Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-05
Little Armenian Girl, Now Living in Takoma
Park Rescued From Turkish Slavery by Brother

wee lassie but. knowing that her
days on earth were numbered, che
turned the child over to the old chief.
begging him to be good to the little
one. While this was going on the
father was killed. and but a short
time later the mother met the same
fate. These atrocities were followed
by one still more heart-rendipg. The
eyes of Scraps older sister were cut
out. resulting in death.
In the light of subsequent events.
however. it was fortunate that the
Respondent mother turned the child
over to the Arabian, as bad as was
that seemingly doubtful eNpedieney.
Had that course not been pursued the
probabilities are that Serapi would
have been put to death along with
thousands of others. Upon ARRIVING
at Der ell Zor the Turks surrounded
the thousands Of Armenians snd
while the bands played loudly. so AS
to drown the agonizing cries. the SOL
diers fired volley after volley until
the dead and dying lay in heaps upon
the ground. \ few that were only
slightly wounded escaped immediate
death by covering themselves with
the lifeless bodies Of their country
men. and. under cover of the night.
escaped to the banks of the Euphrates
river. But during the night there
was a sudden rise in the stream and
all of them were drowned. One. it
was subsequently learned. was
brother of the forlorn little slave
girl.
Just before the mother turned her
child over to the chief. she whispered
to her to always remember that two
of her older brothers lived in Amer
lea! and to go to them some day IL
she could possibly do so: also that
another brother was a soldier in the
Turkish army. During the ENSUING
dark days this advice was CONSTANT,
kept in mind. and acted upon at TIA
earliest opportunity.
The old Arabian chief seemed to en-
tertair. kindly feeling toward til
child, which he manifested by ar
nouncing that he was going to MARI:
her to his son. who was then Thirteen
years old. The chief was a muchE
married man in his time. When the
Armenian child entered his household
he was living with spouse number
six. who. FROM all accounts, wss
something of an untamed shrew. She
welcomed the child by turning over
to her the family washing and cook
ing, and other odd jobs. such az gath
| ering wood and herding a flock of
sheep. Serapi sayly admits that she
much preferred associating with the
sheep to remaining in the one-room.
barn-like home of the chief. where his
ill-tempered wife was in the habit Of
| giving vent to her temper by, grab
| bling her by the hair and violently
| pulling It,
To avoid marrying the Arab boy
Serapi acquired the habit Of running
away from the ancestral shack Of hef
Arabian father. She was promptly re-
turned until the last runaway. when
she took refuge with friendly
Armenian Arabian, who talked thingt
| over with the chief persuading him ts
postpone the wedding for one year
This arrangement renewed the girFs
hopes and she daily intefspersed he
sheep herding with earnest prayer
| for her brothers TO come and rescu
her before the end OF the fateful year
| Shortly after the signing OF the ar
mistice she was tending her mock q
$50 sheep on the outskirts OF q small
village. several hours walk fron
| home. when some one CHANGED to re
mark that an Armenian man VIZ
passing through the town. She ia
after him and told her name ar
breathlessly inquired IL he happenc,
to know her brother in the army. H.
/ replied that he did. but before any
, thing further could be said she ""
taken away by the chief. who W.
also riding through the village. tn:
chance meeting with her countrym.
| proved to be exceedingly fortuna
At the earliest opportunity he &c
word to the brother. who was In Cor
stantinople. informing him OF h.:
sisters whereabouts.
| Armenia was now supposed to b.
free; and. therefore. the brother ex'
perienced little difficulty in prevaf1fn
upon the governmental authorities T.
give him an escort of two soldiers t.
assist in finding and rescuing the
long sister. He located her
| Just two weeks before she was t.
marry the hated Arab boy.
| It's long distance from Armenia
1 to Takoma Park.
Also there's a big difference b.
! tween Armenia and Takoma Park.
That's why Serapi smilingly say
81 am so very happy to be here.
love this country"