The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-09-11

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ready to reap in about three weeks. The
people look well and strong and are pretty
well supplied with clothing. gave little
extra grant of money for the widows and
orphans. House building is great problem;
also the harvest, as they have no animals.
After service we packed up and went on
half an hour TO Geol Punar, or Lake Foun-
tain, a small village with present popula-
ton of 75. AS many more persisted of
sickness and hunger in Zeitoon. Several
large families were entirely carried Off.
The village is in ruins, three houses having
been burned, and the rest pulled down-but
not completely. saw one house which
had been almost entirely saved by stork,
which had built its nest on one corner of
the roof The people of this land never
disturb stork; as man recently said to
me, "Storks are nearly human" These
houses were destroyed about month after
the Consuls had came to Zeitoon and ar
ranged terms of peace, as their Moslem
neighbors did not wish the Armenians to
come back. They are living for the most
part in booths now. The government gives
help in food. l distributed money and
clothing to all, as they were very destitute.
In all cases l had the whole village gather
and gave out everything myself, or under
personal observation. Then after service,
which everywhere was very acceptable and
highly appreciated. We had dinner on the
ruined altar of the church, and then mount
ed and were off for Demen Dere or Mill val.
ley, about an hour further on. This village
is partly Moslem. When the place was at
tackled by Circassians the Armenians fled
up the valley and the Turks down into the
plain. Most of the Armenian houses were
pulled down. The present christian popu-
iation is 200-more than this number per-
ished in fight or from sickness and hunger
in Zeitoon. They are very poor and naked.
gave them good grant of money, and
also gave some articles of clothing to every
person 10 the village. When we got
through distributing. the people began to
clap their hands and cheer; their joy was
spontaneous and real. Then we said what
words of comfort and encouragement we
could, and left with the words of script
ure ringing in my ears, "There was great
joy in that city," The harvest here, as
everywhere, Is very fine, and the great need
here, as everywhere, is farming implements
and oxen, with which to gather in Gods
gifts. We proceeded across the other side
of the plain, about one and half hours to
TasholoOk, where we settled down in the
priests house. l had no sooner seated my
self than the priests wife began to take off
my shoes and stockings and then she pro-
ceeded to wash my feet in cold water. This
was new thrill for me, and it was very re-
freshing. 1t may have been vanity on my
part, but 1 thought l understood now how
Paul felt when he commended certain
women who had washed the feet of the
saints. This village is partly Armenian,
and partly Turkish. The Armenians num-
Der about 500, now; many died In zeitoon.
On the outbreak of the troubles, the Turks
and Armenians made treaty with each
other that II the Zeltoonlies came to attack
the place the christians would defend the
Turks, while If the Turks came the Turks
would do the same thing for the christians.
But the christians fled on the appearance
of large bodies of Circassians, and the
Turks were not able to prevent the plumber
ing of the village. However, they prevent
ed the destruction of the houses until peace
was restored, saying that IL tie christians
came back their houses should be ready for
them, and IL not they would take possession
themselves. Finally, the Circassians came
again and in spite of the protests of the
Turks, tore down most of the christians
houses, so that the village is now mass of
ruins. The Turks have not been friendly
either, since the Armenians came back.
Two girls and boy and woman were
left behind in the flight and were taken in
by Turkish neighbors. On the return Of
the Armenians from Zeitoon the woman
left the Turkish family, which had protect
ed her, and joined her people, but she had
to leave her bed behind. My presence In
village gave her sufficient courage to 60 and
get her bed. The Turk, however, caught
her and beat her, and pointing gun at her
threatened to shoot her. In the morning 1
sent my zabtieh to punish the Turk, which
he did in right down earnest. He gave
him a terrible beating, right out in the
street, and when he got tired another
zabtieh happened along and fell to with
good will and hard fist, and In a short time
the Turk was quite subdued and the woman
got her yorghan. demanded the christian
girl whom he had In his possession, but
they said she was away up in the noun