

'iW 



Photo by Stephen Van R. Trowbridge 



BEATING UP OLD COTTON : AINTAB 



Mattresses and pillows are made over every year. The old cotton packing is fluffed, 

 cleaned, and aired by means of a great bow and a tightly tirawn gut which is struck with 

 a mallet 



originals and preserved to the world only- 

 through the Armenian translation. The 

 Armenians are very proud of this classic 

 literature and teach it in all their schools. 

 There is today a revival of Armenian 

 literature, modeled in part on these re- 

 vered classics and in part on French and 

 English modern writings. 



The Armenians have a sense of style, 

 a flow of language that often makes for 

 oratory and fine writing. The Armenian 

 language is rich, but harsh and guttural. 

 Scholars say that it is an Indo-Iranian 

 tongue, unique in its development. 



But the most beloved of Armenian 

 heroes, dearer than the mighty Dickran 

 or Tiradates, greater than Saints Sahag 

 and Mesrob, was Vartan. The story of 

 his brilliant youth and the favor of Con- 

 stantinople and Persian court ; of his 



strong manhood, tested by the fierce per- 

 secution of Christians by Persia; of his 

 military genius and success, and of his 

 heroic death in the final battle that won 

 Persian tolerance for Christianity, is one 

 that Armenians never tire of relating. 

 What solemn enthusiasm the students of 

 Constantinople College always brought to 

 the observance of "Vartan's Day!" 

 With what praises of their national hero 

 did they fill their compositions, and what 

 pride of race shone in their sparkling 



eves 



THE ARMENIAN QUESTION 



The "Armenian Question" was brought 

 about by the entrance of Russia upon the 

 stage. Toward the end of the eighteenth 

 century the province of Karabag, peopled 

 bv 200,000 Armenians and 100,000 Mos- 



350 



