A Story told by Tooba Khanoum:
An Incident in the Home Life or the Holy Family

Tooba Khanum

1902

Tooba Khanoum told us an interesting incident relating to Mademoiselle Letitia, who lives in the home and teaches the children French.

During the visit of a French believer ‘Abdu’l-Baha called upon Mademoiselle to interpret for Him, as the pilgrim was very eager for instruction and there was no one else who would speak his language. Mademoiselle, being a Catholic, and knowing nothing of the alkali teaching, became very much embarrassed over her tasks which quite amused ‘Abdu’l-Baha.

Some days later she evidently confessed to the nuns in the covenants who keep strict watch over her, and for several dart she locked very she and forbidding.

Finally ‘Abdu’l-Baha called her to him and said: “Letitia, tell the good nuns that they need have no fear. I asked you to interpret for me because there was no one else to speak French, not because I desired to teach you. We have so many Baha’is who come here begging with all their hearts and all their love for instruction, that only to them do we give our precious teachings. You would have to beg and beg and before I would give it to you, and even then I might not do so; for is not so cheap as to be bestowed where it is not wanted.

“Stay in the home if you like, or go if you are not happy here. We are glad to have you if you care to stay, but free your heart of all fear that we will try to make a Baha’i of you.”

Mademoiselle is very sweet and they all love her. Her parents live at Haifa and ‘Abdu’l-Baha has been wonderfully kind it to them; they are very poor. She is always happy here, but of course she does not know why.