The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-05-17
HUMAN INTEREST STORIES


An Armenian girl writes from
Erivan TO her elder sister, "Ahl dear,
long tor you exceedingly. 1 often
think OF those sweet school days
which we spent with you, happy and
careiree, without even dreaming that
we would come to such bitter days as
these when we should all be widely
separated and never see each other
again. My life is very empty, now
that we have lost our dear and idol
ized brother; it is also dreadful to
think OF my companions who are in
the talons of the cruel Turks, as
Sarah, Leah and others
Arabs and Turks holding Armenians
bargain with relief workers for a tair
price tor their captIves. One dollar
or Whereabouts, often buys an Ar
menian. But the transaction 10 not
always easy to start. Mr.. Lazy writes
from Bagdad, although we are
making efforts TO get into touch with
the many Armenians among the Arabs
outside, IN order to purchase them, up
until now we have not managed any
thing definite and the unsetned coun-
try, owing to military operations,
makes the task very difficult. We
hope the way will eventually open Tor
getting hold oil most OF these capt.ves.
In this case we shall have to make a
quick call on all the funds we have"
In a deserted village ( Asia Miner
one OF our missionaries me upon a
little girl Gbout ten years OF age sit
ting on doorstep. Her mind was
absolutely blank. She was taken to
the Relief station, and it was learned
later that this poor child had seen
every member OF her family killed be-
lore her eyes.
Speaking OF blanket distribution IN
Aleppo, a relief worker writes, Il feel
very sure that none have gone toSpeo-
pie who had adequate covering, but 1t
IS quite possible that i'll some cases a
quit has gone to three people where
it might have gone to live, who per-
maps nave been lett qulltless. these
quits, by the way, are pretty SUD
stantlal things, filled with wool. MOST
oil them have been given out unmade
and the women will nave to sew them
themselves. In good many cases l
have told the people that those who
knew how must help tn Sc who don't
know how, and so have share IN
helping work. We have to watch that
hungry people don't sell the material
tor food"
Ernest Z. Lazy writes from Bagdad
The stories of horrors, etc, are SINH
lar from all quarters. There is nc
need for one to say over again what
has often been said before. But it is
impossible to exaggerate the CT city
and fiendishness OF the deeds perpe-
trated."
Three stories illustrate the condi
tions i'll which the Turks left their vic
TINS in Jerusalem. Relief worker:
found little ten-year-old girl with ;
blinded father, the sole survivors Of ;
large family. A prominent Jew wa
brutality shot by Turk h captain ant
lay helpless i'll the street three day
before the British entered. A Syrian
4 compelled by the Turks to handl
/ dynamite, was found with both hand
blown off, his wife and four youni
i. children in want and wretched.
In January, 1918, twenty-five
4 Armenian exiles reached Port Sal
after uncomfortable sufferings. Fo
two and half years they had wan
dered from a village near Caesare
through the Asia Minor mountain
/: and Arabian deserts. Two hundre
and twenty-seven Of their felloN
townsmen had persisted on the way.
Every refugee has story, from tn
lad who escaped through the Turks
lines-traveling by night and sleepin
in caves by day, bribing soldiers an
!, officials until he found his way int
: an American consulate-to the mothe
who left her child on the steps of a
Americans home with few word
on bit of paper: Il cannot feed i
| know you'll not let my baby starve,
A l4-year-old girl tells remark
i able story of her ll-months' car
tivity among the Kurds in Persi;
Only through her force of will wa
she able to save herself from marriag,
first to an elderly Kurd, later to tn