Page:The Globe of Gold.djvu/7

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GUJARAT.
131

In Koylas, Parvati now said, "Oh, my lord! take back your golden ball, only see! Gobind Chatterji has gone into old Ram Mukherji's inner apartments, and taking the old man's old wife to be his own young wife is addressing sportful speeches to her; and Ram Mukherji's scandalised maid servants are beating the intruder with a broom. Meanwhile, old Ram Mukherji, fancying himself the youthful Gobind Chatterji, has gone to Gobind's inner rooms, and is singing songs to Gobind's wife. Should that ball remain a moment longer in the world there will be confusion in every house. Therefore take it back."

Mahadev answered, "Oh, mountain born! what is the fault in my ball? Is this a new condition of things on earth? Do you not constantly observe the old setting the young in order, the young doing the same by the old? The master behaving like the servant, the servant in his master's seat? Do you never see a man behaving like a woman, or a woman like a man? All these things are constantly happening on the earth, but no one seems to see how ludicrous it is. I have for once made it evident to the senses of all. Now, I take back the ball. At my wish each shall return to his own nature, and no one shall remember what has occurred."


MR. ROGERS ON GUJARAT.


On the 28th January, an able paper on this province was read before the East India Association by Mr. A. Rogers, late member of Council in Bombay. Few provinces in India possess greater interest to the student of history, the antiquarian, or the philosophic enquirer, and it is no easy matter to treat of so vast a subject within the limits of a short lecture. But Mr. Rogers found space for remarks on the physical aspect of the country, its geology, rivers, size, and population; for a graphic survey of its history during the last 600 years, and for a sketch of its revenue administration past and present. On this latter subject, Mr. Rogers is eminently qualified to speak with authority, having been connected with that department during the whole of his service, as Settlement Officer in Gujarát, Collector of more than one of its Districts, and Commissioner of the Northern Division. After explaining the former