Clara A. Swain, M.D. | Page 7

the many precious privileges enjoyed there, it seems harder to settle down to the life here. I miss the church services much more than I did when I was here before." At another time she wrote: "I have sometimes felt tempted to give up my work here, but then the thought comes to me that I can do more by remaining here, and paying the salary of a native preacher to do what I should never be able to do."
A second princess had been born during Dr. Swain's absence from Khetri. This occasioned close attendance at the palace, as the baby was delicate, and Dr. Swain had an opportunity for Bible study with the Rani who enjoyed nothing more than an hour of daily study of the Scriptures. The older princess, too, was ready with a new Bible verse every day, and a Sunday service was held in the Rani's apartments, at which the women of the court and their attendants were present. The Sunday Bible class at the home was not neglected; it increased in interest and numbers, some of the more intelligent of the Rajah's staff occasionally joining the company and listening with interest to the hymns and the reading of the Scriptures.
The birth of the prince and heir in January, 1893, was a time of great rejoicing and much ceremony. Offerings were made to the deities day after day, the poor were fed and presents given to the Brahmans. The Rani acknowledged her thankfulness to God by a donation, in the name of her little son, to Christian work, asking that the money be used to support an orphan in the mission to which Dr. Swain belonged.

TRIP THROUGH EUROPE AND THE HOLY LAND
Dr. Swain's engagement with the Khetri state expired in October, 1895, and in March, 1896, she left India, as she supposed, forever. "Mother Ninde" and her traveling companion, Miss Baucus, from Japan, were among the missionary party of eleven, some of whom were anticipating a trip to the Holy Land. In company with Miss Baucus, Dr. Swain visited Jerusalem, where they were joined by Miss Dickinson of Utica, N.Y., and the three traveled together from April 1, 1896 to July 4, when they sailed for America. They had visited the places of interest in and around Jerusalem, Bethany, Bethlehem, on to Beirut, Damascus, Baalbek, Nazareth, Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee, a tour much enjoyed by them all.
At Jerusalem they met a company of Americans, and arranged to accompany them to Constantinople. On the way they stopped at Smyrna and made a hurried trip to Ephesus, arriving in Constantinople May 20. There they remained six days and then sailed for Athens. On June 2 they began their European tour, sailing on an Italian steamer to Brindisi, where they parted with their American friends. The three then visited Venice, Munich, Dresden, Cologne and Paris, reaching London June 27, and remaining there till July 4, when they sailed for New York.
"No more sea for me!" was Dr. Swain's reply when asked if she were not tired of travel. "I took many rest days while the others were sight-seeing, and now I hope to have a good long rest here at the Castile Sanitarium."

TO INDIA FOR THE JUBILEE
But to the great surprise of many of her friends, and notwithstanding the remonstrances of some who feared she would not live to return to America, she determined to go to India to attend the Jubilee of the Methodist Mission, founded by the Rev. William Butler in 1856. In company with some missionaries under appointment to India she sailed from New York, November 6, 1906, just thirty-seven years from the time that she started out on her untried career. She spent eighteen months among old friends and old scenes in India, rejoicing in the great advance in numbers, intelligence and spirituality of the native Christians, and had the great pleasure of meeting again the young prince of Khetri and his sisters--now orphans--and of hearing from them of their mother's last days and of her continued love for the Bible, to which she had given so much attention while Dr. Swain was with her.

AT HOME IN CASTILE
Once more she turned toward the home land, arriving in Castile, N.Y., in April, 1908, where she was joined by the friend of her early missionary days in India.
Dr. Cordelia Greene, who established the Sanitarium, was succeeded by her niece, Dr. Mary T. Greene, who arranged that the two friends should occupy rooms in her lovely cottage, Brookside, opposite the Sanitarium grounds, where for nearly three years they enjoyed the comforts of a home and of congenial society. Though living outside the institution they took their meals with the Sanitarium family and took part in the daily morning prayer service in the helpers' sitting-room and the