Page:The Life of Dr. Anandabai Joshee.djvu/193

Rh ever escaped her lips. After months of dreadful suffering, she was so reduced that no one could look on her without pain; yet, wonderful to tell, Anandabai thought it her present duty to suffer silently and cheerfully."

It was at midnight on the 26th of February, 1887, that the final call came. The previous night had been one of great suffering; the whole family had been up all night.

Through it all Anandabai's face was bright and she spoke cheerful words to those about her. At ten o'clock, worn out by anxiety and fatigue, Gopal administered some medicine and went to his own bed. At midnight a strong convulsion came on. Anandabai called loudly, but before her mother could lift her to her bosom, the gentle, faithful soul had fled.

Her last audible words were, "I have done all that I could."

"The family then bathed the body and decked it with bright garments and ornaments, according to our Hindu custom," her husband goes on to say. "There was no time to spread the sad news throughout the city, but all who had heard of it, followed her remains to the cremation ground, on the following Sunday, thus showing their respectful affection. Some of us had feared that the priests might object to cremating the