Folks, 2 days Ganapati Bappa came to our house and hence could not travel with Swamiji. But let's try to cope up with Him.
Sometime in Spring of 1950 a Vedanta student in New York saw an advertisement in a magazine for antiques. Mrs. Prince Woods had offered for sale a trunk and a walking stick which had belonged to Swami Vivekananda. During the correspondence of that student and Mrs. Woods many facts came to light which were yet unknown.
Mrs. Kate Tannat Woods had met Swamiji at Ms. Sanborn's house and invited Him to stay in her home at 166 North Street in Salem. He left Professor's house to land in Salem on 28th August and stayed there for almost a week. Mrs. Kate Tannat Woods who was 58 years old when Swamiji met her. She was a widow for 9 years and had a son who was doing his medical. She was also a lecturer and an author like Ms. Kate Sanborn.
Swamiji intended to return to Salem and hence left His trunk, staff and some other luggage with Woods family.
He lectured in this small town...The clergy criticised him but Mrs. Woods and Prince loved Him. Swamiji did not come immediately after the Parliament but little later to Salem to say 'farewell'. Mrs. Prince Woods was by that time engaged Dr. Prince and was invited at home to meet Him. He came in a carriage of fine pair of horses and she just saw Him as He said Goodbye.
Before leaving Salem Swamiji gave His Staff to Prince and His trunk and Blanket to Mrs. Woods saying, "Only my most precious possessions should I give to my friends who have made me at home in this great country." By this time Swamiji was already very famous and Mrs Kate Woods felt it a most gracious gesture after He became a celebrity all over the country.
Woods family cherished these possessions as mementos of a great soul and a great friend. Early in 1900 the British Museum offered some $200 to buy these but Dr. Prince Woods refused to sell them. So in 1950 all the three valuable mementos were intact and now put for sale.
Swamiji's blanket was a large and coarsely woven dark orange shawl which would be mostly worn by the wandering monks in India. His trunk was a small steamer trunk which must have surely travelled with Him halfway around the world.
Mrs. Prince Woods said - ' I had just a glimpse of Him, but have felt I knew Him from the many things I have heard of him in the Woods family. My husband spoke of Him as a real Christian Gentleman.'
So as per the schedule Swamiji has left Salem on 4th September to be at 'Saratoga Springs' where He was invited by Mr. Franklin Sanborn to speak at the American Social Science Association.
So friends, today we are in Saratoga Springs where He has spoken to the members who were eminent and cultured men from all professions. Mr. Sanborn actually felt that he was giving the members a rare treat in form of Swamiji.
The fact that Mr. Sanborn invited this young and unknown monk to speak before such an august assembly was itself a proof that he highly valued Swamiji's intelligence like Professor Wright.
Tomorrow let's peep into the newspapers of Salem and Saratoga Springs to see what they had to say about our dear Swamiji.
Today is Teacher's day and my mother is my first teacher. Happy Teacher's Day...
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