Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/253

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ISVAR CHANDRA VIDYASAGAR.

After college-hours, a number of students used to go to him in his private quarters. He greeted them all with his usual kindness and affability, and conversed with them on various instructive and entertaining topics. He often fed them with sweets, He always gave friendly treatment to school-boys, whether they belonged to the Sanskrit College or to his own private schools. His practice was to address the students generally with the familiar expression Tui (the Bengali vulgar use of "Thou"). The sweet, kind address Tui made them feel happy and quite at home with him. In fact, that sweet utterance of Tui from his lips seemed to be full of pure, heavenly love and affection. On the one hand, as he was gentle and kind to the schoolboys, on the other hand, he was equally severe and strict to them, when duty called for such treatment. It is needless to say, that the faithful discharge of duties sometimes requires the professors, teachers and authorities of schools and colleges to adopt severe and strict measures. But the severe mood of those, that are kind in nature, lasts for a short time only. Vidyasagar was naturally a

    of the Hindu Widow Marriage, Vidyasagar generally passed his nights in the College-building, studying the various Sastras to look out for passages supporting bis contention. In front of the College, stood Syama Charan Babu's house, where he sometimes supped, now and then supping in the College, as well. In the morning, however, he breakfasted at Raj Krishna Babu's. Syama Charan Babu was one of his greatest friends.