Page:Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar, a story of his life and work.djvu/64

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Isvar Chandra Vidyasagar was often heard to frankly admit his childish naughtiness. One Mathur Mandal was his near neighbour. Almost every day, on his way to or from school, he eased himself in front of Mathur Mandal's outer gates. Mathur's mother and wife removed the soil with their own hands. Mathur's wife, now and then lost her temper, and wanted to punish the culprit, but her mother-in-law prevented her, saying that she had heard from the boy's grand-father that he would become a great man. Whenever he passed by a rice or other corn field, of which there are plenty in Bengal, he used to tear away the ears of the newly-ripe corn and trample them under foot, or scatter them to the winds, thus causing a great mischief to his neighbours. Now and then he chewed and devoured a few of the unhusked grains. On one of these occasions, the awn of a barley stuck into his throat, and he was in danger of his life. His grandmother drew it out with great dexterity, and thus saved the boy from imminent death. This wicked boy, in after-life, became a most inoffensive, hubmle, peaceful, pious man. In fact, such was the case with many men, who though very naughty in their early years, turned afterwards to be good and great men.