V
THE SOIL of Armenia, land of
many miseries and massacres,
is drinking the blood of her
Christian martyrs again. To
the memory of the most of us
it seems as if the Christian nations
have always been protesting against
Armenian butcheries by the Turks.
It is a singular land, that in which
the Turks are putting so many men,
women and children to the sword. It
is a land so old, reaching so far back
into the morning mists of history that
the earliest legends of the human race
point to it as the birthplace of man
kind. There rise the headwaters of
the River Euphrates, which flows on
through the Garden of Eden. Mount
Ararat lifts its sublime head above the
plain of those massacres with the
same placid oblivion to human cries
and pangs that it showed when Noah's
Ark rested there.
The very village founded by Noah
and his family when they emerged
from the Ark is yet there, the oldest
inhabited town in the world.
The Armenian is the oldest branch
of Aryan stock on this earth. They
trace their descent back to Japbet,
grandson of Noah. That may or may
not be true, but certain it is that
from that land in the shadow of Ar
arat, somewhere in the oegion now
generally designated as Armenia, the
human race first began that process
of migration and development that has
led to the peopling of every corner
of the earth.
Sacred Treasure of Armenia.
In the southern Caucasus, near the
meeting point of Persia. Russia and
Turkey, is situated the most treas
been unusually severe, long and hero
ic, little is known of Echmladzir
among the peoples of the West.
The library of Echmiadzin is a
treasure store of Armenian documents
and literature, and on its shelves are
kept some remarkable manuscripts ol
the gospels, dating from the ninth
and tenth centuries. The monks main
tain a type foundry and a printing
press, and they have accomplished
great things for the education of theii
people and for the development of Ar
menian literature. The academy con
nected with Echmiadzin is one of the
first educational institutions in the Ar
menian world, and many of its pupils
do excellent graduate work In German
and Russian universities. It was
founded under Catholicus George IV
in 1873, and regularly trains between
200 and 300 boys.
Ani is a remarkable ruined Ar
menian city in the heart of the Cau
casus battlefields. Its thick, crum
bling walls and the ragged foundations
of its ancient buildings, mayhap, have
served, since the outbreak of the great
war, as defenses for the Russian or
Turkish soldiers. Ani is the Ar
menian Pompeii.
i The ruins lie in a rolling, parched,
upland country, almost deserted. They
are near the Alexandropol-Erivan rail
i way, a little more than thirty miles
south of Alexandropol, and some thir
ty-five miles from the Russo-Ottoman
boundary. There is a steep hill to
the south and east of the storied cap
ital of the old Armenian kingdom,
and through a tortuous gorge beside
the dead city flows the Arpa Chai, a
i weird, bright-green river.
Ani was once a famous, splendid
I
puins or ani
ured and sacred possession of the Ar
menian nation, the monastery and
cathedral of Echmiadzin, the Holy See
of Armenian Christians, the heart of
the Armenian nation, and the source
of that strength which has held to
gether and guided the Armenians
through centuries of persecution, war
fare and massacre, says a bulletin of
the National Geographic society. Ech
miadzin is the seat of the catholicus,
or primate, of the Gregorian Armenian
church,
Mount Ararat lies just to the south
of the venerable Armenian see. Here
runs the Russo-Turkish frontier, while
a few miles to the southeast lies Per
sia. The monastery lies about 3,000
feet above the sea, 40 miles north of
Ararat, and 12 miles west of Erivan,
the capital of the Russian government
in which it is situated. The Armenian
Rome is surrounded by massive, gray
mud walls, which inclose the mon
astery, the cathedral and an academy.
The buildings are arranged around a
great quadrangle, in the center of
which stands the cathedral of St. Greg
ory the Illuminator, a church of more
ancient beginnings than- even far
famed Santa Sophia of Constantinople.
It has been the bulwark of Christian
ity against the barbarians of Asia
since 302, and, though its fight has
capital, the "city with the 1,001
churches,” whose influence extended
throughout the Caucasus, and as far
as England in the West. All that re
main of its population are an aged
Armenian monk, the director of ex
cavations and the pleasant host to
stray antiquarians and other tourists
to places out of the way, and a few
Armenian peasants.
The ancient capital was built upon
a promontory, out by the Arpa Chai
and a small tributary stream. Across
the third side its founders had cut a
ditch, making their city floor a raised
platform, which gave it great advan
tages for defense in the days before
cannon could hurl their destruction
from the neighboring heights. Anl
was a strong fortress in its heyday,
and its powerful walls, with their
many towers, are still standing, strung
around the plain. The walls have
largely decayed, however, through the
centuries in which the city has lain
quiet and unpeopled.
Back of the walls lie the remains
of churches, palaces ant} public places
without number, some just the heavy
groundwork, suggesting the oldtime
structure, while other buildings sur
vive in high, ragged masonry. The
cathedral stands unbroken, a solitary,
weather-torn edifice.
PRACTICAL AID FOR CUPID
English Novelist Proposes a Quarterly
Assembly of Young People Who
Desire to Get Married.
Surely something better could be
done than the leaving of everything
to chance in matrimony, according to
an English novelist. Could there not
be a national quarterly assembly held
under suitable auspices of all persons
desiring to get married, and not quite
suited, at which the mere presence
of the parties would be an intimation
of their desire for marriage, without
in the least committing them in any
way?
As almost every one desires to get
married, provided the proper person
can be found, the mere admission of
desire by presence at any assembly
need not trouble any bashful maiden.
Besides, these functions would prob
ably become so popular in a short time
that they would serve their purpose
equally well although the original ob
ject of the institution might not al
ways be present to the minds of the
assemblers.
Zx> •-I'*- ,jV<.
In any event, what clearly Is re
quired is that somehow the Affinities
should meet, and it would set>u to re
quire organization on a large &cale to
obtain the greatest national tenefit.
The Missing Stopper.
A South side man who is overly
particular about having his house in
order, said to his wife one evening
recently:
"On a shelf in the kitchen 1 noticed
a bottle with no cork in it.”
"On a shelf in the kitchen?"
"Yes.”
“That’s queer, because I can’t think
what it can be.”
“It’s a bottle with 'some red stuS
in it.”
"That’s cough sirup.”
"It shouldn’t be uncorked.”
“I had the stopper in it.”
“What kind of a stopper?"
The wife, who isn’t so particular
about little things, and who doesnt
care who knows it, admitted with no
misgivings:
“I put a peanut in the top. I guess
one of the children ^iust have eaten
it”—Youngstown Telegram.
RULER OF SIAM
HAS RESOLVED
HEVERIO WED
Educated in Europe His Mind Re
volts at Requirement to
Marry Sister.
ILLITERACY UNKNOWN THERE
Country Has Compulsory Education,
Military Service and Religious
Service — Women Unusually
Free in Siam, But Polyg
amy Prevails.
Fort Worth, Tex.—The king of Siam
is a sad, sad king. Not on account
of the war. for the conflict has not
had the slightest effect there; not
on account of his finances, for he re
ceives $3,000,000 annually. But be
cause he is doomed to live an unmar
ried life while his father before him
had 300 wives.
The Siamese monarch has refused
to marry of his own free will, for the
inexorable law of that country says
that a king must marry either a sis
ter or a half sister; he may not have
for a first wife a person lower in
rank. But the king recently has an
nounced that he prefers to remain
single than to marry his sister, al
though he has a romance on with a
celebrated and beautiful Oriental
dancer of Bangkok.
Advice to this effect has been
brought here by Frank Huffman, for
merly of Fort Worth, but for tho last
sixteen years a resident of Bangkok,
where he is publisher of the Daily
Mail.
For many years the Siamese won
dered why their ruler never married,
but the foreigners knew. Now that
he has told them the natives are
amazed. "Not marry a sister? What
a funny king!” they are saying.
Idea Revolts Him.
But the king, whose name is Mana
Majiravudah. spent ten years in Eng
land and graduated from Oxford, and
is as polished, refined and western as
King of Siam.
any European ruler. And of course
while in England he learned that to
marry one’s sister is abhorrent, and
he will none of it. He must abdicate
■f he would marry the girl he loves,
but the king is sensible, likes his peo
ple and will not desert them; so he
has chosen to live single. He is now
thirty-five years old.
Si&m has compulsory military serv
ice, compulsory religious service and
compulsory education. While the ac
tive standing army is no greater than
50,000, all male Siamese are required
to enlist tor two years' field service
and then spend two months of each
year in the reserves or “continentals,”
after which they pass into reserves,
ready to be called to the colors in case
of war. This is the plan just indorsed
by President Wilson to a certain ex
tent, except for the compulsory fea
ture.
Every youth at twenty-one years
must enter the priesthood whether it
be for life, a few years or three
months. The usual erm of "enlisr
raen* in the priesthood is three
months. The religion is Buddhism.
Before entering the priesthood the
young man must clear himself of all
debt, otherwise he is forbidden to en
ter the temple. Any creditor who re
leases a man about to become priest
will “make lerit” in future life.
Illiteracy Unknown.
“Although Siam may be regarded
as one of the semi-civilised nations,
illiteracy there is unknown; every in
habitant can read and write," says
Huffman. "In childh«g»d they must go
to the temples and tlie priests teach
them."
While the Siamese are most friend
ly and hospitable, they are below tho
Chinese in thrift and intelligence,
Huffman says. He says the Chinese
are one of the most intelligent races
on earth.
Kegarding women. Huffman says
that they are unusually free in Siam,
but that polygamy prevails The hus
bands keeps his wives in the back
FOR ANOTHER WINTER CAMPAIGN
During the cold weather the new sleeping bags of sheepskin will be a
great boon to the soldiers of the allied troops. The lower photograph shows
one of the men comfortably incased. The upper photograph shows how the
bags are examined and folded before shipment. Urgent calls for more and
more of such bags are made in England.
yard, where ho has a house for them.
The richer the man is, the more
wives.
When a man “goes broke” he lives
with and off of his friends until he
gets on his fee', again.
"And yet,” says Huffman, "the
Siamese do not mix like we do. They
do not call on each other or dine with
each other, and foreigners do not call
on them. Their chief outdoor sports
are kicking the rattan ball and kite
flying. A circle of men or boys will
form and keep the ball going without
touching it with hands. Expert per
formers will keep the ball in the air
halt an hour, knocking it with head,
elbows, knees and feet, but never
touching it with hands. In kite flying
rival parties will send up a male and
a female kite, so called, the male be
ing the larger. A line is drawn on
the ground. The male tries to grab
the lady kite and elope with her
across to his side of the line. The
female flyer also tries to abduct the
male to her side. Whichever is able
to carry the other wins ”
Marriage Customs.
Huffman says the young Siamese
swain never calls on his sweetheart
at her home; that would be impos
sible. He sees her outside and they
begin a flirtation. Then they meet
often, and may even elope and wed.
But usually the marriages are ar
ranged beforehand. The bridegroom
gives the parents what is called “milk
money” for the bride. This is to pay
them for the bride. When they marry
they live together in the parents'
home for a year, then go to their own
home, and perhaps the parents will
return the “milk money” to let the
young couple buy furniture and get
a good start.
Huffman employs more than one
hundred on the Daily Mail, all but
four being Orientals. He issues both
an English and a Siamese edition.
The typesetters are paid from $10 to
$10 per month—good wages in Siam.
“The same motion picture plays are
exhibited over there,” said Huffman,
“and they are attended by crowds of
the natives, who enjoy the pictures
with keen delight.
"It is very difficult to tell the men
from the women, for all wear a sort
of trousers or skirt that gives you no
chance for distinguishing. The Siam
ese takes a roll of silk about three
and a half yards long, wraps it
around the body, rolls up the loose
end tightly and then, bringing it be
tween the legs, fastens it securely to
the waist in the back.
fciepnaru uore.
For a while Huffman had charge of
timber work in a teakwood forest
where elephants are employed. He
has had much experience with the
big beasts.
“Some of them are harder to ride
than a bucking bronco,” he said.
“Some elephants will shake their
heads when the rider straddles their
neck. The rider wiil be thrown from
side to side so violently that he will
be sore for a week afterward, sore
enough, maybe, to keep in bed. Then
there are a few elephants that shrink
their skin to make it uncomfortable
for the rider. This is worse than
ever, for it makus the rider quiver
violently from head to foot and dazes
him. The female i* more docile than
the male. We used them to carry logs
to the river and then work them down
stream Sometimes when we would
have a jam we would send in a strong
elephant to break up th;» logs.”
When three or four >ears old the
elephant becomes rather mischievous.
At that age it may stand five feet
high and is very heavy. Often they
will run down a man, give him an
affectionate slap with the trunk on
his back, then run away squealing
in delight. But the gentle little slap
usually makes a man take the count.
Once in a while, Huffman says, an
elephant will kill and eat a man. He
says he knew of such a case.
Monster Gray Eagle.
Elizabethtown, Ky.—Mr. J. E. Wal
lers killed a gray eagle on his farm,
four miles east of town, Sunday eve
ning. The eagle had Just previously
killed a goose belonging to Mr. Wal
ters, who took part in the affray with
a shotgun. The-bird measured seven
feet from tip to tip of its wings.
HE KILLS THE TOWN CAT
Man Inaugurates Hunting Season by
Stirring Fire Department Into
Activity.
Hillsborough, Cal.—Killing the town
cat and rousing the tire department
of this exclusive colony into activity
was the manner in which Elliott Green,
son of Milton J. Green, former United
States referee in bankruptcy, ushered
in •’his” hunting season. Another re
sult was the arrest of the young man.
Green started out hunting, but he
couldn’t wait until he got beyond the
confines of the borough to try out bis
new shotgun. Near the town ball he
espied a quail, raised his gun and
fired. The quail went through the
"pattern.” but some of the shot sent
the town tabby to its final hunting
grounds.
Method In His Behavior.
“A lazy man,” remarked Uncle
Eben, “Is alius good-natured. He’s got
to be to keep Turn bein’ put to work.”
AERO SHOT FROM SHIP DECK
New Navy Device for Releasing
’Planes From Moving Vessels
Proves Successful.
Washington.—When a navy aero
plane was shot into the air at Pen
sacola from the deck of the cruiser
North Carolina while the ship was in
motion a new feat in aviation was ac
complished and a device on which
navy airmen have been at work for
three years proved a success.
The device consists of a track ex
tending along the ship’s after deck,
on which is a car. An aeroplane lands
on the device from the air and is
secured to the car. On launching the
car is driven down the track until it
has attained high speed. Then it is
brought to a sudden stop, and the aer
oplane, released from its moorings,
soars into the air, shot over the cruis
er’s stern at a speed of 50 miles an
hour.
RECORD FOR LITTLE MOTHER
Father Leaves Half of His Estate to
Daughter Who Guarded His
Children.
Passaic, N. J.—Miss Rosie Seltmann,
eldest daughter of Julius F. Seltmann,
who died recently, will receive one
half of his estate, according to the
will which was probated the other day.
The remaining half is divided equally
among Miss Seltmann's six brothers
and sisters, Walter, Frederick J., Otto,
Arthur, Helen and Olga Seltmann.
"Rosie has been practically a moth
er to her younger sisters and brothers,
especially since the death of her moth
er fifteen years ago,” said Mr. Selt
mann in his will. "I therefore consid
er her entitled to special considera
tion in the division of my estate.”
The value of the estate is not given,
but it is understood to be large.
RABBIT LEADS WAY TO SWAG
Dragged From Hole by Mexican, He
Uncovers Large Collection
of Silverware.
Pratt, Kan.—A Mexican, hunting six
miles east of here, ran a rabbit into
a hole. He pulled the bunny out, but
the rabbit held to a sleeve of the
man's jacket.
Further examination by the Mexi
can showed that a large swag of heavy
silverware had been hidden in the
hole, wrapped up in the jacket. The
police ara trying to decide whether the
silver was hidden treasure or the pro
ceeds of a robbery. They suspect the
latter.
WILSON PORTRAIT IN OIL
The latest life-size portrait in oil
of President Wilson, by Marion Swin
ton, formerly of the royal institute of
painters, London, was specially hung
at the recent celebration of the fiftieth
anniversary of the Manhattan club in
New York.
No Pink Hose or Low Necks.
South Bend. Ind.—Pink pumps, pink
stockings, low neck dresses and other
loud creations in dress shall not be
worn hereafter by the girl pupils of
South Bend high school, as a result
of a ruling of the faculty.
Action was taken after dozens of
the young women had introduced the
pink costumes into the classrooms.
The style caused general comment
among the boys of the school. It was
announced that the school authorities
wished to have all pupils dress as
plainly as possible.
SNOWBALL’S REVENGE.
Puff and Kit became very popular
with all the kittens and cats in the
neighborhood after they gave the lec
ture and very much talked of, and
poor Snowball was not looked upon as
quite their equal.
One day after he had been in the
city with his master he heard a
commotion in the barn, and he thought
Puff and Kit must be giving another
lecture, so he went very quietly to the
barn door and looked in. All the cats
and kittens were sitting around the
barn, drinking tea, and one old Mrs.
Tabby was saying to Puff: "It is a
pity; your brother Snowball does not
care for the artistic things in life
as you and Kit do; it must be very
trying to have him go to town with
his master Instead of enjoying this
brilliant gathering you have here this
afternoon at your tea.”
“Yes,” replied Puff. “Kit and I
often speak of it, but Snowball does
not care for social life at all. He
is of rather a roving disposition, and
he does not care for style, either.”
"He seems to be very proud of his
tie and collar,” said another Mrs.
Tabby.
“Oh, yes,” replied Kit, “so he is,
but he does not wear them with any
style.”
“He has not the grace or dignity
which you or Puff possess,” said an
other old Tabby.
snowball listened with flashing
eyes. “The wretches,” he said; “after
all I have done for Kit and Puff to
think they would talk about me like
this. I will show them whether I
have style or not. I saw a dog on the
street today wearing a red sweater.
I’ll get one the next time I go to
town, and on Sunday I will wear it. I
will make the old Tabbies and Puff
and Kit sit up and take notice of
me.”
The next Sunday morning when all
the kittens and Tabby cats were sit
ting on their front steps in the warm
sunshine Snowball donned his red
sweater. He stretched his neck to its
full length so that his tie and collar
might show to advantage. He slicked
his coat and pricked up his ears, and
then walked very slowly by the barn
door, where Kit and Puff were dozing
in the sun, but he did not look at
them.
Puff was in the middle of a yawn,
and he stopped with wide-opened
mouth. Never had he seen anyone
look so stylish as Snowball in his red
sweater. He tapped Kit on the head
and awoke him, and they walked out
■STl i Ti I
_ u bfeto
Walked Very Slowly.
of the bam and looked after Snow
ball's retreating figure.
“Where did he get it?" asked Kit.
“I do not know," said Puff, “but he
will have all the neighborhood talking
about him, and we will be forgotten
again."
They crept along to the gate and
watched Snowball walk down the
road. Out came the kittens and Tab
bies and looked admiringly at Snow
ball, who bowed and purred to each
one he met.
“Snowball’s the most stylish cat
around here,” said one kitten.
"And his white fur with the red
sweater makes him the handsomest
cat I ever saw," said another. “I must
watch for him when he comes back,"
said one old Tabby, “and invite him to
dinner, for he will be the rage after
this.” "Yes," said another, “he is
far more handsome than Kit or Puff.
They never could carry off that style
of red sweater."
Poor Puff and Kit watched Snow
ball as he was greeted on all sides, and
finally surrounded by an admiring
crowd. They walked down the road,
but no one noticed them, for all eyes
were on Snowball and his red sweat
er. Kit and Puff went home and wait
ed for Snowball to return, but it was
very late before they saw him, for
everybody was anxious to have him
sit on their steps or in their yard,
that they might be able to say that
he had called upon them wearing the
wonderful red sweater.
When Snowball reached home that
evening Puff said: “You better keep
away from the cow. If she sees that
red coat of yours she will toss you
so high you will never come to earth
again; she does not like red.”
“I am not at all afraid," said Snow
ball, “the cow always admired me,
but if either of you should put this on
and she saw you, I won’t answer for
the consequences, for your figures
would not show it off as mine does,
and it would anger her to sse you
wear it” And Snowball walked away,
leaving Kit and Puff wondering how
they could regain their standing with
their acquaintances.
A Live One.
Visitor—Willie, which would you
rather be, George Washington or your
Sunday school teacher?
Little Willie—My Sunday school
teacher.
Visitor—Why?
Little Willie—’Cause he ain’t dead,
yet
PIGS WILL REPAY ATTENTION
Little Georgia Miss Gives Striking
Demonstraticn of What Careful
Feeding Will Accomplish.
(Prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
A Georgia girl has recently given a
striking demonstration of what a lit
tle care will accomplish in the rais
ing of pigs. A sow in her neighbor
hood had eight pigs and could only
nourish seven of them at one time.
The eighth pig was therefore given to
the little girl, who raised it by hand.
She joined her country pig club as a
Ham and Bacon member, and kept a
close record, as the club, regulations
provide, of the feed given her pig, and
of Its weight. The pig was not a
purebred. At nine months old the
pig was killed. It weighed 225 pounds
net when dressed as meat, and also
yielded a 50-pount} can of lard. The
cost of producing this meat was less
..
Georgia Girl and Her Pig.
than five bushels of corn, as the pig
was also fed on kitchen waste.
At the same time the seven other
pigs which had been left with the
mother were killed. They averaged
only 87 pounds net when dressed as
meat. This is only one of the
many instances in which the members
of the pig clubs throughout the coun
try are demonstrating to their neigh
bors how liberally the pig repays those
who provide it with a reasonable
amount of care and feed.
MANY ERRORS IN SPELLING
—
Orthographic Oddities Brought to
Light by Dr. Leonard P. Ayres—
Few Excellent Spellers.
Seven out of every 100 third grade
: public school children in the United
I States cannot spell the word “has,”
' according to a report just compiled
j by Dr. Leonard F. Ayres of the Rus
sell Sage foundation on the special
problems inherent In the teaching of
spelling. Doctor Ayres’ study also
brought out many other orthographic
oddities.
Doctor Ayres selected the 1,000
j words that constitute 90 per cent of
j the language ordinarily used. This
i selection was made from various Eng
lish authors, from four Sunday news
papers, and from the business and
family correspondence of more than
2.000 adults.
Co-operating w-ith the school super
intendents in 84 cities of the United
States, Doctor Ayres had the 1,000
commonest words tested by an aggre
gate of 1,400,000 spellings, secured
from 70,000 public school children.
Nine words of most frequent use,
viz., “the,” "in.” "so,” "now,” "man,”
“ten,” “bed,” "top,” revealed that sec
ond-grade pupils, cvn an average,
spelled correctly 94 per cent of these
words. At the other extreme of the
scale of words “judgment,” “recom
mend.” and “allege” were found to be
spelled correctly by just 50 per cent of
eighth-grade pupils.
umiur Ayres unus: mere are
very few exceedingly poor spellers,
many medium ones, and very few ex
cellent ones. Few words do most of
our work when we write. Fifty words
constitute, with their repetitions, one
half of the words written. The child,
who masters the 1,000 words on the
scale given will make no spelling er
rors in nine-tenths of his writing."—
New York Times.
A Boy’s Idea.
Some historian has discovered that
we owe the existence of the safetypin
to the wails of an English baby. A
little boy named Harold, the son of a
blacksmith, had often to play nurse
to his baby brother. He saw that
when the baby cried it was usually
because he was pricked by a pin. For
a long time the boy nurse tried to
bend the common (pin so that it would
be less likely to puncture the baby’s
flesh and as his father, the black
smith, noticed the boy’s work the Idea
of hbe safetypin grew in his own mind
until it resulted in a contrivance that
is in use the world over.
Worst Habit of Boys.
One of the very worst habits in
boyhood is the cigarette habit. This
has long been recognized by all the
Judges of the courts who deal with
young criminals, and especially by
judges of police courts, before whom
pass thousands of men every year who
are addicted to intemperate habits.
These Judges know that in nearly ev
ery case the drunken sots who appear
before them, a disgrace to their pa
rents, themselves and the state, be
gan as boys smoking cigarettes. One
bad habtt led to another. The nico
tine and poison in the cigarette cre
ated an appetite for alcoholic drink.
The Reason.
"Well, Tommy, I suppose you love
your teacher?’’
"No, sir.”
“You ought not to talk that way
Why don’t you love her?"
"We are quite incompatible, sir ”
replied the precocious youth ' ’
hies.0 000 qUana 01 frUit and