Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-03-04
FROM ARMENIAN MIS-.
- SIONARY.

AfLETTER FROM ARMENIAN mis-
Y. sloNARY. " -
, Mrs. Bessie Heath Smith, WI
with her husband, is in the missio
= fields of Turkey, writes an entertail
ing and interesting letter of the
experiences, and general conditions
they find them in that land. Mr.,
Smith is "a daughter of, Mr.. job
Heath of this city, and is pleasant
remembered, by many of the young
er people of Manchester. Throug
the kindness of Mrs Smiths father
Mr.. Heath, The Democrat is abb
to print the following from a lette
which Mr.. Heath received fes
days ago: 4 GI5l a..
Yesterday I went to the city 70
the first time. L wanted to ge
some little things for the servants
The Armenian Christmas is Januar,
10 this year.. and Mrs. Merrill wal
going SO she invited me to keel
her company. / was glad, for cam
count the money very well yet, anC
don't know enough Turkish to ash
for things. OF course you can imag
inc what the streets Of an orienta.
city are like, narrow, dirty, anl
with an open sewer down the mid
die. Just now in the winter time
the mud is ankle deep in places. OF
course there are no sidewalks. We
met one or two donkeys. The driv.
er calls out two or three times, Let
it not hit you,'' and then his respon.
sibility ends. If it does 'rhit your it
is all your fault. Several horsemen
also passed us, and though there
We're no police men to tell us to
step lively, yet we thought better
to do so. Then imagine that the
streets are all humps and hollows
and you will readily see that it is
difficult even to keep ones balance.
Mrs. Merrill would have fallen once
II she had not run into Turkish
woman and recovered her balance.
Many of the people wear wooden
clogs in muddy weather. They look
as it they would not be easy to walk
in, but the bright pink, red, green,
or striped stockings above them
doubtless make them more comfort
able. Z: S5sss
AS we were going along Mrs. Mer-
rill said: you like helva, don't
you. Come and see how they make
IT,, and she pulled over. to an open
shop at the side Of the street. Now
'helva" is the name Of various kinds
Of sweets. The kind we often have
is made partly from crushed sesame
seed. What saw In the shop was
a huge stone vat of very dark liquid
which a man was slapping up against
the sides with a long paddle. In an
other corner a man was stirring a
mass of the stuff with an old twig
broom, while in his mouth was a
cigarette, the ashes of which appear
ed just ready to fall. This mass
nad become quite white from the
beating and afterwards nuts would
oe auaed to it. The kind describ-
I'D first is light brown when finish
ed. Then there is a, kind which is
light and fluffy like the cotton can
ly we used to get at the fairs.
The stores here have more things |
han expected ana some very pref
" trimming. While we were max
ng our purchases the other people |
n the Store discussed the good ahnsI
Dad qualities OF the different arti-il
lies, nelped us count our money!
md charged the gshopkeeper to pur
everything into the bundle. ! bought
myself one present, a brass bowl
Which the people use for pouring
water over themselves in the bath.
t is very pretty, don't know just
what Will use it for. We went in
o one shop to get a Turkish towel.
there were several men in there
pho were holding an interesting con-
ersattan with the merchant. We
wanted ook at some Ibath-robes on
ne OF the shelves and intimated as
ouch to his majesty, but he paid no
ttention whatever, and went on CIV
ng his views. of the political situa-
ion or whatever the subject in hand
vas. Finally we appealed to lit
le boy, who seemed to have time
0 attend to us.
Next we went to the dentists for
lrs. Merrill to have some work done.
ie was sitting In his waiting room
Jumped over a little pan OF coals,
almly reading dental magazines.
1rs. Ms work took about an hour.
IS we were about to 60, he asked
le how the baby was. She answer
d for me, 20, he's fine boy The
enlist has been in England ana
alks English quite we'll. He said
>; her in Turkish, MAY your next
ne be a boy. She laughed after
ards but was quite taken aback at i
lrst. suppose the people pity her
ecause both her children are girls.
On our way home we passed some
objections of low domes of varying
eights, in which were several panes
glass. Mrs. M. said That is a
'urkish BATH, and led me up to the
oor from which staircase led
own. AS we turned away a man
cross the street shouts, go down
nd look if you want to-. So we
lrned back and went down the
tairway. The first room was a
ressing room with platforms all
round the sides, where they spread
heir rugs and dress and undress.
everal women and children were in
ere. Next came another. dressing !
Dom, a little warmer than the first.
hen we went into room with. a
lrge tank in the center Around
le sides are inches with hot water,
nd private rooms open off which
lay be rented it you wish to be ex-
lusive. Each of these has stone
asin of hot and cold water. The
tone floors are all heated and
lough Mrs. M. said it wasn't nearly
p to the required temperature III
ould hardly draw my breath. And {
could imagine how I would feel to 7
E in there with fifty or hundred !
urkish women with all the steam, f
lrt and food which is brought. How t
yer, it all looked very clean when t
9 were there. The men go in in |.
le morning. About noon the wo-
zen begin to come,s and they are
)le possessors until sunset.
Well felt as if I had spent
cry interesting morning. had f
1T Arthur with Mrs. Fowler and 1 | I
less he was pretty glad to see me. q
The native women sit on the floor t