Page:Sketches of some distinguished Indian women.djvu/71

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

town with her husband, unveiled, she was rudely stared at by the passers-by, and sometimes even exposed to open insult.

There was some departmental trouble, too, in regard to the non-delivery of an important official letter, and this probably was the reason that before long they were moved, first to Barrackpore and then to Serampore, small stations a few miles distant from Calcutta, the one on the left and the other on the right bank of the river Hooghly.

It was during their residence at Serampore that the invitation already referred to was sent to the recently widowed Ramabai, and, for the reasons given, was gratefully declined.

During all this time Anandibai Joshee had been in constant correspondence with Mrs. Carpenter, who was doing everything in her power to arrange for her visit to America, but there were many difficulties in the way. It was decided that it would be useless for her husband to go to the States, and that he would help her best by remaining in India and following his profession. It was, therefore, necessary to secure an escort for her, and money also was needed, both for the expenses of her journey and for her support during her residence in America.

At last matters were all arranged. Gopal Joshee consented to her leaving him. An escort was found through some missionary friends, and a sum suffi-