St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-12-19

Mrs. Davis, to calm the fears of her two |
little girls, burst forth in ssinging, |
"Praise God from whom all blessings
flow," as the robbers rode away with |
their plunder. Mr.. and Mrs. Bartlett
have travelled so much in Turkey and |
have never been molested, they did not
think it best to have guard, for some
times they are in league with the rob
bels. They have no hotels in the |
Turkish towns, but travellers always |
appeal to the leading man of the town,
and he is obliged to obtain the best ac-
cOmmodations that he can for them
but as the people are frequently not
paid for the trouble, they are often
times unwilling to receive you into
their houses. They ale always glad to
sell you eggs, which are smaller than
ours in America, but we cannot obtain
milk until after sunset, and they prefer
to make kind of curd of it, of which
they are very fond. They always scald
the milk as soon as obtained, over an
open fire, which gives it a smoky taste,
and the cream is taken off to eat on
bread instead of butter. The mission
aries receive their butter from America
OF Italy. The native butter is usually
churned in goat's-skin, so it is full of
hairs, and has to be combed; hence un-
palatable to foreigners.
The bread which we have to eat is as
dark as our corn bread, and has bitter
taste, but riding in the open air makes
almost anything appetizing. We take
more kindly to the native dishes since
the robbers relieved us of the cakes,
jellies and other nice things the good
missionaries at Constantinople kindly
presented us on leaving.
L think | told you that they have no
tables like ours, but small ones, about
eight inches in diameter and foot in
height: very large waiter, perhaps of
pewter, is placed upon one, containing
the dishes; the principal one is in the
centre, often containing one of their fa
vOrite dishes, fried mutton or eggs. We
were disappointed not to find more
poultry, but mutton is the principal
meat, but it is very tender and does not
have the strong taste which we often
find in the United States. Nice coffee
and grapes usually complete the meal.
You might feel tempted to smile at the
primitive arrangements, should you see
us attempting to kneel on the cushions
round little table, furnished with tin
plate, like baking tin, a wooden
spoon, tin fork and teaspoon, partaking
of such repast. But rather realize the
superiority of man over the beasts in
adapting himself to any country or
cline.
After such grand dinner, picture to
yourself divans extending on three sides
of the room filled with gentlemen call
ers; ten of whom speak English, and it
sounds very agreeable after hearing so
much unintelligibe Turkish conversa-
ton; yet the latter is called quite
musical language, much more so than
the American.
Perhaps you can gain an idea of the
narrowness of the streets, should | tell
you that it is only four feet to the front
of the next house opposite. Although
there is street below, through which
we rode in our wagons on our way here,
and passed men riding donkeys. The
front of the houses are built out like one
great bay-window. The one in the
best room has five windows as large as
those in the United States, yet the
rooms are dark, because the houses are
so shut in.
CBSarea, Sept. 27h.-We arrived
here Sept. 25th, and are staying with
missionaries at Sivas, four miles from
the city proper. l am surprised to find
them SO intelligent here and such fine
libraries as they have for such city in
Asia Minor, They Of course have less
to divert their minds than people gem
orally in the United States. Mr.. Farms
worth is one of the old missionaries,
and delightful old man, his daughter
married Mr.. Towle, who has been here
only year.J He was formerly teach
er in the High School in Waltham,
Mass. Miss ClOsson from Thetford, VI,
is also one of the teachers, Miss Stone
IS Tn 70 A
of health. Mrs. Staver has lost her lit
tie child.
Mr.. Perry of Sivas has been here a
week, waiting for us: he came down
with carriage to take Mrs. Davis, two
children and myself back with him.
As the country is infested with mouu-
tain robbers Mr.. Perry has Winches-
ter rifle that will fire twelve shots with
out being loaded, and he has engaged II
Zabtea who is very heavily armed, to
accompany us. 1t only costs fifty cents
per day to have one, and we shall he
between three and four days in travel
ling the 80 miles to Sivas from this
place. ra.
We have never experienced more
kindness any where than from the mis-
siOnaries, wherever we have stopped.
Mrs. Bartlett has been like mother to
us all, and she urges us to notice all the
customs, habits and peculiarities of life
of the people here, as we have observed
them. Missionaries are often so occu-