PHYSICIAN TO THE RANI OF KHETRI
TRIP THROUGH EUROPE AND THE HOLY LAND
"The frail little mother of a frail little daughter" did not livelong enough to see the fullest answer to her prayer that heryoungest born might "grow up to be a good and useful woman," forshe passed away before her daughter began her medical career, butthe prayer was not forgotten by Him who ever hears the cry ofthose who call upon Him in faith.
Clara was the youngest of the ten children of John and ClarissaSeavey Swain. She was born in Elmira, N.Y., but when she was twoyears old her parents returned to their old home in Castile andhere she spent her early life.
She was not a strong child, and being the youngest of a largefamily naturally received much attention, which in after years sheconcluded was not good for her. She once described herself as apuny little thing who wanted everything she saw and thought sheought to have it. "I had a will of my own," she said, "and mymother found it necessary to be very firm with me at times. Once Iwas very rude to her when she did not give me what I wanted, and Ishall never forget how grieved she was, how lovingly she explainedto me the necessity for controlling myself if I would be loved bythose around me." She was six years old when this naughtinessoccurred. "I promised my mother then," she said, "that I would bea good girl, and that I would ask God not to let me be naughtyagain."
She and her sister Hattie, not quite two years her elder, lovedout of doors a great deal. They were very fond of flowers andanimals, an