Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-12-17

among the free people who pitied her
woes md appreciated her faithful work
Patiently she toiled. but her pillow
was wet with the tears Of sorrow ana
her heart bled under the stabs OF pierre
Ing grief. Brave and noble grill How
many like her, pieces Of driftxood from
the wrecks wrought by Turkish cruelty
and fanaticism, have been stranded
upop our kindlier shores. zillah turned
in prayer toward the God OF her IA
theirs, and sought at His feet the con-
ISOLATION earth denied. Even prayer
cannot heal broken heart; 1t can but
console and slightly assuage such grie'
as hers.
Christmas eve In the little Armenian
colony occupying a corner OF a foreign
section Of the great western city. Tho
hall was decorated for the occasion with
the usual evergreens, and oriental hang
ings served to recall in this spodern land
the familiar belongings OF lost homes
among the Armenian mountains. There
was a subdued cheerfuness among
the people present, tribute to Christ
mas. but they could not rejoice loudly
with aching vods in so many stricken
hearts and the Moslems still depressing
the Christians among the far-off Ar
menian hills. They sang, however,
Christmas carols strangely sweet which
recalled pictures Of unforgotten homes
and hymns in which sad minor chords
seemed to vibrate with unshed tears.
What wonder that real tears welled up
from tortured hearts, and that they
sparkled in pretty zillah's mournful
eyes? Good will TO men these exiles
could know and feel, but peace on earth
was not for them, even at Christmas,
while Turkish scimetars still flashed
forth the lightnings Of fanatic hates,
and innocent blood Redeemed the soil Oh
far Armenia. There was to be new
arrival Of Armenians tonight, and they
were to recite at this gathering Of their
compatriots the story Of their adven-
lures and their wrongs. Similar tales
had been often repeated by similar
refugees, but the stories had q tragic
interest ever new, while they recounted
renewed horrors and the constantly re-
curing tragedies which added to the
list Of the lost, and the grand army OF
sorrowng survivors. As the coming
OF the visitors was announced the music
ceased and all arose to receive them,
the hum Of the great city without faint
" heard in the hush Of expectancy with
in. and the Christmas chimes from an
American church near by ringing cheer
ily, though soft and subdued, through
the frosty air.
The door opened and there marched
in the little band who came from the
valley OF the shadow Of death, and first
among them Abanazar and Akthar, the
father and lover so long listed among
the dead. You should have seen I'll
lah's beautiful face. transfigurcd, the
love-light in her large brown eyes, and
heard the musically glad little cry with
which she sprang into their arms, snug
Cling close OF last with her plump arms
about Akthars neck and his stalwart
arm encircliLg her shapely waist. Wha'
is ordinary Christmas happiness u
such Joy as hers, measureless as infinity
Jeep as the sea? Does not love all ever
the vast spaces Of Heaven? And The
men were as deeply moved as the maid
for they had been as certain OF hel
death as she Of theirs Precious indeed
are these gifts which fate. stern and ="