<SPAN name="FIRST_FURLOUGH"></SPAN><h3>FIRST FURLOUGH</h3>
<p>The anxiety and the responsibility of the rapidly increasing work
brought weariness of mind and body, and in March, 1876, Dr. Swain
returned to America for a much needed rest. This was extended to
the autumn of 1879 when, on September 25, she again sailed for
India, arriving in Bombay November 6. At the conference held in
Cawnpore in January, 1880, Dr. Swain received her appointment to
Bareilly and with gladness of heart took up her old work.</p>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<SPAN name="RANI"></SPAN><h3>PHYSICIAN TO THE RANI OF KHETRI</h3>
<p>In March, 1885, Dr. Swain received a call to a native state to
attend the wife of the Rajah, and after two weeks of successful
treatment she was formally requested to remain as physician to the
Rani and the ladies of the palace. After much thought and prayer
it seemed to her that it was the Lord's will that she should
remain and do what she could for him in this place where there
were no Christian influences; so she consented to the proposal on
condition that she and her companion be allowed to carry on the
work as Christians should. To this the Rajah agreed, and Dr. Swain
signed a contract to remain two years.</p>
<p>In the Blue Book, or Administration Report, of the Khetri State,
1886, the Rajah wrote: "I cannot look back with greater pleasure
or satisfaction on anything I have done than on the facilities
introduced by me for rendering medical aid to the female portion
of my subjects. It is a patent fact that the Indian woman,
secluded as she is within the four walls of the zenana, cannot
fully benefit by any system of medicine; and it was not till the
generous efforts of Lady Dufferin were turned in this direction
that the wives and daughters of the richest and most enlightened
Indians enjoyed a better position than the lowest and meanest of
their fellows. It therefore gives me genuine pleasure to bring
prominently to your notice the existence of a regular institution
in this benighted portion of India, for the treatment of females
of all classes. I have employed a very competent European lady
doctor, Miss Swain, M.D., to attend on Her Highness, the Rani
Sahiba, and, feeling it my duty to place her advice and assistance
within the reach of all my subjects, have established a regular
dispensary for women. It was opened June 1, 1885, at the expense
of the state, and a room in the palace building appropriated to it
until a more convenient and suitable one could be provided. An
allowance of Rs. 100 per mensem is fixed for medicines, and is
found for the present to be sufficient. The average daily
attendance at the dispensary is five."</p>
<p>Under Section 12, Schools, this report is given:—"I am glad to
say that the people of my state are beginning to evince greater
interest in the education of their children than they have done
before. The greatest desire of Her Highness, the Rani Sahiba, was
that I should make suitable provision for the education of girls.
I, accordingly, engaged a competent European lady, Miss P.E.
Pannell, as mistress, and the Khetri Girls' School was opened by
Her Highness in April, 1885, in the teeth of opposition from the
orthodox portion of the community. As was expected, at first every
effort to teach these girls was frowned upon and considered absurd
by their relatives and friends. This feeling, however, gradually
gave place to trust and confidence, and the school is now showing
some return for all the time and patience spent upon it. The
number of pupils on the roll is twenty, of which three have gone
to their <i>susval</i> (husband's home) and three attend only
occasionally. The average attendance of fourteen girls has,
however, been regular. Great pains has been taken to teach
truthfulness, honesty and love for one another. Instruction is
also given in needlework of various kinds, and other things, the
knowledge of which is necessary for good housekeeping. The
improvement made by some of the girls in this direction may at
once be noticed by a change in the manner of doing nicely the
little things which go to make up their lives. The school owes its
existence to the care of Her Highness, who is much interested in
it."</p>
<p>In addition to her school, Miss Pannell was engaged to teach the
Rani and some of the court ladies. Dr. Swain and Miss Pannell were
the only Christians in the state, but their little Sunday service
conducted for their servants gained attention, and others asked to
be allowed to attend, some becoming so much interested that they
procured Bibles and Testaments that they might read the "wonderful
words" themselves. A supply of tracts and portions of Scripture
was always on hand, to distribute whenever and wherever the ladies
felt they would be appreciated.</p>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<SPAN name="SECOND_FURLOUGH"></SPAN><h3>SECOND FURLOUGH</h3>
<p>The serious illness of one of Dr. Swain's sisters decided her to
return to America, and she left Khetri in March, 1888, having
spent nearly three years in "seed sowing" as she called it. Her
own health, too, demanded a change, and in company with a most
congenial missionary friend she turned her face toward the
homeland. She returned to India in company with the same congenial
friend, in time to attend the North India Conference before going
to her Khetri home, Miss Pannell again accompanying her.</p>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<SPAN name="KHETRI"></SPAN><h3>RETURN TO KHETRI</h3>
<p>The isolation of their life in Khetri had been at times a great
trial to both Dr. Swain and Miss Pannell, but they felt that they
were where God wanted them to be and bore their privations
bravely. However, at this time Dr. Swain wrote: "After eighteen
months of the religious life of America and 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."</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<SPAN name="EUROPE"></SPAN><h3>TRIP THROUGH EUROPE AND THE HOLY LAND</h3>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<SPAN name="JUBILEE"></SPAN><h3>TO INDIA FOR THE JUBILEE</h3>
<p>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.</p>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<SPAN name="CASTILE"></SPAN><h3>AT HOME IN CASTILE</h3>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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 after-supper service
for patients and guests in the large parlors, enjoying to the
full the spiritual atmosphere of the place.</p>
<p>There were quiet hours of delightful study in the Book which each
had made the guide of her life; social afternoons with friends
from different parts of the country and from over the seas who
were taking a rest-time in the lovely village; and pleasant
evenings before the cheerful grate fire in Dr. Swain's room. These
were made more heartsome one autumn because of the presence of a
much-esteemed missionary friend, Miss Knowles, from India, and of
Miss McFarland, Dr. Swain's dear friend of Canandaigua days, who
had come to spend a little time with the one whose companionship
had always been a pleasure, and whose correspondence during her
absence from America had been a delight.</p>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<SPAN name="GLIMPSE"></SPAN><h3>"A GLIMPSE OF INDIA"</h3>
<p>Relatives and friends of Dr. Swain had carefully preserved many of
her letters; and Dr. Greene, who had long desired that these
letters should be published, conceived that the favorable time had
come and urged the immediate preparation of the work. The letters
were read, extracts made, compiled and edited; and in the summer
of 1909 "A Glimpse of India" was given to the public. This
furnished a most interesting record of the busy life of the first
medical missionary to the women of the orient. As long as Dr.
Swain was able, she attended the Sunday morning service and the
Thursday evening prayer meeting, as well as the meetings of the
missionary and the Ladies' Aid societies of the church. When she
was no longer equal to the walk to church, she and her friend had
regular Sunday morning service in their room with hymns, Scripture
reading, prayer and a sermon, and were often present in spirit at
the midweek prayer meeting, though their prayers and praises were
uttered in their room.</p>
<br/>
<hr style="width: 65%;" />
<SPAN name="LIFE"></SPAN><h3>THE LAST YEAR OF HER LIFE</h3>
<p>The last year of Dr. Swain's life was spent in much weakness at
times, occasioned by an attack of grippe which would not be
overcome, but it was not until the first week in December that she
felt that she could not hope to get stronger. When confined to her
bed she kept her Testament and Psalms near her, and though seldom
able to read more than a verse she enjoyed the daily morning Bible
reading and prayer with her friend.</p>
<p>Loving attendance and the best medical care were given her but
nought availed, and early Christmas morning, while sleeping, she
passed from earth to her Father's home above. She was laid to
rest in the beautiful cemetery at Castile, December 28, 1910.</p>
<p>The prayer of the "frail little mother of a frail little daughter"
was fully answered in this good and useful life.</p>
<br/>
<br/>
<hr class="full" noshade>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.