European Contacts (Continued)

In Johannesburg I had at one time as many as four Indian clerks, who were perhaps more like my sons than clerks. But even these were not enough for my work. It was impossible to do without typewriting, which among us, if at all, only I knew. I taught it to two of the clerks but they never came up to the mark because of their poor English. And then one of these I wanted to train as an accountant. I could not get out any one from Natal, for nobody could enter the Transvaal without a permit and for my own personal convenience, I was not prepared to ask a favour of the Permit Officer.

In Johannesburg, I once had as many as four Indian clerks, who were perhaps more like sons to me than clerks. But even they were not enough for the work I had. We needed someone who could type, and I was perhaps the only one among us who knew how. I taught two of the clerks to type, but their poor English kept them from becoming good enough. And I wanted to train one of them as an accountant. I could not bring anyone from Natal, because no one could enter the Transvaal without a permit. And I was not prepared to ask the Permit Officer for a favor just for my own convenience.

I was at my wits’ end. Arrears were fast mounting up, so much so that it seemed impossible for me, however much I might try, to cope with professional and public work. I was quite willing to engage a European clerk, but I was not sure to get a white man or woman to serve a coloured man like myself. However I decided to try. I approached a typewriter’s agent whom I knew, and asked him to get me a stenographer. There were girls available, and he promised to try to secure the services of one. He came across a Scotch girl called Miss Dick, who had just come fresh from Scotland. She had no objection to earning an honest livelihood, wherever available, and she was in need. So the agent sent her on to me. She immediately prepossessed me.

I was at my wits’ end. My backlog was growing so fast that I could not see how I could manage both my professional and public work, however hard I tried. I was willing to hire a European clerk, but I was not sure a white man or woman would work for a coloured man like me. Still, I decided to try. I went to a typewriter agent I knew and asked him to find me a stenographer. There were girls available, and he promised to try to find one for me. He came across a Scottish girl named Miss Dick, who had just arrived from Scotland. She needed work and was willing to earn an honest living wherever she could. So the agent sent her to me. She made a good impression on me at once.

‘Don’t you mind serving under an Indian?’ I asked her.

‘Do you mind working under an Indian?’ I asked her.

‘Not at all,’ was her firm reply.

‘Not at all,’ she replied firmly.

‘What salary do you expect?’

‘What salary do you expect?’

‘Would £17/10 be too much?’

‘Would 17 pounds and 10 shillings be too much?’

‘Not too much, if you will give me the work I want from you. When can you join?’

‘Not too much, if you give me the work I want from you. When can you start?’

‘This moment, if you wish.’

‘Right now, if you wish.’

I was very pleased and straightaway started dictating letters to her.

I was very pleased and immediately began dictating letters to her.

Before very long she became more a daughter or a sister to me than a mere stenotypist. I had scarcely any reason to find fault with her work. She was often entrusted with the management of funds amounting to thousands of pounds, and she was in charge of account books. She won my complete confidence, but what was perhaps more, she confided to me her innermost thoughts and feelings. She sought my advice in the final choice of her husband, and I had the privilege to give her away in marriage. As soon as Miss Dick became Mrs. Macdonald, she had to leave me, but even after her marriage she did not fail to respond whenever under pressure I made a call upon her.

Before long, she became more like a daughter or sister to me than simply a stenotypist. I had hardly any reason to find fault with her work. She was often trusted to manage thousands of pounds, and she kept the account books. She earned my complete trust. But perhaps more importantly, she shared her innermost thoughts and feelings with me. She asked my advice when making her final choice of a husband, and I had the privilege of giving her away in marriage. As soon as Miss Dick became Mrs. Macdonald, she had to leave my employ. But even after her marriage, she always responded when I was under pressure and called on her for help.

But a permanent stenotypist was now needed in her place, and I was fortunate in getting another girl. She was Miss Schlesin introduced to me by Mr. Kallenbach whom the reader will know in due course. She is at present a teacher in one of the High Schools in the Transvaal. She was about seventeen when she came to me. Some of her idiosyncrasies were at times too much for Mr. Kallenbach and me. She had come less to work as a stenotypist than to gain experience. Colour prejudice was foreign to her temperament. She seemed to mind neither age nor experience. She would not hesitate even to the point of insulting a man and telling him to his face what she thought of him. Her impetuosity often landed me in difficulties, but her open and guileless temperament removed them as soon as they were created. I have often signed without revision letters typed by her, as I considered her English to be better than mine, and had the fullest confidence in her loyalty.

But I now needed a permanent stenographer to replace her, and I was fortunate to find another young woman. She was Miss Schlesin, whom Mr. Kallenbach introduced to me. The reader will come to know him in due course. Miss Schlesin is now a teacher at a high school in the Transvaal. She was about seventeen when she came to work for me. Some of her quirks were at times too much for Mr. Kallenbach and me. She had come less to work as a stenographer than to gain experience. She had no racial prejudice. She seemed to pay no attention to a person's age or experience. She would not hesitate to tell a man to his face what she thought of him, even if it insulted him. Her impulsiveness often got me into difficulties, but her open and honest nature resolved them as soon as they arose. I often signed letters she had typed without reviewing them. I thought her English was better than mine, and I had complete confidence in her loyalty.

Her sacrifice was great. For a considerable period she did not draw more than £6, and refused ever to receive more than £10 a month. When I urged her to take more, she would give me a scolding and say, ‘I am not here to draw a salary from you. I am here, because I like to work with you and I like your ideals.’

Her sacrifice was great. For a long time, she accepted no more than £6 a month. She refused ever to accept more than £10 a month. When I urged her to take more, she would scold me and say, ‘I am not here to receive a salary from you. I am here because I like working with you and I like your ideals.’

She had once an occasion to take £40 from me, but she insisted on having it as a loan, and repaid the full amount last year. Her courage was equal to her sacrifice. She is one of the few women I have been privileged to come across, with a character as clear as crystal and courage that would shame a warrior. She is a grown up woman now. I do not know her mind quite as well as when she was with me, but my contact with this young lady will ever be for me a sacred recollection. I would therefore be false to truth if I kept back what I know about her.

Once, she had occasion to take £40 from me, but she insisted that it be a loan. She repaid the full amount last year. Her courage was equal to her sacrifice. She is one of the few women I have had the privilege to meet whose character is as clear as crystal. Her courage would put a warrior to shame. She is a grown woman now. I do not know her thoughts as well as I did when she was with me. But my time with this young woman will always be a sacred memory for me. I would therefore be untrue to the truth if I held back what I know about her.

She knew neither night nor day in toiling for the cause. She ventured out on errands in the darkness of the night all by herself, and angrily scouted any suggestion of an escort. Thousands of stalwart Indians looked up to her for guidance. When during the Satyagraha days almost every one of the leaders was in jail, she led the movement single-handed. She had the management of thousands, a tremendous amount of correspondence, and Indian Opinion in her hands, but she never wearied.

She worked for the cause day and night. She went out alone on errands in the dark and angrily rejected any suggestion of an escort. Thousands of strong Indian men looked to her for guidance. During the Satyagraha days, almost every leader was in jail, and she led the movement single-handedly. She managed thousands of people, handled a tremendous amount of correspondence, and ran Indian Opinion, but she never grew tired.

I could go on thus indefinitely writing about Miss Schlesin, but I shall conclude this chapter with citing Gokhale’s estimate of her. Gokhale knew every one of my co-workers. He was pleased with many of them, and would often give his opinion of them. He gave the first place to Miss Schlesin amongst all the Indian and European co-workers. ‘I have rarely met with the sacrifice, the purity and the fearlessness I have seen in Miss Schlesin,’ said he. Amongst your co-workers, she takes the first place in my estimation.’

I could go on writing about Miss Schlesin indefinitely. But I will end this chapter with Gokhale’s assessment of her. Gokhale knew all my co-workers. He was pleased with many of them and often shared his opinions of them. He ranked Miss Schlesin first among all the Indian and European co-workers. ‘I have rarely met with the sacrifice, purity, and fearlessness I have seen in Miss Schlesin,’ he said. ‘Among your co-workers, she ranks first in my estimation.’