I will see about it. You are earning a regular salary as a writer, and can afford to buy clothes for it yourself.'

Lloyd departed, and the next day saw him at his old trick again. He was in the verandah as insinuating as ever.

'Now, Lloyd, I can't have this. This is the fourth day within a week that you have come up here to beg.'