The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-12-23
Two Christmas Ewes.

ny l. EDGAR JONES.
Christmas amid the mount aims of Ar
menia. The scene of our story is a little
oriental village, in 1S9--, nestled amid
the rugged cliffs at the head of a smiling
valley.
The site of the hamlet was a ravine
running up the mountain side into q
rocky pass, as though the great valley
opening beyond had been Whitfield to d
narrow point that it might penetrate the
hills.
Great precipices yawned on either side
and towering cliffs which seem to have
grown gray with age, even as the snow
on the higher peaks of the mountains
seemed the hoarv locks of those ancients
which there had for centuries watched
over the Old World.
Near by Mount Ararat. where rested
the ark after the flood. twas here Noah
titled his vineyard and the human race
begun anew after the floods subsidized. for
Armenia is one of the oldest lands and its
people trace their lineage direct to that
Biblical emigrant ship which colonized it
when the world was young.
From many a quaint, iiat-rooted dwell
ing arose Christmas carols to which soft
voiced echoes sang responsive choruses
among the cliffs, and at least one church
bell tiled bravely, singiy and alone, to
supply an imitation of Christmas chimes
It was a peaceful picture, upon which
the stars twinkled approvinglv as they
bespanglcd the slopes with frost dia-
monds and coated countless sparkles
from the pailid SNOW. The Armenians
are dcvout people, and make much of the
Christmas festival.
This little hamlet was in many respects
not unlike Bethlehem, and near it were
many shepherds who guarded their flocks
by night, as did those of Judea when the
angels sang Of peace on earth, good will
to men.
At the home of Abanazar, the head
man Of the village, there were quiet fes-
Invites, decorations OF holly and other
erergreens, songs of praise and stories
which for generations had handed down
cherished traditions and legends of Ar
menia
There were the aged grandfather and
grandmother, Abanazar and his good
wife, three little girls ranging from six to
twelve years old, and Zillah, the sixteen
year-old daughter, with her atfianced
lover Akthar, the stalwart young herds.
man.
She was beautiful maiden, with regu-
lar features, long eyes aglow with love,
the small but symmetrical form charac-
teristic of so many women of her race.
In her picturesque costume she was
marvellously handsome. and her tones
were as musical as the tinkle of Silvcry
bells or the low notes of Akthar's flute,
to which she sometimes sang a soft ac-
compartment. The pleasant scene in this
home was duplicated in many others
that starlit Christmas eve.
Suddenly the scene changed. The church
bell rang in sharp, short strokes, spir-
tied alarm, confusion succeeded calm, and
there were excited EXPLANATIONS and hur-
rving i'll hot haste as rider dashed mad
ly down the one central street, shouting;
Save yourselves, Christians, the kurts
are coming
But there was no time. Close upon
his tracks came hundreds of swarthy
horsemen, turbaned and fierce, with loud
Mohammedan maledictions shouted in
deep-voiccd hate, and eyes which CLEANED
like live Goals from beneath bectling
browS.
In moment pandemonium seemed to
have broken loose, the guns spoke sharp
", scimitars flashed in silver and turned
crimson, and soon the flames from burn
ing buildings cast their lurid glare over
an earthly hell wherein fends held high
carnival i'll shedding innocent blood.
Abanazar and his family, with others,
gained the church which stood on the
edge of the precipice, and there made 4
brave stand, but it was useless. Breaches
were made i'll the walls, the place carried
by storm, and hundreds slain before the
altar dedicated 20 peace and decorated
with Christmas symbols i'll readiness for
the morrow.
The floor literally ran i'll blood, and
Zillah in speechless anguish bchcld the
men of her family and her lover cut down,
and women subjected to torturcs which
chilled tn the soul.
With other women and girls she fought
hcroically, but finally found herself
brcathless and disarnied in the embrace
of Rustem, the huge leader Of the kurds
who had often i'll days of peace paid her
attentions as often repealed.
Suddenly she drew the steel bodkin
from her hair, plunged it with uncrrinq
aim and the strength born of desperation
into the giants heart, and as he sank tC
the floor she bounded to the side of tho
church, seized a lighted taper, opened q
trap door, hurled the light into supply
of powder stored there, and springing
through a side door leaped from the prcci
picc as scores of other women had done
within the horrible half hour preceding.
There was flash, a thundcrous roar
and the solid church seemed to be heaveC
high in air, while in the lurid light o
the explosion dead bodies of men anC
women could be seen among the flying
fragments, and with them scores of liv'
Kurds as they arose, scorched and black