Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/142

 When Mr. Tilak came out of jail (Sep. 1898),) he commenced looking after the affairs of Tai Maharaj, widow of his deceased friend. The estate was heavily burdened with debt and Mr. Tilak found that retrenchment was the only way of saving it. But this "could not be agreeable to the young widow, who fancied herself to be the equitable owner of the estate and regarded her possible divestment by an adopted boy as a legitimate grievance. There were also harpies who fed on her, had made themselves more or less dear to her as the objects of idle amusement in her widowed leisure and who gradually and slyly nestled into her confidence as counsellors that whispered agreeable words and made pleasant suggestions." What these evil counsellors did, will be seen later.

For nearly three years, Mr. Tilak in consultation with Tai Maharaj and other trustees made frequent enquiries and numerous efforts towards the securing of a suitable boy for adoption. The circle of relations was considerable, but a suitable adoptee could not be found in the Kolhapur or Poona branches of the family of the deceased. As we now know some secret efforts were, about this time, being made to induce Tai Maharaj to adopt Bala Maharaj, brother of Pandit Maharaj of Kolhapur.

A meeting of the trustees was held on June i8th 1901. The records of this meeting show that there were no boys available (for adoption) in the Kolhapur branch of the family. There were some in the Poona branch, but of them none was approved of. The trustees, therefore, decided in consultation with Tai Maharaj, to see if one was available in the Babre branch of the family.