Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-08

doubt il there is single thing in Tifiis
that any American would want which
cannot be purchased TO equal advantage
at home.
American would want The merchants
select their stock to suit the taste OF their
customers here, as elsewhere.
At curio shop we picked up some Curl
Gus old pieces of silver. They are valu
able only because they are unique.
Architecture of Tifiis.
There are many fine buildings in Tifiis
and several handsome residences. Some
be rich and live in costly houses which
are said to be handsomely furnished.
Russian officials live in the most at
tractive homes.
Upon the summit Of mighty rock
upon a promontory projecting from
ridge rising several hundred feet above a
river that bathes its base is an Oh cita-
del built I'm the twelfth century by
Georgian kings to defend Tiflis against
Persian invasion. 1t is a mighty mass
Of brick masonry. but was abandon
ed a hundred years ago.
The ruins are we'll cared for and the
government has made q botanical garden
which is creditable in the old moat and
the approaches that surround the fortifi-
cations: I notice a number of American
trees. tagged in English. with the botan-
ical and the common anne and acknowl-
edgments to the Depa rtment Of Agricul-
ture at Washington, from which they
came.
Across the gulch which surrounds the
garden is a gloomy old cemetery filled
with Tartar tombs. They spell the name
'Tatar" now, and say that it is the
only proper way, but you must admit
that 1t isn't SO forcible.
''Timur the Tartar" could only have
been bold and belligerent oriental
chieftain. with dozen wives and a sta
BILE of Arabian chargers with names and
tails like thunder clouds and hoofs shod
with fire. "Timur the Tatar" might just
as well have been a cook.
And what would become of the old
saying, more familiar to England than
to us. IL they adopt the new way of
spelling. How would it sound to say:
Scratch Russian and you find a
Tatar"?
They pronounce it "Tottaar-r-r." in a
most savage way, putting all the RS on
the end instead of leaving one for the
first syllable.
Tartars Are in Debt.
The Tartars are as careless and indif-
ferent about money matters as the Ar
menians are keen and cunning, and are
always in debt to the latter. which makes
hatred, Of course. No man loves his
creditors.
The Tartars, who are Mohammedans.
abominate the Armenians as much as the
kurds dO-frst. because they are Chris
tians; second, because they are money
makers, economical, frugal and thrifty
and finally because they won't fight
The Tartars care nothing for money
nor for property of any kind, except that
they love their horses and their wives
and children alike and are extremely
he fa
ment and devotion of this rough and
turbulent race is said to be an example
for all the rest Of mankind.
The Tartars have been the terror of
Asia for centuries. You have reed, of
course, about the invasions of the Tartar
hordes from time to time that have over
run the eastern part of Europe. They
are always fierce, always restless and do
not thrive under the restraints Of civiliza-
ton.
Tartar Spells for Fight.
A Tartar will fight his weight in wild
cats on any provocation. An Armenian
is man Of peace.
Not long ago there was an information
whose settlements adjoin on the east side
Of the river. 1 cannot find out how 1t
began. but it was over some trifle that
everybody has forgotten. 1t waxed more
serious daily.
When the Armenians, who have been
butchered mercilessly for ages in Turkey
as weil as in the Caucasus, saw the
bloodthirsty Tartars sharpening their
knives they sent a committee TO the
viceroy to plead for protection. The
viceroy, humane man, understood the
situation. but, naturally. did not care to
butt in, for fear Of exciting luminosity
against the government.
Hence he instructed the leaders of both
races to appoint committees of repre-
sentative men to discuss the troubles
with him. The delegates were selected
and came to the palace. They went over
the history of the feud from its primal
causes to the present moment and then
each side submitted arguments
The viceroy. having heard them