BLACKWELL FAMILY ALICE STONE BLACKWELL GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Chatschumian, Ohannes19 July. 95 Leipzig. My dear Alice: You see I am here again. I believe you have sent me -- and and chagrin too -- a good many instructions and letters of introduction to [me] London, but I will not use them unfortunately. I enjoyed my journey to Rhein very much; I ought perhaps to stay a little longer in the valley of Rhein, but neither the time nor the finance allowed it. I had a good many interesting and amusing experiences on my journey. I tell you now that when you go to a hôtel, mark the name and the address thereof, in order that you might not be obligated to wander--in the most narrow and cracked and dirty streets ofMainz, for four whole hours (10-2), asking everybody where was your hotel, of which you don't know either the name or the place, then afterward to be obliged to sleep in a dirty "Bierwirtschaft" and to pay for it 1 Mark 50 pf . -- I will not tell you all the losses--they are not serious happily -- I have made on my journey. I wished to write about them before but was afraid of the hell-paradise Neuhoff.. I lost my beautiful portmonnaie in Paris. It contained some three or four francs only. Then I lost my ear cufs. Think of that! I remember that I had them on in the morning, but I could not remember when I have left them during the day. I am sorry you can't read German to read about the movement for the higher education of women in this country. They will seem small things compared with the graduating exercises of Radcliffe College held lately in the S. Theater, but you must think that here in Germany with a State Church and a Kaiser. I enclose an article on the 70th anniv. of Mr. Blackwell, from Nor Dar. You might be able to read some names in it. The arm. question seems to go to sleep. The elections have occupied wholly the public attention in England. I am afraid the last will be worse than the beginning. I haven't heard from Alice for a long time. I don't know where she is now, and therefore send this toOhannes Chatschumian Neuhoff. I hope you will rest during the Summer. I wonder that M. does not write anything about your going to Camp. Perhaps you are going to your [?Slavs]? Love to dear Alice and Mr. Blackwell. Yours affectionately, Ohannes [Ohannes] 12 Sept 95. Martel St 7 Leipzig My dear Alice: I sent you yesterday the translation of "Aslan-Agha" of which I have written you before. "Aslan-Agho", in the form I have presented it, is the union of two "Variants", one of which is in verse, the other partly in prose and partly in verse. [In order to] For the sake of unity I have omitted some parts of the two variants; some other parts are unified. The text is to be found in Mr. Mossephian's Collection of American folklore (Tiflis, 1883/. Archdeacon Mossephian is a friend of mine.the meter is not regularly kept in the popular poems, tho' on the whole it is kept. It varies from 9 (5-4) to 10 (4-6) and to 13 (6-7) The rhyme is not kept strictly too. It ends usualy (in our poem) in [?] ["in"] which is very common in our popular poetry of middle ages. It is rather monotonous. You have therefor full freedom of puting it into the English, you find best you are not bound neither by metre nor by "standards" (verses) there are no distinction of verses, but of clauses, which I find very beautiful and logical. As you will see the whole of this poem is a drama, of which the acting members are the prince of the country, his wife and his parents, Angel Gabriel and the only God. Then in the second place appear the poor of the country, the priest and the servant of the prince. Many interesting sides of the Armenian popular views of the world and society and heavens came forward in this wonderful piece of Armenian folks poetry: the love of parents, the love of the wife, the avarice of the priests, the generosity of the early Armenian princes, Angels and God. But the capital idea, undelying it, is that a soul is to be given for another, inorder of save the last one. You remember me telling you how the Arm. mother turns and turns around her dying child inorder to take upon herself her "[?]"giving her soul instead of his or her. "May I turn around thy head" is a very common expression of affection. I know how busy Alice is. Therefore she does not need to put it into verse at once. Let it stay for it self, and you brood over it meantime. I wish you would enter into the spirit of this popular poem.--If [Mazrin?] knows that I have sent you something to translate, she will become a Hell-[?], therefore tell her that this is a poem. Poetry is not her line. When it is ready to publish, I will write a "forward" for it. I hope the folk-lore will pay for it. I am well, my dearest sister, and send you the longings of my heart. Love to Mr. Black Ohannes. 28 March 95. Leipzig. Alice, my dear sister: I am very busy and will write you only a few lines. But this little note will tell you that you are always near to the thoughts and heart of Ohannes, and that was is rather surprised that you did not write this week. Your last letter reached me ten days ago. But as I have a letter from [Mazrin?] since, so I hope you are going all right. Did I thank you for the photo? I am enjoying it every minute. It looks very sad. I wish it were gladder looking (Bad English, isn't it?) Now just hear what I am going to ask you. On the 17th of April is Neu[?]'s birthday. Buy for a me a small bouquetof violets and rosettas and send her on that day this sheet of paper in it.x I was glad to read about the resolution passed in the Woman's Congress at Washington. Next Sunday-the 31st-I will start for Hamburg to see the Bismarck- festival. As an Armenian I don't care especially for these German festivals. Germany has totally spoiled our cause, which might have had a better solution. But this is a fair opportunity to see a part of this country and the German life. Do you see Punch's (London) pictures on Armenia? If you happen to see our beautiful cousin Frances, rebuke her for not writig me for such a long time and not sending me the promised picture. Give her my love. Remember me to my friends and acquaintances. Give my grateful love to your father and to dear Alice. Escuse not writing you oftener. You have spoiled me. My dear dear sister, Ohannes kisses your hand, your forehead and eyes. x It does not need to say, that Mazrin must not know about it before her birthday. Ohannes ChatschumianResolution in Womans Congress (Mar 28 189511 April 94. Cambridge, Mass. My dear Cousin Alice: Thursday morning I visited the Boston school for deaf children, the principal of the School, a friend of Mazrik, kindly showed me every thing, and I spent there the whole forenoon with great interest. The students of the fifth years were already able to tell from the American history. When I was in the lower classes, I thought: this is the best place for me to stay a couple of month to learn goodpronunciation, for, as you know, the whole method in such a school rests on lips-reading. But when I went to the highest class, (V year) I found out that my pronunciation is not so bad as Mabel says. The teacher told to the students (five boys and two girls) that they can ask me question. And they did. One of them knew that the Turks treat badly the Armenians. I was quite surprised. When the deaf know about the present condition of Armenia, it shows a great deal. Then I told them about my country. Both the teacher and the students were very much interested and thanked me. They said to me that henceforth they will be interested in Armenia, and will search (out) about it in the papers. This afternoon I was at a lecture on Anthropology. Miss Alice C. Fletcher is one of the lecturers. Her lecture (on the Indians) is on the seventh Wednesday beginning today. This evening I am going to hear Mr. Adler at Hotel Vendome. Mazrik and I will enjoy themost [tempstious] scene how the rich people eat the precious meals. Last evening I was at my Mentor in the Spirit law. I've talked over the message of my "Mother" and my "philosopher guide". Miss Benneson agrees with me that there was nothing testing the Spiritualism in that message. I have just now a postal card from a famous medium in the Vermont (?) cottage, telling me that I cannot see her before May, for [she is] her time is engaged. I am greateful to Miss 2) Benneson for her attention to me and the time she gives [to] up for me. Some days ago the following "anecdote" happened in our class of the New Testament: In the story of feeding of five thousands Matthew says that were five thousand men, besides women and children; Marc [*Mark*] does not even mention about women. Professor Thayer asked the one who read the passage in Marc, "Why do[es the] not the Evangelists count the number of women?" As he didn't answer, the professor addressed the question to the whole class. As no one answered, then I said: "Becausethe women had no vote." The professor and the students laughed "a great laugh". Give my love to your father and to my brave general, whose ever-faithful soldier is Cousin Ohannes.Ohannes Chatschumian April 12, 1894. 3 April 1894. Cambridge. My dear Cousin Alice: I had delightful time at your home last Saturday evening. But I stayed there too long, and, I am afread, I made sleepless your father and the ladies, who were so tired. I went hom a quater [bef] to eleven, and found Nazrin - the poor Nazrin who had worked ceaseless two days along - waiting for me. So I found myself a sinner befor the two families, and, therefore, I could not sleep till3 o'clock A.M. Sunday afternoon I went to the Spiritual Temple, where the 46th anniversary of the Modern Spiritualism was celebrated. My English does not allow to describe to my general to most curious things I saw that afternoon and evening. At last the "materialized" spirits apeared. But some of them had to much powder on their faces, and I am temped that there was some falsity. They apeared in different garment, some of them had crowns on their head. It may be they were some of the ancient Armenian kings and had some message for the mourned Armenia, but "as the light of the northern windows fell directly on the [stage] altar [viz. altar] (viz. stage) so they were not able to come forward or [deliver?] addresses." A beautiful young woman smiled most gracefully so that I was tempted (a tautology!) to disbelieve that in that world there is no marriage or love in the sense of our world. A little boy twice showed himself through the "Vorhange" and said "hollow!" The audience applauded. I metthere Miss Bennson and a Mrs. widow - Annex - student, both of them professed Spiritualists. They advised me to attend the meeting which took place the same evening in the Berkeley Hall. I lost the address and lost (spent in vain) 70 cents, till I found the ladies, who were kind enough to reserve a front seat for me. After the religious service a lady, who was giving seances in Boston for some weeks, made an address concerning the "victorious progress" of the modern Spiri 2) tualism. Then those who were present wrote some names on the sheets of papers and handed it to her. She did not handle the papers, and called the spirits, "of who no hosts were present." I wrote the name of my beloved poor moth - Mariam was her name - and waited with indifference the result. Many spirits came and gave pretty commonplace messages to their relations. No spirit came to the Balcony, where we had our seats (as every honest man has his seat on the "balcony"). Once she [asked who] said:[is there] "Here is a spirit with the name: "Hach". My heart burned within me. I thought possibly it is (K)hach-umian. But I did not inquire about it, for my demon was laughing at me at that moment. What then? I can only say: "I do not know; I do not understand this." But I am not sure that all I saw was free of falshood. But Miss Benneson is a "lawyer" and she has "her head on her shoulder." I can hardly believe the "rapping". A student last evening "rapped" several times standing without movement. He produced it by some muscle of his [xxx right] left foot. I was willing to write you this letter Sunday evening immediately after I got home, but as it was the first of April, so I was not quite sure [xx] whether all I had seen, was real. Next Friday afternoon I will go to the State House to [hear] see the Suffrage legislation. With sincere love Your brother Ohannes.Ohannes Chatschumian April 3, 1894. 4 April 94. Cambridge, Mass. My dear General: I cannot say anything good or bad concerning Mr. Herant Kiretchian. I can say only that he was not [any] a representative, and beged Mr. Tcheraz to represent him as such before the chairman of the Congress of Religions. He is a man in Turkish office, and I doubt very much that he is trying to interest the American people in Armenia. His speech at the parliament has nothing "Armenian" in it.Your friend evidently is ready to take any Armenian she meets for a patriot. It ought to be so, but the fact is different. I looked just now at the program you sent to me, and I saw that he is speaking this evening. I had not noticed it before. So I lost the opportunity of hearing him. Perhaps I could form a better opinion [of] about him. My opinion about the Protestant missionaries in Armenia is not changed since last summer, but, on the con- _2_ trary more confirmed by [the] seeing the Protestant Armenians in this country and by reading the writings of the missionaries about the Armenians. But my opinion concerning the Protestant Armenians is changed, I am glad to say. If the "friends" of Mrs. Ripley are willing to show any hospitability to a foreinger, I cannot be but glad for it. With deepest affection Yours Cousin Ohannes.Ohannes Chatschumian April 4, 1894. Your father is angry, you told me, when the young ladies offer him their seats in the streetcars. It seems to me that any woman, who know what he has done and is doing now, must feel deep gratitude toward his person. And it maybe that these women offer him their seat from this noble feeling.