The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1910-03-31
in ASIATIC TURKEY

Hiss Eunice Atkins Writes Entertain.
ingly of Her Missionary Work
Among the Armenians.
Strange Customs of the People-dirls
Harry at I3-Women Get the
Worstof 1t All the Time.
[NoTE.-Miss Eun1ce M. Atkins OF Elk River,
now missionary teacher at Erzroom Asiatic
turkey, has typewriter little booklet, CIV
Ing her experience in her work, which has been
circulated among her friends. So many want
to read the booklet that the on publishes
1t just as Miss Atkins wrote it, Extra copies
OF this paper have been furnished Miss Blanche
Atkins of Elk River, Mimi, and she will for
ward copy to any address upon receipt of 10
cents The money derived from the sale of
the papers will be forwarded to Miss Eunice
Atkins at Erzroom, to be used for the benefit OF
her needy pupils-and they are all needy. Miss
Eunice Atkins is a graduate of Hamline uni
Verslty, and that institution never graduated q
truer or brighter young woman-she is pure
it is interesting reading all the same. The
Stapletons, Miss Bushnell and DR.. Underwood
referred to by Miss Atkins are connected with
the mission. Get a copy of this paper from
Miss Blanche Atkins, Elk River, or at the
q mon office. and send it to friend The
price of one paper 90 cents) may make some
poor girl in Asiatic Turkey harpy.-PUB.
UNION
INTRODUCTION.
remarked the other day that I kept
thinking of more things about which I
wanted to write to our missionary So
ciety at home, and that I thought
would have to take day off and write
them a whole volume. The next day
Miss Bushnell went to the market, and
when she returned she handed me this
little book saying, "That's the volume
for your missionary society,"" She
had no idea that would use it, but I
am sure that it will be no trouble to
fill it,, so am going to begin it to-
day, and then write more Whenever 1
get time.
THANKSGIVING DAY.
That seems like very long time
ago, now, but it was very interesting
at the time. You didn't suppose that
we celebrated Thanksgiving day in
Turkey, did you? Well, of course
nobody, except those in the American
schools, does celebrate it: but we
Americans don't intend to give up a
holiday like that-especially when
Turkey is all around us.
We had Thanksgiving exercises in
the morning, together with the boys
school, which is just across the street
from ours. In one way, the program
was much like such one at home-a
lot of recitations, exercises with a lot
OF children in them, few songs, etc.
But the interesting feature of the pro-
gram was the fact that some parts
were in Turkish, some in Armenian,
and some in English. One never
knew, when pupil got up to recite,
what language his was to be. And
there was one exercise by about rs
boys, who marched in with banners,
bearing the words ''Freedom, Liberty,
Justice, Equality"- new motto of
Turkey-in all three languages. I
could read the English and Armenian.
but the Turkish is an awful mess of
hen-tracks. It is read backward, like
Chinese; and there are four different
ways Of writing each one of the 38
letters in their alphabet. So
you may be sure that I am glad that
am learning Armenian, not Turkish.
After those boys had gone through a
little drill, they lined up like soldiers,
and the captain put them through
some sort of a catechism. His oues-
tlons were all in Armenian, but the
answers we're English, Turkish and
Armenian scripture. Then they sang
hymn-one verse in each language
and marched off again. One bow
about II years old recited the 55th
chapter OF Isaiah in Turkish, with
gestures. 1t was fine, and even the
few Turkish men in the audience, ap-
plauded when he finished.
But, of course, as at home, the din
ner was the important thing that day,
Miss Bushnell and I entertained the
rest of the station. There we're seven
grown people and seven children at
the table. We had two turkeys-they
can't be persuaded to grow very big
even if we'll fed-mashed potatoes,
canned green peas, bread-white
bread-and butter! The butter was
out OF can that had been shipped
from London. And we had some
currant jelly, off the bushes in our
uard ot Ellz R;uo. IT,. :,