The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-02-24

The everlasting strife 6etWee'
Aymenians and Kurds in the terri
torn where Russia, Persia and Tur
key adjoin, is the theme of the Ar
menian story given here. Its seem
is IN the present field of War.. 1
Is from Aharoneaa,s tale, "Blaes til,
Or"
Chsro, the Armenian hunter, caret
for weather as little as did the bear.
and wolves that he fought. He sui
fered natures cruelties as stubbornl,
as did the rocks of his native noun
tains. His continual strife, his CON
tinuaI shedding of blood, had given
him not only the courage Of a beast
OF prey but the silence Of one.
Silent and unsmiling, he brought his
trophies to the village. Silent and
unsniIing, he bore them past the nd.
miring people. Silent and unsmilinR
he departed.
But one day he entered the village
smiling. On his back was strange,
n horrible burden. 1t was not a dead
wild beast, but prey heavier and far
more noble. And Chsro smiled under
this burden. With q terrible, fatal
smile Chsro smiled as he stopped be-
meath the body Of his only son.
"See Chsro's trophy I" he cried, when
the villagers gathered. "Whose prey
is this? It Is the prey of the Kurds
i hunt wild beasts! They hunt Ar
menians!"
The SON had been killed by Kurdish
raiders while he was trying to defend
from them the pair of oxen with which
he had been blowing.
And Chsro went back to his noun
tains and lay In wait-but not for ami
mails. He did not turn his steps home
ward again until he had drunk out Of
his followed hand the blood Of the
Kurds who had slain his son.
When he re-entered the village the
neighbors clamored that it had been
raided in his absence and that his
daughter and his sons widow had been
carried off. Chsro listened. Without
word or sob, he listened, turned
away, and disappeared.
After many days he came back and
did something that struck the village
dumb. He gathered his possessions,
piled them in his house and set all on
fire. When the last glowing rafter had
fallen. he took his little grandson
Trumo by the hand and went away.
None Of the village ever saw him
again, but before many days they
learned Of the terrible deed that the
iron man had done previously to burn
ing his house. He had crept to the
Kurdish stronghold and had stabbed
the two captured women to death, that
the outrage to his family honor might
vanish from the earth.
Chsro and his little Thumo wan
dered, clinging to existence by every
means that misery could devise. AS
they went on, begging, starving, freez-
ing, the old hunters mind became sick.
Thumo's great, blue eyes made him
shudder; for they were the eyes Of |
his unhappy mother, whose innocent |
blood had poured dreadfully over the
hunters hand when he stabbed her.
He began to forget why he had slain |
his dear ones. Only the horror, the |
heartlessness Of his deed survived In |
his memory. He suffered dim tor
ments by day. Vivid phantoms tor
tured him atsnight. If It had not been |
that he must remain alive to care for |
little Thumo. his practiced hand
would have sent the steel into his own /
throat, and he would have gone to God
TO tell his tale-such q tale, thought
old Chsro sobblng. that heaven would
shudder, the angels would wall and tho
splendid stars lose light.
Weary. wretched and ragged, they
came ut hast into town where there
was q bazsar. Chsro and Thumo sat
down against q wall TO ret the warmth
Of o meager sun. Suddenly the old
man, looking at the busy market
scene, began TO weep.
Little Thumo looked In the direction
of his grandfather's gaze. He saw a
Kurd with beautiful or.
"Blaes, grandfather, our Blaes!"
the child. He ran to the OK
and began to Kiss the broad forehead
between the soft gentle eyes.
The Kurd, suspecting instantly that
.hese must be the previous owners Of
he animal, tried to drive It away:
,ut the child clung to the great, siIken
,ar, and the powerful brute stood OBJ
stilL seeking Thumo,s cheek
With his muxxle. II
ut is not thine!'' said the Kurd
'oftly. my life ON It'll Come, child,
md let him sol" Ii
He tried to loose the boys hold on I
he OK. Grandfather Grandfather r., |
vailed Thumo. In
A croyd had gathered. Chsro could
lot see what was happening. He could I
My hear his grandchild scream. In
tant fury seized him. He sprang up,
roke through the crowd, and leaped
{ the Kurd. gripping his throat.
The Kurd struggled. he tore the
air from Chsr0's head. But the nery- | 1
us old hands were as iron rings. and .
nth q hoarse growl the Arnenian,s I
- 9fc &&so xc~~N.- 4