The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-11-03

Haidar Pacha then cleared out the monastery Of an
its relics and religious symbols Among these
things which very dear to my people. There was
for instance the lance which pierced the side of Jesus
the Crueifxion.
What has become of this and other things that were
associated with Christ himself and kept by the fathers
this monastery do not know 1t IS said they were taken
to Damascus and placed in mosque there to be rdicued
by the Moslems.
When the monastery was cleared Haidar Pacha gath
cred from among the Armenians, who then being
taken out of the city, number of Armenian girls of the
best families and confined them in the monastery. He
then seized hundreds of Armenian girl children from to
IL years DID, and shut them up in the monastery to
taught the Moslem religion and raised Moslems He
compelled the older girls teach them the beliefs of
Ilam under penalty of the most awful cruetes To this
monastery then rich Turks from all over Asia Minor
to select many little girls they wished and could buy
for their haremswhere they would grow up to be sub
missive slaves.
While we waiting outside the city for the Zap
eths to dispose OF us according to whatever their plans
might be saw coming toward US, out of city gate
company OF Hamidieh, or Kurd cavalry with a supply
train OF dOnkeys and arabas which indicated long Jour
ney ahead There must have been full regiment of the
horsemen they filed the plain outside the city while
forming their line of march.
When they drew near to pass within a hundred
yards or So saw little group of women and children
riding on donkeys and ponies between the lines of horse
unusual sght-Armenians under protection instead of
under guard. In those days my curiosity had been
sunted So many unusual things went on about me all
the time had lost my of interest in anything that
did not actually concern But something seemed to
hold my attention to this strange looking company
got up from the ground where sitting and
went to the edge OF camp to watch the soldiers pass
ing The first lines went by. The Armenian women
came nearer. Suddenly all the world about me seemed
lost in haze rushed in between the horses screaming
at the top of my voice:
"Mother! Motherl Motherp'
She heard, and little Hovan and Mardros and Sarah
heard Mother slid to the ground ran up to her n
tried to throw my arms around her neck while my little
brothers and sister chung to But mother caught nv
arms and held them Her eyes closed and she was
fear came over me- Had she gone madf Had she lost
her speechH
screamed-this time with anguish Mother opened
her eyes.
BE patient, my daughter" she said with the dear
sweet genteness for which all friends had loved her
BE patient my daughter was just talking with God
thanking Him that my prayers have come truel When
l had kissed and cried Hovan aud Mardros and
Sarah looked again into mothers face.
Little Arruca-she was not there Mother saw the
question in my eyes,
''Arrucia has gone-like Emin and lausanne She grew
tired day and could not keep up. soldier threw
her over precipieeP'
An officer of the Hamideh came up to learn what was
happening why mother and the children had dismounted
to stand in the way of the moving horsemen Mother
explained to him that her daughter who had como
back to her She said she wished that might travel
with her The officer was kind. He gave permission
and promised to send another donkey for me to ride
There were four young Armenian girls with mothei
and several older whose faces bore the mraks
much suffering AS we rode along mother explained
to me.
When l was stolen from her and our party from