The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-02-07

slopes away to the south. A quarter OF
mile to the west of us are the soldiers bar
racks. Our yard is surrounded with high
wall. Then adjoining our yard on the east
Is the seminary" yard, perhaps forty yards
across, also walled and separated from our
yards by very narrow street. In this yard
stood three missionary buildings, one at
the end nearest us occupied by native
theological professor, the seminary in the
middle and house at the other end where
native professor In our Girls college lives.
He had In charge also the Academy boys.
Beyond this yard Is the one where Mr.. Nc
Cullum's house and Mr.. Lees house are.
Now in both of these yards the back of two
native houses form part of the wall, so it is
possible for entrance to be had into the yards
from the second story windows of the native
houses. As l crossed the street there was
no one to unbOlt the door, for the gate-keep'
er had fed, but our neighbours wife was
coming down ladder from her window into
the yard and she let me in. When knocked
at Mr.. McC.'s gate he himself came to let
me in. He said we were In for massacre,
that he could not advise me, but we were
welcome to bring the girls over there II we
thought best.
Then ran quickly back and we decided
to 90. Two of the theological students had
come to see us across the ten feet of street
and we kept close to the lower wall so as
/ NO IN ha In
| yard we found we were not moment too
soon. The soldiers were already plumber
| ing the houses that looked over the wall.
The people had escaped to us. Some had
thrown bedding out into our yard and the
soldiers had climbed down and put it back.
From an upper window we took in the stua-
ton. At the barracks several regiments of
the regular soldiers were drawn up ready to
charge and thus they stood most of the day.
On hill to the northeast and commanding
a view of our premises was company OF
bashu bOozooks or irregular troops. Firing
came from every quarter, and meanwhile
the Seminary yard had been entered from
the window of the native house, the gate
nearest us unbOlted and horde of Arab
soldiers filled the yard. From the upper
window we could look across on 1t all. We
knew there were number of our native
friends in that yard. The two theologues who
came for us had remained with the native
professor at his house. together with his
family and several others.
had never seen Arab soldiers before,
and as they looked to me that day shall
always picture the fiends. Their strange
head-dress and malevolent countenances can
not be described. Entering the professors
house they dragged his wife screaming out
doors and saw them hold sword over her.
hope came to me. Perhaps they would let
her off with killing her after all. l must
see what fate was in store for us. She
wrenched her hands away, pointed to an
other part of the yard and fled, pounding on
our gate for admission, but mob of the |
men were with her and as they had spared |
her life, we did not dare open the door to |
the Arabs. The soldier who seized her |
with others rushed off to the part of the |
yard which she had indicated where in a |
cave the two theological students were hid |
den. They dragged them out, shot them
oyer and over again and held them up to be
hacked with the sword. Meanwhile the |
work of plumber had commenced. Here
there are not many store houses where provis-
ions can be obtained all winter, and so peo-
pie are obliged to buy and prepare all their
stores in the fall. The supplies for the
Academy were largely in this house and
they commenced taking every thing they
could lay hands on. There was nothing
left-yes, the window plants and some high
pictures were. Windows were smashed
and they made an unsucces sful attempt to
burn the building.
Below in the parlor sat our girls. 1 staid
with them part of the time and it almost
broke my heart to go into the room and see
their white faces turned to mine for the
comfort and reinsurance that had never
failed them before. Not loud sound came
from their lps-this seemed strange con-
trast to the uneducated Armenian women
who broke into the widest wailng in true
Oriental style. The children gathered
around the kindergarten teacher and seemed
just to be near her. The other
rooms were full of people who had fled to
US for refuge. The children were aware
that some strange and dreadful thing was
taking place, and Mrs. McC. had thought
best to tell them in her own bright, hpapy
way, that we were going home to the Sa-
viour's house now, not to cry, we would all
90 together. And they didn't seem at all
afraid. Little four year old Edith voicing
he general suspense which was truly awful !,
'aid, ''But why don't they come and kill
lisp" And dear little Lyman gurgling over
with laughter echoed, "Why don't they
Jump" That they were coming was as GER !
ain In our minds as the fact now is that
We escaped. We could not imagine that :.
my American could be left alive as a wit
less to such atrocities. 1t came to me that