She gave Archag great pleasure by beginning to talk about Van, which she had visited three years before. She inquired for Miss Dobbie, whose guest she had been for a week. Archag’s spirits revived; he told a numbers of stories illustrating the old lady’s untiring kindness, and Mrs. Spencer listened with interest. She liked the boy’s frank countenance and vivacity, and when Archag left, he was completely won, and promised to come again often.
[1] In Asia Minor every one has to go to the post-office to get his own mail. Before the Constitution, letters were more often lost than received at their destination. [↑]
[2] Armenians of Aintab and throughout Cilicia speak Turkish; many do not even know Armenian. [↑]
[3] Baron: Mr. or Sir. The author has often been amused by the ceremonious politeness of Oriental school-boys. [↑]
[4] Stan, is Turkish for “Country,” so Aram, in joking about America calls it “Yankee-stan.” [↑]
CHAPTER VI
A VISIT TO THE TURKISH BATH
Thursday was an important day in the Sophomore’s calendar, for on that day Mihran hodja always took them to the hamam (bath). Garabed, Aram and Archag usually walked in front; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, as Dikran dubbed them. Archag, who was usually very sensitive, only laughed at this pleasantry, he was so happy with his two new friends. Garabed was really his favorite; to him he could confide his inmost thoughts, and tell his pleasures and his troubles, sure of finding pity and sympathy. Garabed was the eldest of eight children; one after another, he had seen all his brothers and sisters die, the victims of tuberculosis. These bereavements and the sadness that pervaded his home, had invested him with a certain melancholy which he had never been able to shake off entirely. His teachers found him too quick, I was almost going to say too wise, for his years. Archag, overflowing with life and spirits, occasionally found him depressing, and at such times he enjoyed the companionship of his other friend, with whom he could run, jump, and tussle to his heart’s content for Aram was the life and soul of the class, and though his comrades might stand in fear of his raillery, they also admired his unwearied good nature and fearless courage.