Page:Vidyasagar, the Great Indian Educationist and Philanthropist.djvu/85

 undeceived. He could only scratch his head, finding his compassion misplaced.

Not content with satisfying the needs of those who prayed help, he would enquire of his neighbours whether all was well with them. If he came to know that they were in any way incumbered, he used his best endeavours to succour them. Whenever he went out he took the purse with him and if he came across any deserving person, he instantly helped him. Once while returning from a friend's at an advanced hour of the night he chanced upon an unfortunate loitering in the streets. When he learned that she had nothing to live upon on the morrow, he gave her some money, at the same time telling her with paternal solicitude to retire to rest. On another occasion when he was taking a turn with a friend of his in the Cornwallis Square, he found a Brahmin slowly coming back from his morning bath in the Ganges with a clouded face and weeping eyes. Stopping him, he began to interrogate. The Brahmin,