St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-10-30

of rice on the waters of the Nile, wheI
its banks are overlooked, which, when
the waters recede, takes root and
yields an abundant harvest CATER
many days" Casting bread on the
waters was likened to sending the gOs-
pei to the heather and its return is
seen in hose who, like Layyah, have
been uplifted and converted through
this instrumentality. She said that
the natives at first believed that the
missionaries had no children, and
that they came to Syria for the pur-
pose of taking their children and
bringing them to this country.
She has had an eventful career, and
one which shows the leading of a di-
vine providence. She was born near
Mount Lebanon, a name associated
with pleasant memories for Bible read
ers, was one of six children, and all
lived in one little room with their
mother, her father having been massa-
cred. She attended sewing school
taught by an American lady, and, after
much difficulty, was induced to attend
Sunday school, She told of her broth
er, who has since become a Christian,
beating her for praying, how she was
forbidden to go to the Sunday school,
and how, as she carried her Jug of
water on her shoulder, after the man
ner of Syrian women, she would stand
outside the church and listen to the
sermons. Her uncle finally took her
to another city and locked her in Il
room, which she was not to leave until
she was married, then at the age of
twelve. Girls are married between the
ages of nine and fifteen in Syria, and
when one has passed the latter age, she
is considered too old to be married
and classed as an old maid which is
looked upon as bad as death. The
day that she was to have been married
she escaped from her uncle's house and
ran up and down the street and at last
found her way to missionary's house.
A Sunday school in Philadelphia ac-
cepted her as its charge, through his
intervention, and sent her to school and
she became learned in Arabic. She
was sent to a school in Egypt, on the
Upper Nile. While teaching there she
was married to a native of Damascus,
Il scholar and a Christian, and their
little daughter was born during their
residence there. They went to Alex
andria to stay during the hottest
weather, and the day after their arriv
al the dreadful cry of "Nazarenes" was
heard in the streets. They saw Chris
tians put to the sword, children dashed
to pieces, men beheaded by the infuri-
ated Mohammedans. They remained
in their barricaded room for three
days, awaiting death. Their food gave
out and the little child was crying
with hunger. Husband and wife babe
each other farewell, hardly expecting
to meet again, and fled in different di-
rections, Layyah yelling herself after
the fashion of MOhammedan women,
with her baby under her arm. By
means of this disguise and because
they were strangers in Alexandria,
they made their way through the by
streets and met on the sea ashore, as
haI |, l-.Al
in an English vessel for Malta, and, as
they left, saw the city in flames behind
them. They were carried as refugees
from Malta to France. While there Il
ship was to sail for Philadelphia,
which brought to mind the name of an
American gentleman they had met in
Egypt, who asked them to hunt him
up if they should ever come to Ameri-
ca. With some money that was given
them at Malta they took steerage pas
sage for the Quaker City. They had
lost the card he gave them, and after
much difficulty succeeded in finding
their friend, DR.. Dennis of Chestnut
street, West Philadelphia. They were
warmly welcomed, given new clothing,
and scarcely ten years after the chill
dren of the Sunday school had adopted
her as their charge, she stood before
them and told them of her gratitude
for what they had done for her.
This is brief outline of her inter
esting experiences. She has known
the English language only about two
years, and it is her intention to return
and carry the gospel to her country
men and women. What surprised her
more than all else, when she came to
this country, was to find that all Amer
a strange spectacle for Syrian wO-
man, who had been led from heathen-
dom to embrace the Christian religion,
to stand before an American audience,
with gospel privileges and freedom of
thought and worship, and appeal to
them to accept Layyah's Christ.
Barnet.
The widow of George Kimball has
moved her family to DummerstOwn
and Orrin Morrill, has moved into her
house.
Hannah Moore is moving into the
tenement at Moses Burbank's shop.