l68 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



Planters' Gazette, noticing the sad occurrence, wrote as 

 follows : 



" No more genuine and deep expression of profound re- 

 gret was ever uttered by the whole community, than that 

 which burst universally forth last Wednesday morning, when 

 the sad news of Mr. George Thomas' sudden death was an- 

 nounced in Calcutta. During the many years of his honor- 

 ed . career ,as .a member of the popular firm of Messrs. J. 

 Thomas & Co., it can safely be said that he never made an 

 enemy. Strunch as steel ; by his friends and they were le- 

 gion he was beloved as a brother, and even comparative 

 strangers took at once to his courteous manners and gentle 

 bearing. Nature's true gentleman, the kindest and gentlest 

 heart that ever beat in human breast was his, a man who never 

 did an unkind thing, ,or said an unkind word. Truth and 

 honesty itself, he always saw the world on its brightest and best 

 side, and could not be brought to believe that such a thing 

 as downright badness existed. His place either in his firm, 

 as a most popular member of the community, or as a leading 

 sportsman , will be hard to fill, and his name will for years to 

 come, be mentioned with respect and affection, in the office, and 

 in the social circle, as well as in the clubs, and on the race 

 courses of Ballygunge and Calcutta. To sportsmen he ever set 

 a bright example of pluck and probity ; a good rider himself, 

 probably over a country second to none, no horse ever owned 

 by him but stepped out on the course with the intention of win- 

 ning, and everyone knew they could back it with perfect confi- 

 dence. Done to death by that scourge of Calcutta, cholera, while 

 yet in the very zenith of life, for he was only 37 ; the news of his 

 untimely end came like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, upon the 

 startled residents of Calcutta, and shocked them beyond power 

 of description. The seizure was a very sudden one, he had 

 gone to office as usual, but about noon he complained of not 

 feeling very well, and so returned home ; the actual attack 



