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ARMENIA AND THE NEAR EAST
174
for five thousand children to eat at the same time, sitting in
rows at long, narrow tables. We saw them marching in by
sections with military precision, each section going to its own
proper table. The dining-hall and the work connected with
it was under the direction of a retired Armenian general,
a good-looking, grey-bearded old man who had seven children
of his own, and who had thrown himself, with touching self
sacrifice, heart and soul into this labour of love. In return
he was adored as a father by all the children.
After a pleasant lunch with Mr. and Mrs. Beach, who had
a separate house of their own, and after seeing the hospital
and the blind school of this community, we paid a visit to the
town to see the new Government cotton-mill, a large factory
which had only been running for a month, but was probably
going to be enlarged so that it could manufacture cloth from
all the cotton produced in the country. We went over the
whole mill and saw the various cotton materials made there ;
and I can testify to the excellence of these goods by personal
experience of the samples that were given me. Practically
all the girls in charge of the looms were from the Near East
Relief hornes for children. It was surprising to see how
expertly they managed the machines after only a month’s
practice, and how easily and methodically all the work was
done. It gave one an excellent impression of the education
they had received.
After we had seen the factory we were tåken to a kind of
lecture or assembly room, evidently used for lectures, theatrical
performances, and the like. All the hands had been assembled
there. A cordial speech welcoming me was interpreted, and
I replied with a few words, wishing their important under
taking every success. Then there was another speech by one
of the workmen, who said that they would like me to have a
remembrance of this visit in the form of some samples of their
work. The materials were still rather coarse, he said, but
they hoped soon to be able to make finer ones as well. There
upon a couple of men came up the room carrying several big
rolls of various kinds of cotton cloth made by the factory
—sheeting and towelling. I confess that my first ungrateful
and horrified thought was how on earth I should take such
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