The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-03-31
81 UNION TIHUljRsDAY. N ARcH 81 ~,

/ AS we finished dinner 9 man cam,
to say that there were too man,
women for all Of them to get into th,
girls school room; should they dis
miss the boys and use that? We said
If they were willing, but on the wa,
back they met another man who sal,
they all couldn't get into the boys
room. Then the priests wife said VI
could use the church, and her grown
up son said so, too. That was {
wonderful concession. So we wen
over to the church and found it hal
full of women, and two men standing
guard at the door to keep the mob O
men and boys out. We said we didn'
care if they came-but the door
keepers said they'd talk and laugh
and the women wouldn't be able te
hear what was said.
We got the picture roll hung up or
the side of the church. I think the
church was as big as the Unior
church in Elk River. It was q
Gregorian church, you understand
It was mighty cold, no fire at all, Of
course, but we we're we'll wrapped ut
for the ride.
The women were rather restless, and
kept talking about the men outside
etc., so to get them quiet, Miss Bush.
nell and I sang. Now, don't get toe
amused, to think of our doing the
Sankey act. Miss Bushnell can't sing
any better than I can, but when w
began to sing "Come, Ye That Love
the Lord"-in Armenian of course
the women were still as could be, anC
then the men outside heard us anc
made raid, pushed the door in anc
came in, as orderly as could be-
More women we're coming all the time
and the church was crammed full
There are never seats in a Gregoriar
church, so they all squatted or knel
on the floor. We sang all the verses
then Digin Marian began telling the
stories. She talked for two hours
and the women near her begged he1
not to skip any of the pictures at thu
last, when we told her it was getting
late. wish you could have stood
looking into their faces, as I did
There are so many sore eyes in this
country, and how some of them die
try to see the pictures, though it made
the tears roll down their faces, be-
cause their eyes we're so sore. Some
of these young women are beautiful
and some have such sweet faces
When she told the story of tht
Prodigal Son-with the picture of hin
in his fathers arms-many of the
older women and few of the me1
cried aloud. When she told about th,
Good Shepherd the sheer
around him and the lamb in his arm.
"a story these people appreciate
more than we Americans do, an ole
women near me took up one of sDigir
Mariam's phrases, and said over ani
over eyes, sheep, without any
shepherd, without any shepherd.
She said her father had been prizes
in the Gregorian church., and that hi
told her that if she could ever tall
with any of the Christians from
America she must do it, and have
them tell her about Christ. I couli
understand most of what she said
and could ask her a few questions
but of course couldn't really talk tt
her, with the Armenian I know.
wanted Digin Marian to talk to bel
after the meeting, but it was already
after three, and we had to be back
to the city before dark. The womer
followed us to the church door, ant
then to the priests house, and stood
watching us as we drove away.
don't know when we can get time tt
go again. When I can talk I can &C
out to the villages near here, often
and stay a few hours, but there arr
more and more and more villages
always as far as one can 60.
BRIDES.
haven't seen a really nativ,
wedding yet, and I'll doubtless hav,
a good deal to tell after I do see one
But I've heard a lot about the Gus
toms, and have seen a good many o
the brides in the homes afterwards.
For one thing there are no Armenian
old maids, except in America. A few
girls from this school have taught :
few years and then gone to America
to be free to do as they please, bu
most of them just take it for granted
that of course they'll have to &c
married. Each girl has box il
which she keeps anything she can get
for trousseau, often going without
to put into that box. In the Villages
they are married at IL or ID but her
in the city they are older, and tn
e1ucated pirlS can wait until thav ar