Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-05

II
II ceived as much publicity in the
United States as Armenia. For
many years American newspa-
pers magazines, lecturers and clergy
men have been portraying the said
conditions through which the unhap-
py people of that faraway country
were passing. But, despite this pub
Washington or other sections of the
United States have any clear or def
mite idea of the tortures to which
Armenians are Oftentimes subjected.
1t is almost impossible to visualize
things of that kind when they take
place at a distance Of several thou
sand miles.
The recent arrival of little four
teen-year- old Armenian lass at the
home of her brother in Takoma Park
has aroused unusual interest in Ar
menian conditions among Washing
tonians. The name of this trouble
tossed child is Serapi CARING. Her
brother. Arthur CARING, is employed
as corpsman in the physio-therapy de-
partment of Walter Reed Hospital.
Upon first seeing this child. ones
curiosity'is strangely aroused by the
peculiar marks on her forehead.
cheeks and chin. To the average per-
son these strange markings are alb
solutely Questionable. The full hor-
ror Of the situation does not dawn
upon those who are looking at the
little girl until it is explained that the
marks were tattooed by a Turkish
woman. In speaking of this particu-
lar phase Of her unhappy life Serapi
said: They tied me securely and held
I ma nd havn -, 80
turks looking on, woman who
makes business of that kind of work
marked the Turkish crescent and
stars on my forehead, cheeks and
chin. 1t panied me greatly for sew
eral weeks"
AT the breaking out of the world
war, Serapi was a happy little young
ster living with her parents. brothers
and sister at Ovajik, Turkey. The
father was a merchant OF considera BILE
wealth. The mother was a devout
Christian
On summer day in 1914, band Of
Turks suddenly appeared in the viii
! iage OF Ovajik. They quickly assem-
bled all of the Armenian men between
the ages OF twenty and forty, and an
nounced that they must become SOL
diers in the Turkish army This meant
the sad separation of Serapi and her
brother. The old men that were left
were notified to meet at the village
school on the following day. There
was no alternative but to obey this
command With worried foreboding
as to what might be in store for
them and their loved ones, they silent
~ made their way to the school build
ing. They We're brusquely addressed
by a Turkish functionary, who in
formed them that all Armenians-
men, women and 'children-would be
given four days. in which to make
preparations to leave their homes and
go wherever they were commanded.
In the meantime, every Armenian
home. was painstakingly searched for
secreted knives. guns. or other wea-
pons. Unfortunately. in the home of
fact. that the husband Of this aunt
was then serving as soldier in the
Turkish army did not lessen the fury
OF the Turks. The aunt was roughly
seized and dragged through the pub
lie streets to the schoo1house, where
sne was numerically beaten. So bit
terly incensed were the Turks that
for time they threatened to wreak
vengeance on all Armenians by sepa
rating the men. women and children
from each other and driving them
alone into the desert. instead of by
families. as was the usual custom.
True to- their brutal decree, the
Turkish soldiers made their appear
! ance at the expiration of the fourth
day and CURLY told the fathers and
mothers to get their children out on
/ the highway and. be prepared to
march.
| With tear-bedimmed backward
glances at their once happy homes,
| this distressed and miserable COM
pany of mothers. fathers and children
! commenced their weary plodding
along the rough road. knowing not
where they were to be taken. When
ever any Of the party became wearied
| and begged for a few minutes rest
| the Turk soldiers would fiendishly or
der them to proceed.
Knowing that all grown people were
liable to undergo a thorough search
{; ing at any time. the family funds of