Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-18

TATHER RUPEN Will be angry with you,
Aurora; he will scold dreadfully!"
My older sister, lausanne, stood in
the doorway of my room on the second floor Of
our home She had caught standing before
the mirror, patting two big bows of yellow rib
bon had tied on the braids of hair that fell over
my shoulders.
lausanne always was prm and quiet. Che
often cross with me because of my love for yell
low ribbons. She would say Father Rupen, our
priest. had told her it was not we'll for girls to
wear too many ribbons until they were married
But every one in city, Tchemesh-G edzak,
which was built by King Solomon 500 years be-
fore Christ and was the "Ophr" of Solomon's
mines was especially happy that Easter Sunday
morning. Turkey had been at war five months
then, and every day news had come to us that
the Sultan was pleased with Armenian
brothers who had been drafted into his army.
TO our parents that sign the Sultan would
surely be grateful to his Christian subjects in
Armenia and let us live forever at peace.
Father Rupen had been greatly worried for
US when the war broke out, and could no
longer count upon protection from England and
France. But gradually he had lost his fear
So he wanted to make this Easter service great
rejoicing. l was sure he would forgive me for
showing my own happiness by wearing the rib
bons had coaxcd my mother into giving me.
] just about TO tell lausanne that l would
or not when my mother came into the room She
stopped just inside the door and leaned against
the wal She did not say word-just looked
at me. II started to speak to her--to ask her if
something were wrong but suddenly terrible
fear came over me. didn't know what it was
but it seemed to be forcboding
Mother. what is it?' cried. She did not
answer, but silently pointed to the window. Lu-
same and / ran at to look down into the
street. There at the gate to our yard were three
Turkish gendarmcs, each with rife, standing
rigidly on guard. On their arms was the red
band that marked them personal attendants
of Passelt Pacha. military governor Of our
district
Iturncd to my mother for an explanation. She
had fallen in heap the floor and crying
She didn I speak, but pointed with her hand and
knew that PasSclt Pacha had come to our house
and was downstairs. Then my happiness was
gone, and |, too. fell to the floor and cried
Somehow felt that the end had come-and
was ri ght!
For long time the powerful Passelt Pacha
who was Very rich and friend Of the Sultan
himself, had wanted me for his harcm. His big
house sat III the midst Of beautiful gardens, Just
outside the city. There he had gathered more
than score of the prcttiest Christian girls from
the surrounding towns. In SYRIA and Armenia
the Mutassarif Turkish military governor, is
official Of great power. He accepts no orders
except those that come direct from the Sultan
and, as rule, he is cruel and nutocratc
1t is dangerous for an Armenian father TO dis
please the Mutassarif When this representative
of the Sultan sees pretty Armenian or Syrian
girl he would like TO add to his harcm there are
many ways he can go about getting her The
way Of PasSet Pacha was TO buntly ask her
father TO sell or give her TO him. with a yelled
threat that if the father refused he would be per
secuted To make the sale Of the girl legal and
give the Mutassarif the right to make her hie
concubine it was necessary only for him TO torture
inf fOrnc Clriu+
hIohamInedan
Three times Passelt Pacha had asked nv fe,he,
70 give me to him Three times my father haG