Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1868-06-24
sRM0NT, WEDNESDAY. JUNE "A. 1868.

JUNE "A. 1868. s
wallis Of the houses or of the courts in
front of them. so that whatever Of orna-
men. there may be. is seen only by euter-
ing he court. But few windows open
to the stree, aud these are so high that
those within are entirely shielded from
observation by those Without The level
of the yard or court and of the floor Of
the house is generally from two to six
steps lower than the level of the street.
This is true especially of those quarters
of the city occupied by Armenians and
Greeks These classes of the population
Icing nominally Christian. have always
been sOrely oppressed by the Turks. who
are all MoLamedans. Some years ago.
it was very common for the Turks to take
their horses to the houses of these Christ
ians and compel them to keep them with
out pay. This WAS Ditch sevsre tax ".
on the poor people, and they had no
means Of defeuse. 10 self defense. there
fore, many of them built their houses 80
low that steps would be required to reach
| the street, and ofteu the door leading to
the street was made so low that horse
could rot conveniently enter. In this
way, they were enabled to protect them
selves from such system Of robbery. 1t
is probably true also that by frequent re.
pairs for many generations, the streets
have been somewhat elevated above their
former level.
The locfe cf the hSascs ale all Hat. 81
hut slightly iucliued towards the street;
They are covered with earth from five to
ten inches deep. which is KEEP. hard by
au occasional rolling with heavy stone
rollers, one of which may be seen tp6t
every roof. The suow is never allowed
to melt upon the roof, but is carefully
swept of after each storm. In this way,
the narrow streets are often so completed
filled with snow that passing is almost
impossible. At such times, a nsrroa
path is cut through. only wide erough
for horse to pass, leaving the snow IL
huge banks on one or both sides of the
path. The markets are quite extensive
.nd are essentially the same in style al
those described in my letter from Constan
,iuople. There arc several large, open
spaces, used as market.squareu, wher,
wood, stone, straw, vegetables, &C., are
sold.
10 Americans, entering the city for th'
irst time, the impression is anything bu
agreeable. The scene bears more resem
biauce to city in ruins than to the home
OF intelligent and enterprisiug men
SoMc OF the walls are fallen down. enc
many are held up only by timbers cross
ing the street overhead. No Cheerful
windows reveal babpy domestic lif'
within, but what few are seen arc closely
,arrcd with iron. like a prison. No iu
'elligent. happy face of woman speaks o
refinement or suggests that there is socs
ety here. If he meets a moving object
euveloped 10 white or plaid .heet. will
an openlns for pair Of eyes, he may
suppose he tneets a wuuah. No wheeled
CARRIAGES, suggestive of comfort and plea
sure, are seen. but burdeued donkeys o
cane!s tell him there is no such thing a
progress here. These are first impression
nor will they entirely wear away by NOR
acquaintance. Within these gloom,
walls, there is indeed often much of do
nestle peace aud cofiitott. In these rud
markets. there is something Of enterprise
10 these families there is Often a good de
gree of intelligence and much Oriental re
fnement. But in all that tends to de
yelop noble manhood and WON hood
in all that constitutes what ,oo term $50
ciety"-in all that tends to cultivate thos
qualities Of mind aud heart which fit ina
, for higher and purcr life than this. ho'
far, how very far are these below ou
dear New Eogland homes Aud wha
makes the difference? The glorious go'
pei of Jesus Christ. L. b.
CHASE AND fHE PREsiDENtf. '